w-100 restore

[ickety]

update:

well its been a crazy few months but i was able to find a bit of time to get a bit of work done on the townie...


engine is a 68' 6.3 383
swapped the stock timing chain for a double roller, high volume oil pump, hedman headers should be here tomorrow, swapped the old distributer out for a stock electronic one, edelbrock 750cfm carb with electronic choke, new valve covers, and went with a 7qt oilpan, new clutch...blah, blah, blah

still need to get a radiator, battery and wire the truck up.

hope you all enjoy! ill try to update more often.

[DrPepper]

Same set up I had on my original TW...

The color on the engine looks great.
Be careful with the clutch, it is easy to burn one up if you don't break it in nice and easy. There are 2 disk & cover sizes available, the big one is only about 1.5" larger diameter, you can tell as the disc is right next to the bolts. The "standard replacement" will be about an inch smaller than the bolt circle. It makes a difference but the average parts guy won't have a clue.

Enjoy,
DP

[ickety]

Hard part was finding my clutch being that its 10 spline... Its an 11 inch disk. For some reason it was a pain in the neck to get ahold of. I will have to look and see which i have.

[ickety]

Edit

[ickety]

starter questions

I can't find a starter that fits this engine, is theere a different starter unit that goes on the 383 4speed granny gear tranny? The cast number on my bellhousing is c-93961 w

[Steve G]

If your bell housing is the 68 and earlier style with hydraulic clutch it uses a direct drive 3 bolt starter.

[ickety]

This is how it looks. Any part number would be helpful. I assume it would be a 3 bolt application.

[Steve G]

Sorry, I messed up. 3 bolt is for the small block and the big block uses a 2 bolt direct drive. Both are for the hydraulic clutch style bell housing.

[ickety]

I kinda feel a bit on the silly side, for the life of me i can not get my starter to bolt up to this motor.. i even thought i got the wrong started in the box from the auto parts store but i ordered again and its the same but wont fit...

Its a started it should be darn near plug and play

[Ron in Indiana]

What seems to be the problem, is it the size of the hole in the housing or the bolts don't line up? You're right it should be a simple matter. I don't have experience with big blocks but from what I've read there are different ring gears and you may need a starter for your gear count.

[DrPepper]

If it bolts up and doesn't engage the flywheel....

I ran into a flywheel problem when I did mine, there are two different flywheel diameters and you need the larger one.
If it isn't the problem you might call "440 Source", they have a lot of info on big blocks.

http://www.440source.com/

Good luck,
DrPepper

[Steve G]

The bell housing is the correct hydraulic clutch bell housing (same number as mine). I have a '68 factory 383 4 speed truck, which came with the 4.56 first gear compared to the 6.68 granny gear. I don't remember what the flywheel tooth count was since I redid the clutch in about 1996. I do know it has a 12" clutch disc (11-7/8" actual). So with that bell housing you need the 2 bolt starter that is pictured above, which I don't believe you will find readily available at the parts store. It's a direct drive starter not a gear reduction starter that was used in the cars and 69 and later trucks. Here is some info from the Joe's power wagon archives:

http://www.t137.com/archives/wwwboar...s/3470170.html

[BGBOSSMAN]

This is a fantastic discussion. My wife would be dead asleep but I am riveted. So much valuable info and experience (regarding obscure items) being freely shared. The Internet is great.

Wish I could offer some valuable insight but cant so I am cheer leading.....;)

[ickety]

direct drive starter not a gear reduction starter

yea I have decided to ditch the np435 and go automatic 727 trans. It makes more sense i wont get ran over on the highway. I will say I have been schooled in the way of truck trannys.

any "just remember to" comments would be appreciated should be fairly easy i imagine and it will solve the starter issue too as i can use the reduction starter now.

just need to find a vendor to buy a 727 from.

[DrPepper]

I think both have the same output ratio...1:1

Your comment "I won't get run over on the highway" puzzels me, the engine speed will be the same with either trans, as top speed is still limited by differential ratio.

I put a 2:94 rear end in my '66 TW with the 383/435 set up, granny low became a real nice 1st gear. 4th gear was like overdrive. Was looking at the old rpm vs. speed calculations last week. Make yourself a spread sheet with ratios and speeds and you will see what I mean.

The 727 mounts in the rear tailshaft housing and the 435 on either side of the bellhousing. So you will have to make a different crossmember to mount the 727. I'm working on that now with mine. PITA.! Also, there are several (3 or 4) different tailshaft lengths or ovarall trans lengths however you want to look at it. Probably none will match your drive shaft so you will need to shorten the shaft and match the spline / U-joint.

Then there is the parking brake, is yours on the differential drum brakes or back of the tranny? Consider what you want to have. The 727 trans has a park function but would you trust it on a steep hill?

"Lokar" makes a nice shifter for the 727 trans....~ $260 + freight on E-Bay.

Just some food for thought....Pop a cold one (DrPepper?), get a paper and pencil and start to list the stuff that is impacted by the change.
Ben there, done that.....oh boy..!!!
DrPepper