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My son's build. '72 Chevy

You guys both make excellent points and I agree with all of it. I still think that it should stay aome what like it is. Thanks for the picture super-k. I hope I can convince my son and I hope I can change his mom's mind about letting him have a short lift!! :dunno:

And Thanks for all the replies!
 
Stomis said:
Lol its hard to put a SBC together and not get 400hp now let alone 300. Its gotten really simply. The LS engines have their advantages, especially given bolting on the fuel injection.
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LOL,it's hard for me to understand your first sentence. It's very easy for me to build a SBC any way I want it. You see I've been building small blocks for longer than most newbies have walked. The young guys seem to think you need 400 hp to get a truck to move. 300 is plenty,especially with proper gearing. Actually,stock 175-250 is plenty. And you can bolt fuel injection on a SBC if you feel the need. If you read my post you would see that truck,with whatever the stock hp was for a 400,moved along just fine and got respectable mileage by today's standards. There are huge advantages to not having a computer/electronics. Like I said,with the old stuff you can always make it home. When electronics bleep you got nuthin'
 
super k said:
LOL,it's hard for me to understand your first sentence. It's very easy for me to build a SBC any way I want it. You see I've been building small blocks for longer than most newbies have walked. The young guys seem to think you need 400 hp to get a truck to move. 300 is plenty,especially with proper gearing. Actually,stock 175-250 is plenty. And you can bolt fuel injection on a SBC if you feel the need. If you read my post you would see that truck,with whatever the stock hp was for a 400,moved along just fine and got respectable mileage by today's standards. There are huge advantages to not having a computer/electronics. Like I said,with the old stuff you can always make it home. When electronics bleep you got nuthin'
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Maybe I phrased that oddly. My point was its very hard NOT to hit 400hp with a 350 w/ modern heads. The 400hp mark is like the new 300hp mark when it comes to difficulty to build.

All you need is a 9:1CR 355 with stock vortecs, a RPM manifold, and a decent cam.
 
Ok,cool. And 400hp is plenty and then some. I'm still very happy with 300 and that can be had without big buck/extensive modifications. I'm building a 383 for my '72 K2500 using the original 350 block to get that torque like the truck with 400 had. If I could drive my pre-72s year 'round w/o rotting them out I'd consider an LS with o/d swap to get better mileage,and sure,good power. You don't have to be a purist to just appreciate a good old truck that isn't all changed around from it's original glory (too much),which is what made them so great and popular in the first place.
 
Hey super k, my son tells me that he has talked with you on chevytrucks forum. He is 72copperC10. Thanks for your replies.
 
So I thought that I would fill you guys in on how my son is doing with his truck. He has powder coated the frame and has more stuff in to be coated right now. We have built both axles with 4:10 gears and truetrac diffs. I didn't do much at all on it unless he was right there, so I got to show him how to set up the gears. He was very involved which is great! We put some new gaskets in the engine along with a used intake. He got a 700R4 built for it and we went through a 241 to back it up. It now has a DIY4X engine crossmember, new headers, all stainless lines, working on cross over steering, a blazer gas tank, ORD front springs and a shackle flip on the rear. He put new rotors and pads on the front. Now we are working on the cab. He has made all of the money to pay for all of it!!! I am amazed at the job that he is doing!
The front axle in the pic was a roller while we built his.

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Nice update:thumb: With the way the drivetrain looks I'm sure the two of you will have the body up to snuff in no time.
 
i wish i had "problems" like yours.

My opinion is that he's got to do what he wants to do. If he really digs LS engines and has the ability to swap, then i would resign myself to his wishes.

As you may know, i've just swapped in a 4.3 where a v-8 was. Some people may question my motives (and sanity). But i did it because i like the engine. Well, the other reasons were a rarely tow or haul heavy and i feel that i don't need an 8. But the main reason was i really like the engine.

i have a question for you. Let's say the truck in question was a 67-72 gmc 1500 with the 305 v-6. Knowing this engine series is not as popular as the small block by a longshot would you then be as opposed to an LS swap?
 
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Its fun to work on a truck with a excited 15 year old son...I am doing the same thing with my boy! :thumb:

Nice work on the 72! :waytogo:
 
Thanks for the compliments! Obviously I pushed him to keep the 400. He decided that by saving the money that th engine swap would cost, he could do more on the rest of the truck. So he has. He bought a set of factory tow hooks for it last week. He has been wanting a set for it since right after he found out about them. He has been working on a CAD program to make a new grill. I showed him the thread on here, so he says that he believes that he is about 1/2 done with the program!
A strange coincidence, he and I were talking about if we found a factory 305 V-6 truck yesterday. He has never seen one in person, but I told him a little about them. I have never driven one, so I don't know what my thoughts would be.
I am very glad and proud that he is doing such a great job! I am also glad that he has gotten interested in working on it! The rust repair is going to be a challenge as I have very little experience to share, but we are making progress and that helps both of our attitudes!
 
He has some of the accessories back on, but he just has the water pump hanging without gaskets right now. I found him waxing stuff one day. So far he has waxed the trans, both axles, the engine tins, and some of the frame! He polished some of the firewall so that he can see what is is like.

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I love the old GMC V6 line. The only thing I would replace a 305 V6 with is a 401 V6. If also add fuel injection to it.
 
kennyw said:
I love the old GMC V6 line. The only thing I would replace a 305 V6 with is a 401 V6. If also add fuel injection to it.
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He asked me if there was a bigger V6, and I didn't know. I made sense that there would be.
His girlfriend bought him a tach conversion for Christmas, and was trying to help him find tow hooks. She also sent a picture of the first time I let him take my shortbed without me.

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If you don`t mind me asking how does he make the money to pay for it?

My kids are in 4H and they buy and sell their own steers and heifers. We are dairy farmers so they help on the farm. Grandpa and grandma bought their first year steers 5 years ago and they have payed for every thing else them selves since. With the price of cows these days they have done very well.

My boy bought his 01 Duramax when he was 12. My daughter is looking to buy a Dodge Cummins we are trying to buy one with a trashed trans from our hutterite friends right now.
 
He did work for one of our neighbors in a heavy truck repair service. Now he is working for an orchard just over the hill from us.
 
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