I'd put a big block in it, but normal folks would probably do ok with
either a 305 or 350. You might get a bit better mileage with a 305, or
maybe not. You will have less torque and power with the smaller
engine. Adding overdrive usually helps mileage some, not as much in a
truck as in a car, though. FWIW, my wife's 99 Chevy truck, full size
ext cab 2wd, gets 20 mpg all the time with 325 cubes, 3.73 gears, and
automatic od...not to mention all that fancy fuel injection, and the
latest engine design technology. I was able to get from 15 to 20 mpg
with a mild 350 and overdrive, with 3.23 gears, in my little 39 Chevy
sedan. Big blocks regularly deliver around 10 mpg or so on a good day,
when the right foot isn't too heavy.
Be carefull buying a used engine, because you really don't know what
you're getting. I would rather buy a core and rebuild it, than buy a
used one for big $$$. Of course, if you don't have the extra $500-1500
to rebuild it, you will probably have to take your chances.
To check out a used engine, you need to see it run, and make sure you
see NO blue smoke at all. Run a compression test on it when it's warm,
the readings should all be within 10 to 15 psi on all cylinders, but the
actual numbers can range from about 110 to 160 psi. Get a guarantee if
you can...the hard part is getting the guarantee to last until you get
the truck together and running, so you can see how it works!
Good luck...
Jim
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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