1950 Chevy 3100 engine change

[Wm David Green]

I have read a few posts about the AMT '50 Chevy pickup, however I am still relatively new to cars & trucks, plus I'm no mechanical genius either, so this question is going to sound naive.

What would be a credible hot rod engine upgrade for the AMT '50 Chevy 3100 ?

[Johnt671]

Any small or big block Chevy should work. Tons of choices on E-Bay.

[Ace-Garageguy]

More than anything, it depends on the period you're wanting to represent. 

In the '50s, there were lots of 'hop-up' options for the old "stovebolt" six, including multiple carbs, headers, aluminum heads, and even mechanical fuel injection. Some of these are available from various kits.

In 1949, GM began introducing a variety of overhead-valve V8 engines. Cadillac and Olds swaps were popular, nailhead-Buicks had a following, Pontiac made a strong-running V8 beginning in '55, and the ubiquitous Chevy smallblock also came on the scene in '55. The little Chevy is probably THE most popular engine-swap of all time.

Also seen, but not too common, were early Chrysler OHV V8 "hemi" engines, in several flavors: Chrysler, DeSoto, and Dodge.

All of this stuff is available from kit sources.

[Dave G.]

Actually if you haven't bought the kit yet you might want to consider the AMT 53 ford pickup. That comes with optional v8 engine , wheels, grill etc. You wouldn't need to think about adapting motor mounts, cutting down or lengthening the drive shaft and things like that. I believe the 50 Chevy only has the inline 6 engine, so any V8 you get to put in will need some adapting.

[89AKurt]

First off, strongly suggest looking at the 67-72 Chevy trucks forum, Sub-Forums : The 1947 - 1959 Chevrolet & GMC Pickups Message Board.

I owned a 1948 last century.  It's not just a simple swap to stuff a V8 between the narrow frame rails.  Most people put a Mustang II clip front suspension in, which gives the width, and gets rid of the buckboard straight axle.  But I checked out a beater for sale in town, that had a 350 crate motor squeezed in, about1/4" between the manifold and steering box.  I would consider a modern straight 6, with turbo, perhaps a rice burner such as a Skyline, which there are numerous aftermarket "kits" and parts available.  My 1948 Canopy Express will have the Stovebolt, with two carbs and twice pipes, Old School.

[1972coronet]

I wonder if the AMT 1970 1/2 Camaro would be a good candidate ? I seem to recall that 'F' Body ( and , perhaps since they're shared , 1968-1972 'X' Body ) subframe was a fairly common swap . 

This would permit an , in essence , easier engine swap ---- the Baldwin-Motion Phase III 454 or the Z~28's LT-1 350 ---- since the engines will fit their respective subframe(s) . The only other consideration would be , how many modifications would be necessary to add the Camaros' "clip" to the '50 Pick-Up frame ? 

[Mark]

22 minutes ago, 1972coronet said:

The only other consideration would be , how many modifications would be necessary to add the Camaros' "clip" to the '50 Pick-Up frame ? 

The front clip swap has certainly been done with these trucks.  When that is done though, the engine is mounted a bit further back in the clip versus where it was in the donor car.

My older brother put a small-block Chevy in a '51 pickup over the course of two or three days during a work week, and drove it from Buffalo to Detroit and back that weekend.  The only failure was a manufactured part, the voltage regulator in the alternator (he switched from 6 to 12 volts along with the engine swap).  He cooked the battery on the return trip.  New alternator and battery, and he drove the wheels off of that truck over the next few years, year round.  He left the steering box in its stock location, as I recall he said one spark plug was tough to get at.  The choice of exhaust manifolds might be slim in order to get everything to fit.  Depending on the level of detail and accuracy in the kit, that might not matter so much in scale.

One of my cousins had one of these trucks too.  First swap was a 348 Chevy, followed by a '60 Cadillac engine and transmission out of my grandfather's car.  With those bigger engines, the steering column and box get moved to the left a bit, no small thing in that relatively cramped cab.  If I remember right, the Cad powered truck was a rough riding, ill-handling beast, but he drove it that way for a number of years.  It might still be sitting in his yard, I saw it there about twenty years ago.

[Plowboy]

Something else to consider would be using the AMT '55 Chevy pickup (street machine or stock) as a donor. You would get a small block and transmission along with a frame clip that already accepts the engine/trans, headers (custom version), dropped axle, exhaust etc.

[espo]

A thought on the exhaust manifolds. This has to do with a small block Chevy conversion if that is the way that this goes. A couple of sources for first stock manifolds. The Revell '56 Chevy kit. In the real world these would not be the most ideal, but in plastic the exit toward the rear of the engine in a down turned fashion and I think would offer the least clearance issues. The next best possibility might be the center dump rams horn style manifolds in the Revell '57 Chevrolet kit. The stock or maybe even the tubular headers from the Revell '69 Nova could maybe work also. The stock manifolds are a design that put the manifolds below the spark plugs and exit toward the rear and are at an angle that should clear the steering column.  

[Wm David Green]

Many thanks gentlemen for all the detailed info supplied, I had no idea about the front clip swap, this will be useful.

Although I've only been into auto models for a relatively short time, I've already accumulated considerable spare parts.

David 

[Dave G.]

Well the clip would work for a relatively modern hot rod or street rod conversion. Back in the day it might more likely been fit in the original rails. So just depends on the rendition you are after. 

For me, you got my juices churning for a dropped axle and Oldmobile engine. The Olds I have from my latest AMT 39/40 Ford sedan build ( I built it stock with the flathead Ford) which has headers that I'm fairly sure with a little heat could be warped around to fit one way or another. Just a thought.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Dave G.