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squirrel's 55 Chevy step van/bread truck

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  • #16
    I decided I might as well git r done, so I cut some perches off an old 9" rear, and welded them on the "new" rear. I also swapped over the brake lines. Then I installed it...kind of a pain, I didn't measure the spring bolts right and had to drop it down and drill the holes in the perches out a little bigger. But it's back together, mostly. still need to connect the brake hose and driveshaft, and bleed the brakes. I also need to get some wiring on it, because I"ve been hot wiring the engine to drive it around.
    Attached Files
    My fabulous web page

    "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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    • #17
      long time no update.

      Today I fired up the old 305, and moved the bread truck back in front of the shop, for it's last drive with an 8. That was short lived, it drove around a couple of yards with this engine, now the engine is out, and destined to go in a 1980 C20 I just bought.

      I was thinking about the perfect motor for the bread truck, and somehow I decided 292. I have two of them, in pieces, mostly (I need to get the crank back from Randal if I want to build both of them). The engine would be bigger than the stocker, and most importantly it would fit in the truck properly. The PO hacked the floor and engine cover to fit the 305 in it, and there just isn't any room there for the driver's right foot.
      My fabulous web page

      "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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      • #18
        I bet the 292 would get that brick moving easier than the 305. They had incredible torque at low rpms.
        BS'er formally known as Rebeldryver

        Resident Instigator

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        • #19
          Maybe so.

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          My fabulous web page

          "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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          • #20
            Another day at the Squirrel ranch.
            Escaped on a technicality.

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            • #21
              292 will pull a 2 car trailer so you can haul both hot rods to the track...

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              • #22
                YEAH Inlines! All my inline stuff is for 250s and not too much will interchange (cams, for example). But it sounds like you have it covered.

                Dan

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                • #23
                  Hi everyone!! I joined just to add my half of the story to this van.. yup I gave it away but thankfully its all over the internet so when I'm feeling nostalgic I can catch up on things.. anyways.. this van has always caused travel headaches everywhere it goes. I picked it up off eBay for $500 in San Jose, drove out, and tried to drive it back to eastern AZ. after burning / leaking about 5 gallons of oil the motor blew up in Blythe CA. so we parked it, hauled ass back to eastern az. A week later I hopped on a greyhound bus at 10pm and arrived back in Blythe at about 5am. rented a U-Haul and flat towed that sucker back to az. nothing like being 10' short of a semi's length, with a wobbly old bread truck in tow. that happened on a day when there was tornado touchdowns in flagstaff, just a mere 2 hrs before I traveled through. Still remember trying to make the I10 climb from phoenix to flagstaff at 45-50mph with the rain driving hard as hell, and semis whipping past at 65-70.. what a trip... but I know the old van is getting a suntan in squirrels yard.. maybe someday, I'll buy it back.. but probably not...

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                  • #24
                    Hi, thanks for the update!

                    I haven't done much with the truck lately, but I've been thinking about it. I do have a couple 292s in the barn, in pieces, I'm seriously thinking about putting one together to get this thing going. UPS used the 292 in their delivery vans for a long time....they do work...although freeway speeds are just a dream. Which is probably a good thing, since I doubt any sane person would want to be in this thing when it's moving over 60 mph.

                    I keep getting distracted. But, one of these years!
                    My fabulous web page

                    "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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                    • #25
                      that's okay keep it minty fresh for when i buy it back from ya... lol funny its been what 4 years almost now? I forgot how long its been... did ya keep the carter quadrajet from that 305? that thing was an oddball lol... it actually did quite well at 55-60mph believe it or not..

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                      • #26
                        I cut up UPS vans for their alum bodies for the scrap yard, their 292's are beefed or something.. Big one barrel, even the sick smoky ones have some power... I think their cam is something different.. I bought a plumbing van and it was such a dog. Same 292..
                        UPS is known for specing out their trucks back then, If they still do, I have no idea..

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                        • #27
                          I got a couple of core engines from UPS years ago, they bought new ones, these were taken out. Made in Mexico.
                          My fabulous web page

                          "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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                          • #28
                            When I was at EPA we sometimes worked with UPS. They actually had an engine development program with engineers and dynos and all that stuff! At one point they had taken over from the Army on the PROCO stratified charge engine, based on a Ford 4 cylinder inline industrial engine, (Lima based IIRC). That one never ran well, at least the mule we had.

                            So I'd be surprised if they didn't spec stuff like cams, ignition specs, etc. When you're buying engines by the freight car load even GM (or Ford or whoever) works to meet your requirements.

                            The delivery van world is unusual. These buggers are EXPENSIVE so it's worthwhile to invest in the best when you buy them and to do whatever it takes to make them last. There's a company (maybe in Indiana) that gets them back when they get a bazillion miles on them and completely remanufactures them. I saw a special on this some years back - very interesting. Engines are COMPLETELY gone thru (they reuse the castings if they test OK but little else), replace seats as well as the seat frames, etc. When they get them back they're equivalent to new and are expected to last like a new one would. Evidently, they do.

                            Dan
                            Last edited by DanStokes; December 24, 2016, 02:31 PM.

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                            • #29
                              Originally posted by squirrel View Post
                              Hi, thanks for the update!

                              I haven't done much with the truck lately, but I've been thinking about it. I do have a couple 292s in the barn, in pieces, I'm seriously thinking about putting one together to get this thing going. UPS used the 292 in their delivery vans for a long time....they do work...although freeway speeds are just a dream. Which is probably a good thing, since I doubt any sane person would want to be in this thing when it's moving over 60 mph.

                              I keep getting distracted. But, one of these years!

                              HMMMMM...all those big sixes ever asked for was another gear... overdrive??
                              Patrick & Tammy
                              - Long Haulin' 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014...Addicting isn't it...??

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                              • #30
                                It's not the rpm...it's the handling and brakes and aerodynamics.
                                Last edited by squirrel; December 24, 2016, 09:56 PM.
                                My fabulous web page

                                "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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