Rebuild tips for a daily driver SD

I’ve been bored out of my mind since the engine in my ‘55 died a while back. No word yet from the machine shop on how bad it is. Looking at the soot marks on exhaust manifold flanges and rough castings in both manifolds got me thinking. While the engine is apart why not do whatever I reasonably (read -cheap... as in free or darn near it) can to make it a smoother/more reliable/potentially more powerful engine. I know it’s not a high rpm engine but what can it hurt? I’m basically just sitting on my thumbs ‘til I hear the verdict anyway.

Here are my plans thus far-

Manifold castings are pretty rough on the inside so I’ll take some burs and knock down the flashings, and open up the ports to match the gaskets.
Install my “full-flow” filter kit
Balance the internals- a note about that- I took 2 engines to the first shop and asked them to inspect it all to see if there is a good one in the pile. While I didn’t weigh the piston/rod assemblies hat came out of the engine I did notice mix-matched rod bolts (when weighed the concaved head bolts are 2g lighter a piece than the bolts with the cross pattern stamped into them.) The shop had mixed the bolts per journal and in some cases 1 of each on the same rod...
This got me thinking- I weighed the connecting rods that I saved and between the 6 rods they varied from 885g to 13xxg... With zero confidence in the first shop I am only assume that there huge imbalances in my once running engine. Maybe that’s why I never felt comfortable revving it over about 3200...I know it only redlines at 3600, but it’s basically labor for me to balance the assemblies. Since the crank is 180* throws the shop can balance it with the flywheel/clutch/crank with out knowing the “bob-weight”.

I’ll look to clean up oil gallys and cooling passages.
Can’t hurt to toss the rocker assemblies and followers on the scale as well.
Chamfering bearing oil ports
Think there is any value in adding oiling sipes to the main/rod/Cam/pin bearings?

Anything else that you can think of?

Pondering an electric cooling fan as well- likely an OEM from a junkyard.

If it survives the head and block will likely be decked “again”... that would be at least twice that I know of... I’ll see about calculating a new CR while it’s apart as well.

If you’re going to port the head, why not improve the exhaust side some. You up for fabricating an exhaust header to enhance the exhaust flow out of the engine? Also, performance junkies tend to cc the combustion chambers of the heads to make them equal. And then there’s the cam shaft upgrades, etc. Not sure what your skill capabilities are vs. spending. I may be quoting the wrong person, but I believe Parnelli Jones once said, “Speed is money. How fast do you want to go?”

If you’re going to port the head, why not improve the exhaust side some. You up for fabricating an exhaust header to enhance the exhaust flow out of the engine? Also, performance junkies tend to cc the combustion chambers of the heads to make them equal. And then there’s the cam shaft upgrades, etc. Not sure what your skill capabilities are vs. spending. I may be quoting the wrong person, but I believe Parnelli Jones once said, “Speed is money. How fast do you want to go?”

Both heads that I have have had bolts or valve heads pounded into at least one chamber so CCing is sorta out without finding yet another head. I’m a bit timid about fabbing my own exhaust manifold. I don’t think I could fab something that will hold up in a daily driver without cracking somewhere.

I’ve pondered a JY turbo build. I was actually looking online at an exhaust manifold for 560 tractor with a C221. I’m getting the impression that it’s the same pattern as an SD. I’d love to have one to tinker with. I have a 2nd head and a spare set of manifolds. My thinking is use the tractor exh mani as it may create an air gap where the factory heater flap used to warm the SD intake. It would seem a simple matter of creating an adapter to go from the manifold to the new turbo. Obviously there’s turbo size, piping/IC , efi programming, etc to consider...

I have no desire to “go fast”... I’m just trying to allow the truck to work more efficiently. Good things to consider none the less.

Hey, I like this idea! A while back I took up the same basic train of thought. While job #1 right now is to just get my truck rolling, the idea of picking up a second engine to tinker with has never been far behind.

On my short list, which sounds pretty much like yours:

- Deck the block
- Mill the head
- Aim for a CR that will survive on low-octane pump gas
- Balance all rods for rotating and reciprocating weight
- Balance the pistons
- Balance the crank
- Clean up the ports and manifolds
- Clean up the oil passages and modify if needed
- Electric fan
- Electric fuel pump
- PCV system
- Distributor timing and other mods as needed.

On the long list would be homemade intake and exhaust manifolds, roller rockers, and maybe a vintage Paxton supercharger.

Balance would be my #1 though. My father had a 1980 C10 with a 250 I6 and, for whatever reason, it had horrible balance. It ran for ages, but never in a way that made you feel good about revving it, even with 7 main bearings and "modern" design for the time.

Oh, and I forgot the most important thing! A Cherry Bomb muffler! I have it on good authority that the louder it is the faster it goes.

I’ve pondered a JY turbo build. I was actually looking online at an exhaust manifold for 560 tractor with a C221. I’m getting the impression that it’s the same pattern as an SD. I’d love to have one to tinker with. I have a 2nd head and a spare set of manifolds. My thinking is use the tractor exh mani as it may create an air gap where the factory heater flap used to warm the SD intake. It would seem a simple matter of creating an adapter to go from the manifold to the new turbo. Obviously there’s turbo size, piping/IC , efi programming, etc to consider...

Who is JY turbo, I have had good luck with my "keystone turbo llc". I am contemplating selling my truck and probably would have better luck selling it without the turbo.

Who is JY turbo, I have had good luck with my "keystone turbo llc". I am contemplating selling my truck and probably would have better luck selling it without the turbo.

JY= junkyard

I will admit I’m curious about what you might have in mind if you sell your kit, or parts there’s of.

I own a1938 IHC D-35 (two ton truck) put on later model 1/2 ton chassis. I just drove it to Fresno and back last night.
I have a few observations to make:
1) Traffic WANTS to flow in the 75-80 mph range on our freeway.
2) My truck has 1995 running gear, I'm still tailgated from start to finish, it seems.
3) Our fellow drivers have NO sense of humor and NO patience.
4) Along with any engine mods on your 1955, really think about updating transmission/ differential ratio on your truck. These are relatively slow turning engines. You need road gears to keep up with today's traffic. Something in the range of 3.25 depending on how tall your tires are and if you have OD.
5) I have an R series pickup that came with the famous GM Hydramatic 4 speed automatic. Although this old trans is one big heavy hunk of metal, adding a automatic trans to our old trucks is a great idea. Our clunky shifting takes too long.
6) Finally, disc brakes up front and great shock absorbers and anti-sway bars. Power steering, if you can swing it.
7) Which brings us to the dreaded "frame swap". Swapping frames successfully surely cures all mentioned ills in the most expedient manner.
8) Some folks here swear by Dodge Dakota frame swaps. I've personally used Tacoma, Frontier, Hardbody, B2200 donors on my D Series IHC and 40s Dodge pickups.
9) There are "nice" old pickups that should never, ever be modified. Use those for Sunday morning drives to the local donut shop. For a daily driver on a combination of roads with "crazy" drivers you'd better update sooner rather than later. Your life might depend on it.

No plans to run 75-80. With a straight front axle, 1ton springs, and 238/85/16 10 ply tires I don’t feel the need to run down the super slab. 2lane highways are fine w/ me. I wish my truck still had the slush box it was born with, but alas it was swapped years ago for a T9. I recently rebuilt and installed a T19. I feel so modern with syncros now. 4 wheel discs and a slightly better rear ratio ( 3.73s) along with a limited slip have really transformed the truck. I was gathering data for the chip programmer after I installed a TBI fuel injection system when the motor let out a death rattle.