Friend wants to put 5.9B into 1/2 ton chevy.

[XcumminsX]

One of my buddies has really started liking my motor more and more. He told me yesterday to make a post on putting a 5. 9B in an older gm 1/2 ton 2wd truck. he said there is a 87 1/2 ton 2wd he has access to and wants to know if a 5. 9b + a 5 speed trans would work. Can someone just fill me in with some info here i had no clue what to tell him...



Nick

 

[LAlessi]

my personal opinion is no.

i would use a 2500/3500 frame. im not saying for 100% the frame is stronger, but i know the running gear is.



if he insists then let him do it. theres a reason the motor comes in a 2500/3500 frame.



if his is only doing it for fuel and light towing, then i recommend a 4bt, which would probably be fine in a 1500.

 

[XcumminsX]

oh i forgot to mention. He will NEVER tow with this thing. He likes the performance of these trucks and how much they can take. Hes gonna make it into a hot rodder.

 

[LAlessi]

then he still needs a stronger frame/running gear. you didnt say what year 1500, but the rear axle is propably a 10bolt will be destroyed by a 6bt. he can always box the frame, i guess.



2500 should have a semi floating or possibly full floating 14 bolt. id suggest a 14 bolt ff axle, or dana 80. he can swap now or later though if he chages the rear axle he will now have 8lug axle and a 5 lug front axle.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Use the 1/2 ton - but only if it is a shortbed. Otherwise... there isn't any advantage to running the lighter 1/2 ton chassis...



The '73-'87 1/2 ton GM's are plenty strong for a 6BT...



Dad had an '82 K10 (1/2 ton) for almost 20 years. It started life with a 6. 2L diesel and ended life with a 454cid gasser. The heavy engines never gave him a problem with the 1/2 ton frame... . but the stock 10-bolt rear axle ate itself long before the 454 was installed. Granted... both of these engines are a few hundred pounds lighter than a 6BT... but you get the point.



Heck - JLEONARD is putting a 6BT in an S10 for crying outloud...



Matt

 

[LAlessi]

he also braced the frame ALOT iirc on the s10.

a big block was never offered in the k10 (75-88) blazers, and the guys that swap them in have had frame issues. but i dont own a blazer, and am only going by what everyone else said. i have no personal knowledge of it.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

that front suspension's gonna be HURTIN'!!!!



Forrest

 

[HoleshotHolset]

You're right. Big blocks were never offered in 1/2 tons.



BUT - they did stuff 6. 2L diesels in the K5 Blazers/Jimmys and K10 pickups. And - they stuffed 6. 5L (both mechanical and electronic) in K1500 pickups and K1500 2-door Tahoes.



What I'm getting at here is that the 6. 2L/6. 5L is a pretty heavy beast and I have never seen any issues with my firsthand experiences with them installed in 1/2 ton trucks. A 6BT weighs probably 200 pounds more than a 6. 2L/6. 5L, though...



Matt

 

[w-cummins]

he also braced the frame ALOT iirc on the s10.

a big block was never offered in the k10 (75-88) blazers, and the guys that swap them in have had frame issues. but i dont own a blazer, and am only going by what everyone else said. i have no personal knowledge of it.

The frames for all the Chevy trucks from 73 to 80 were the same for 1/2 to 1 ton ( the sub and the blazer had different frames and of course differences due to length , short box, long box, and bonus cab) In 81 with the redesign of the truck they did use different frames on the each of the trucks 1/2 3/4, and one tons. The basic frame layout was the same but the heavy frames are much taller in cross section and might even be different gauge metal.

 

[JLEONARD]

A 6BT weighs probably 200 pounds more than a 6. 2L/6. 5L, though

Probably no worse that having a heavy snowplow mounted up front.

Jay

 

[KSilva]

i have had a few chevys apart and the frams are the same i would just use a fab 9 rear axle and 3/4 ton front spring and it sould hold up just fine would be a sleeper rig on the street

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Jay said: "Probably no worse that having a heavy snowplow mounted up front. "



EXACTLY what I was thinking...



Heck, I used to have an old '91 Sonoma and it barely even sagged when I had a 6. 5' Fisher plow on it with a steel moldboard and steel cutting edge. I guess it helps that I did some research and installed the most heavy duty torsion bars they ever made for the S-series trucks...



I'm comparing apples to oranges... but it's the thought that counts, right?



Matt

 

[fbaurley]

Actually there was a Mid 80s chevy square body1500 4x4 with a B series engine in it at Thunder in Muncie. One of My buddies neighbors owns it. The truck was originally a 5 speed. ( Nv 4500 or getrag???). So all he had to do was get the Dodge bell housing. He said he only has gone through one rearend, and its a 10 bolt!!!!. Theres a good chance he may be at Scheids

 

[1stgen4evr]

6bt in a 1/2 ton square body chevy

No doubt about it. It will go in and depending on application, (load, size of foot, etc) it will hold up. The slippery slope of bombing may get you in deep voodoo with drive line components. Use Dodge parts back to the axle and be prepared to up grade that as well.



If Chevy conversions continue apace as they have for years now, TDR may need to have a section for those.



Use the Dodge motor mounts and sit the engine in place as far back as possible. Fab up the metal to fit between the mounts and frame. May need a well placed smack on the fire wall to tuck it back where you want. Pay attention to what is behind the firewall where you smack it. Jay can give you some advice on taking the fire wall out and having the engine in the cab with you.



Don't ever raise the hood around motor heads unless you have plenty of time to gab.



James

 

[HoleshotHolset]

James said: "Don't ever raise the hood around motor heads unless you have plenty of time to gab. "



Anyone with a good ear will chase the owner down long before they pop the hood.



I LOVE engine transplants like this. Take an engine that was NEVER designed to go into the vehicle... slap it in there and enjoy!



Matt

 

[JLEONARD]

Anyone with a good ear will chase the owner down long before they pop the hood

How true that is...

My son went thru the Wendy's drive thru satuday with the Cummins S-10 and got followed back to his shop by a couple of cars full of guys that wanted to see what he had in there.

On the road for less than a week and the cat is out of the bag already!! :-laf