Customs Olds 303 rocket in 1950 Chevy truck

Question of the day. Will an olds 303 rocket engine bolt up to a stock 1950 Chevy 3600 4 speed manual transmission?

 

Yes, with an Olds to Chevy adapter plate. The Olds manual trans of that era (and Buick/Pontiac) have a different bolt pattern and use the bell housing as the front trans bearing retainer. Totally different setup from that used on the Chevy (as well as most other vehicles). However, there is an adapter that bolts to the Olds block, which has an extended bell housing, that matches the Chevy trans pattern.

Wilcap, Bendtsens (www.transmissionadapters.com, Ross Racing Engines are all likely sources for what you need.

 

For 1495.00 for the kit and then add the cost of the other pieces you have to have a lot of "want to" along with deep pockets. It costs money to be cool, how cool do you want to be??
Not near as spendy as rebuilding that Desoto Hemi I have out in the shed though..

 

Do you guys happen to know of any small 1950 v8 engines that run off of the 6 volt system that will bolt right up and keep the original starter?

 

Any small block Chevy V8 with manual trans components will bolt to your trans easy peasy. In that situation you ‘might’ have a difference in the diameter of the center hole in the bell housing and your trucks front bearing retainer flange. That’s easily dealt with.

As for 6 volt or using your stock 6 cylinder starter......all Chevy V8’s were 12 volt from new and so far as I know, there are no 6 volt starters that bolt up to them, least of all, the 6 cylinder starter. Converting your truck to 12 volt should be easy enough....it’s a common change and not complicated to do.

Although I don’t think it will apply in your case, you can run a 6 volt starter on 12 volts. Usually that only occurs for a few seconds and the engine is running and the starter isn’t harmed. Prolonged cranking would quickly over heat the starter.

Ray

 

It should be possible to rebuild your Chevy starter for 6V using field coils out of a 6V Chev starter. I don't know exactly what the diff is between a 6 cyl 6 volt starter, and a V8 starter, but a good auto electric shop should be able to fix you up.

In this case it would probably be better to change to 12V which is easy on your vehicle because it has so few electrical components, even the windshield wipers are vacuum.

Incidentally this swap of a Chev V8 into a 1950 Chev pickup may be the first Chev V8 swap ever done. It was written up in Rod & Custom magazine in October and November 1955, for what later became the R&C Dream Truck.

Spence Murray bought one of the first Chev V8 cars and promptly blew it up at the drags. Got a new engine under warranty, kept the blown engine and repaired it, and put it into his daily driver pickup.

 

Probably the easiest modern era engine to install in your truck would be a 230 or 250 six. next would be a small block chevy V8.

 

Spence Murray bought one of the first Chev V8 cars in late 54 and promptly blew it up at the drags. Got a new engine under warranty, LOL. My uncle called the 55 -265 the 90 day wonder. Because it was a wonder if they lasted 90 days. He quit the chevy dealer and went to work for the Ford dealer. Because he was low man and had to do warranty work. He got $12.50 to swap a engine. The early 265's had flat top pistons no valve reliefs. and solid lifters. Guys would double spring the points. then wind them too tight and collide the valves with the pistons. They went to Hyd lifters and stopped that in 56.

 

I'm not much of an old Chevy guy, but I can't imagine a 1 ton four speed being worth keeping or being the deciding factor on drivetrain? Is it even synchronized? What about a T5 or a Saginaw 4 speed or anything else? Rocket is cool in anything.

 

Taking off in second it's not bad at all. Put it in low and you get out and walk beside it.

 

Didn’t gmc use a Rocket?

 

Yes in the late 50,s most GMC V8 engines where Pontiac mills. However they where a few that got I think a 370 olds. Ive never seen one with the olds engine. I seen a 56 chevy with a factory buick nail head it was a 322. Ive owned several GMC Pontiac engines & trucks.

 

The slow low and reverse are great for starting heavy loads. And creeping around in tight places . especially when backing up.