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Making a Decision Original Or Not


matlocks05

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I have a 51 B3C with original engine tranny and axle. There is 68000 on the odometer and the person I got it from states it is original. The truck has set since 1978. Should I take the time to restore the original or just swap the whole drive train out with new easy to find parts? I have been reading other post and it appears these engines don't last very long and are very high maintenance engines. By the reading the max speed is about 50 and the tranny is hard to shift. Please let me now what you all suggest I go from here. I currently have the truck disassembled down to the frame. The engine and tranny is in the garage still connected. Thanks for all the suggestions you may have.

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I think you need to read a little more. Or perhaps read between the lines a little. Of course the majority of stuff you read are questions by guys having trouble but there are a lot of us running flatheads with no issues. But because we have no issues we don't post. I just took my 46 pickup on a 3day trip covering about 400 miles. Cruised about 55-60 on the highways. You can swap a car center diff into the truck axle housing for a better ratio for a little better speed. Shifting should be easy unless you have a 4spd. Those can be a little tricky. In the end though it still comes down to what you want when you are done.

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I agree with Ed on this one. The flathead 6 is a very robust engine. Does your's still run? As long as it's not locked up or completely dusted out with high blow-by, I'd run it. And even it it does need a rebuild, parts are readily available for these engines.

As for the trans, if you do have a 4 speed, your B3C should be the syncronized version. My B2C has a non-syncro 4 speed, but I have a syncronized version out of a B3C. If it has the 3 speed column shift then there are no issues with shifting.

Also, as Ed mentioned you can swap in a lower geared differential from a car of that vintage. I have a '50 Plymouth diff with 3.73 gears in mine. I've had my truck up over 65 MPH with room to go, but I didn't want to push it that hard. You won't be winning any drag races with the flattie, but it's a cool conversation piece at the cruise-in's.

Merle

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"I have been reading other post and it appears these engines don't last very long and are very high maintenance engines. By the reading the max speed is about 50 and the tranny is hard to shift."

Matlocks05,

Actually in my experiences over the last 40 or more years I have found the opposite of your above statement as long as you keep up normal maintenance and don't push them. Your truck probably has a 4.11 rear end so 55 mph would be a comfortable cruising speed. As stated already the transmission is a synchromesh type and easy to shift.

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The basic Mopar L-6 engine design lasted from 1933 (in Plymouth) until the early 1970s (in industrial applications). There were, of course, modifications along the way (boring, stroking, etc.). But any design that was good for forty years of production couldn't be all that bad.

I cruise at 60 MPH in my 1933 with its factory stock 4.375 rear end. With a 4.11 65 MPH would be reasonable. I doubt that I will get 200,000 between rebuilds, but with modern lubricants and almost no driving on dirt roads I bet I will go further before another rebuild is needed than was typical "back in the day".

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I think you've heard from the others that these engines and drive trains are still quite usable even in today's environment. I'll address this issue from another side. First of all, these trucks are rapidly disappearing just from age and deterioration or they become compressed into a steel cube in a junk yard. Anything we can do to preserve them is welcomed.

You need to know your abilities if you are talking about major changes like swapping engines, drive trains or frames. These all take hugh amounts of time, effort and money. Many have started these types of projects and are yet to finish and ebay has many of these types of uncompleted projects for sale, which is an indicator of the time and money required.

Personally, my truck was converted to a V8 and automatic trans, before I got it, but the hatchet job that was done to accomplish this was horrible. I've yet to drive my truck because it wasn't running when I got it and will still take some more years and money before I get it in decent running shape.

I experienced what a delight these original trucks can be to ride in when Jim Shepard gave me a ride in his. These trucks can be quite wonderful without major modifications.

I would hope that you would work to get your truck running with it's original engine and drive train first. Enjoy it first, then move ot make changes to it as you go along.

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I have a 51 B3C with original engine tranny and axle. There is 68000 on the odometer and the person I got it from states it is original. The truck has set since 1978. Should I take the time to restore the original or just swap the whole drive train out with new easy to find parts? I have been reading other post and it appears these engines don't last very long and are very high maintenance engines. By the reading the max speed is about 50 and the tranny is hard to shift. Please let me now what you all suggest I go from here. I currently have the truck disassembled down to the frame. The engine and tranny is in the garage still connected. Thanks for all the suggestions you may have.

It will all depend on the level of your abilities as far as doing the work yourself or having the $$$$ to have someone else do it. I have a 53 b3b that I am presently putting on a 93 chev S10 frame with (gasp) Chev running gear. It has been a very easy swap so far, it will have all the juice it needs to scoot up the freeway and keep up with the traffic and customizing is what I happen to enjoy doing. Which way do you lean towards, that makes the big difference. Either way, good luck and the great guys on this forum will be able to guide you thru either way you choose to go. Bud :D :D

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Most important thing to remember no matter what way you go is failure is NOT an option. Take your project to completion and enjoy it.

matlocks05,

I'll have to disagree a little with what Don and the others said in their replies. In my opinion, there is only one thing to do with your truck. That is, do it the way you want it done, and the vision of how you wanted the truck when you first saw it. So, don't listen to what any of us say as to how you Should do the truck. It's your truck, your money, and you are really the only person in this world you have to satisfy with the truck. So, you should be saying, I Did It My Way, meaning yourself.

Second most important is what Don said.

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If it is in reasonable nick and running then I would lean to original, if it has worked hard but little rust then I would modify it.

However keeping it original would be easier and cheaper, modifications are expensive. After all it is your hobby so enjoy it, what ever shape that takes.

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Called a custom body shop for an estimate to put in a front end. He said he required $7,000 up front because it always requries something unexpeced and he wanted to be certain the customer knew that going in. I have decided to get disc brakes and keep the front original. Is his reponse typical?

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