Giving up on the tornado

[Nailhead]

Originally Posted by venominjected

And my guess is if you didn't have those memories and emotional attachment you would have or would at least be considering an engine swap.

Not so: I like driving this truck for what it was when it was built, and that includes a straight six with an odd exhaust note, an odder valve cover, and lots of low end torque. I have an '08 Dodge for when the above gets tiresome or impractical.

[jeepdan]

Originally Posted by Nailhead

Not so: I like driving this truck for what it was when it was built, and that includes a straight six with an odd exhaust note, an odder valve cover, and lots of low end torque.

My feelings exactly

Although the people following me up hills probably wish that it would go faster.

[venominjected]

Originally Posted by Nailhead

Not so: I like driving this truck for what it was when it was built, and that includes a straight six with an odd exhaust note, an odder valve cover, and lots of low end torque. I have an '08 Dodge for when the above gets tiresome or impractical.

I like low end torque also... so I decided to double the Tornado 230's torque at 500 rpm lower to boot

Reliability and available parts are the biggest reason I swapped out. A fuel issue is a trip to NAPA in stock that day... not 2 weeks shipped for a NOS 60+ yr old part.

But I'm also mid 30's so I could potentially have this truck 30 years from now still and my guess 230 tornado parts will have dried up all together by then.

[Don Cavey]

Originally Posted by Nailhead

Not so: I like driving this truck for what it was when it was built, and that includes a straight six with an odd exhaust note, an odder valve cover, and lots of low end torque. I have an '08 Dodge for when the above gets tiresome or impractical.

Yup, my feelings as well. I spent a lot of hours driving one of these forty some years ago.

[Nailhead]

Originally Posted by jeepdan

Although the people following me up hills probably wish that it would go faster.

That's why I stay out of the mountains, Dan.

[m38inmaine]

Thanks for thinking of me, I contacted the OP.

[DAVEJ]

I would think getting the 230 running right would be cheaper and easier than an an engine swap. Not to sound mean ,but a swap is going to be much more complicated than tuning the 230.

[Mikel]

Originally Posted by DAVEJ

I would think getting the 230 running right would be cheaper and easier than an an engine swap. Not to sound mean ,but a swap is going to be much more complicated than tuning the 230.

If what you want is the power and reliability of a 230. It depends on the owner's needs and wants.

[teberhard]

Originally Posted by DAVEJ

I would think getting the 230 running right would be cheaper and easier than an an engine swap. Not to sound mean ,but a swap is going to be much more complicated than tuning the 230.

Your probably right but not by that much. I figure to really get this thing running right would require full rebuild of the distributor with new wires and plugs(military) and probably electronic iginition. Or go with the civi replacement distributor. Both will run in the $500 range.

Then I probably will need a professionally rebuilt carburetor as I don't think its fueling properly either. another $250 or so.

For that I could get a novak kit with new clutch. Then all I need is a chevy 350 which are not too hard to come by around here and some misc stuff. After selling my 230 and alternator and starter. It probably wouldn't be a huge difference and would have the power to pull hills as I live in the mountains of NC.

So I may be selling the 230 very soon. Want to leave it in the truck so whoever is interested can see it run.

[teberhard]

After doing a bunch of searching I am torn between adapting a 350 to the t98 vs just buying a mid 70's doner chevy truck and swapping the whole drive line. I can do some fab work but would't call myself an expert by any means.

Can anyone speak to the differences in how much different it would be to swap a 350 with sm465 vs novak adapter to existing tranny? What's required of the drive shafts? Can the doner truck drive shafts be modified or the m715 drive shafts?