Engine Swap in a Chevy C70

Karl Robbers said:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I always was of the understanding that the 427 Chev was designed as a performance motor, (as in muscle car), not a puller.
If it were me, I would look seriously at a 6V53 Detroit, (6V53T if you can fit it) and a RT6613 Roadranger. The 6V53 will handle 45,000lbs on its ear and if you really wanted something special you could fit a Jake Brake, which would help you in descending the hill you just climbed. The 6V53 will be a fairly easy fitment too. Detroits are probably the sexiest sounding engines ever and would compliment your truck well. 6V53's regularly served in International Loadstars and Dodges at well over 45,000lbs.

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The 427 came in two versions. One being a performance engine and the other a truck engine . Both engines shared a lot of similarities. The truck engine had a taller block deck to allow for an extra compression ring on the piston. Bigger water pump, also had an extra bell housing bolt at the top.

Karl Robbers said:

Detroits are probably the sexiest sounding engines ever and would compliment your truck well.

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For about all of 10 minutes LOL!!! I drove 53 and 71 series Detroits on a daily basis and while I have a bit of nostalgia for their song, I remember how beat up I was at the end of the day from it. They were LOUD no matter how much muffler you put on them. The 92 series was the first that was tolerable.

Old Chevys and Jimmys . That's what I'm used to . This is my personal opinion and we all know what that's worth .If you stay with a gasser , take the time to swap that big block with an LSX out of a late model truck .

Works wonderful with all the electronics but a carb can be used . It not the easiest to do but if you find one with a 100,000 at the salvage yard it's doable and you will still have 200,000 left in it and probably twice the fuel mileage , twice the Horse power and torque .

Ideally you would use a large frame diesel But the biggest turd in the punch bowel is the rear gears . Most those old gassers had a rear gear somewhere down in the 6:50 range WAAAAY to deep for a proper diesel set up

I haven't really decided where I'm going with the truck. If I put the Cummins in with the current drivetrain I'd be topped out at maybe 50mph.

Tiny said:

Old Chevys and Jimmys . That's what I'm used to . This is my personal opinion and we all know what that's worth .If you stay with a gasser , take the time to swap that big block with an LSX out of a late model truck .

Works wonderful with all the electronics but a carb can be used . It not the easiest to do but if you find one with a 100,000 at the salvage yard it's doable and you will still have 200,000 left in it and probably twice the fuel mileage , twice the Horse power and torque .

Ideally you would use a large frame diesel But the biggest turd in the punch bowel is the rear gears . Most those old gassers had a rear gear somewhere down in the 6:50 range WAAAAY to deep for a proper diesel set up

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That's the beauty of the 6V53, 3208 CAT, 555 Cummins and to a lesser extent the 903 Cummins. They were all designed in an era where petrol V8's were being replaced by diesels and they have rev ranges comparable with the petrols.
The 6V53 is in many ways the pick of the bunch as it has really good torque figures, loves revs and can be fitted with a Jake Brake. The Cummins would be second, (particularly in VT trim) and the Cat would be third due to not being jake compatible.
Assuming a tire height of around 41" and a rear axle ratio of around 6.5:1 you would need around 3300RPM to see 65MPH.
Just remember that powering the truck at 65MPH is easy. Slowing it down can be a whole different story. Double the speed and quadruple the stopping effort required, so even the jump from 50 to 65MPH means a lot more anchor is going to be needed to stop your rocket sled.

make sure the vacuum avance is working properly in the distributer of that 427.

No vac advance on it, just mechanical.

Gotten anywhere on this?

Here im still running my chev 70 with a 427 and 5&4. Gas right now is cheaper than diesel at 1.14 per litre and diesel at 1.38 per litre.

Dunno what that is in American, but here gas is $3.85 and diesel is $3.65

Gas has gone down here 2.89. I dont often look at the price. I have to have it to make money. One good thing the last 3 vans i bought to junk had almost full tanks. That helps out alot because i have to pay alot for junk vehicals because so many guys are junking around here. I gave 300.00 apeice for them and got 50.00 plus worth of gas out of each.

stiil looking?

what is your status on the truck?
I can give you some real world on 366/427 in C60 and C70.
(also some real world on 5.9L, 7.3L, and Detroits - plus the bigger offerings, if you want)
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