New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

Hi, I've been browsing the site for the last few week and thought I'd introduce myself. I've been staring at the 327 block out of my Chevelle and we decided that we needed a truck to put it in, to keep it lubricated and in good shape :)

I found a '66 short bed fleet side big window GMC in reasonable shape (all of the typical rust holes in the floor, 5 gallons of mud, but otherwise solid). The 351/powerglide will be coming out to get replaced by the 327 V8 with a 700R4 since I couldn't convince my wife to let me use the 4-speed Muncie. I'm hoping to rebuild the factory power steering; power brakes will be replaced with discs up front. All of my money is tied up in my '65 Malibu SS, so we're trying to do this one on the cheap and will probably end up clearing over the rust. All of the mud is making me reconsider where to go.

You can see my Chevelle build at www.hosschevelle.blogspot.com. I'm looking to learn about GMC's because they seem to be a completely different animal. Should be an interesting journey keeping us busy.

Re: New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

True the GMC's of the pre 70'e era are a different animal but by pulling out the 351E V6 and replacing it with the ubiquitous small block Chevy V8 you're destroying it's uniqueness and basically making a Chevy truck out of it!!!

Re: New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

Please don't molest that 66 by taking out the rare 351. Let somebody else enjoy it who will actually understand what they have and appreciate its uniqueness. Go buy a Chevy instead.

Re: New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

I agree, Ed.

Cayoterun

Re: New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

So sorry you all feel this way - guess I'll find somewhere else for information. I'm not into factory original. The 351 will be available if you want to buy it! For what we want it's a boat anchor.

Re: New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

You popped into a 60-66 club Turbo. Then you something like "Everybody knows rap is better than Zeppelin." or "George Washington was a homo". Your taking a piece of history and tearing it up because "it aint what we want".

If it wasnt what you wanted you could have just as easily bought a chevy like they said. GMCs arent just another truck for so many different reasons. They were actually designed differently than a chevy with different benefits. And they were made in smaller numbers than Chevy so there are less of them out there.

Maybe you didnt know that but give it a couple of days and maybe read up on the time and work put into GMCs to make them better. Then if you still dont appreciate the prize you have in that 351 then go ahead and tear it up.

If you do appreciate it then maybe dump the whole truck on Ebay and get one of the thousands of chevys there are out there.

Re: New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

A few things my husband didn't mention about the '66: it's MY baby and will retain all of it's unique GMC features on the body when it gets restored in a few years. The reason I want the 327 in it is because it's the motor out of my Dad's Chevelle and I used to work on it with him. The 351 does not run and even has some fabric sucked into the carb somehow. I'll sell it to someone who will appreciate it, but I really wanted something to put my Dad's motor in. He's been gone 5 years and this motor is a link directly to him that I cherish. I just want to get the truck back on the street and get that 327 back on the road too at the same time. I'm building a street rod, not a stocker so I think he picked the wrong message board. I don't want a Chevy truck, they are a dime a dozen and I grew up with a '57 GMC that I loved and wish I knew where it was. Don't shoot the messenger--this idea is all mine. I love old trucks and look forward to getting it back on the road again instead of sitting, rusting away in somebody's back yard.

Re: New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

The truck is your baby and the engine is a piece of YOUR history via your dad. It may not be "GMC history", but I can respect the "family history" aspect of what you wanting to do; even more so if you plan to keep it in the family for generations to come. :goodluck:

Re: New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

I totally understand your desire to keep your Dad's 327 running and in another vehicle. I like Chevys too, and used to own '66 and '67 Novas with 327s in them. It's just that although I like Chevy trucks, I like GMCs of the 60s even better because of what I like to call their "over-engineered and under-appreciated" V6 engines. What's unfortunate, probably due to limited finances (like so many of us), is that you can't end up with two vehicles, the GMC with the 351 and a Chevelle (or Camaro or Nova) with your Dad's 327 in it.

Re: New 66 GMC ratrod project
 

That would really be cool if you could get another chevelle and drop that 327 in it. That 351 will probably run if you just pour a little gas in it and kick it good n hard. They don't die easy.

And you could do the chevelle in the Other Builds forum so we could watch it come to life!
:bananadance: