1 ton with a 350

[Diamondpilot]

Wonder what the fellows back in the 1950's were using for motors??

A flathead V8 or six making ?? in a five ton truck. Seemed to get where it was going.

It worked but just barely. The did not have interstate's, big toys, ect back then. It was all about building a country and manpower and labor was cheap so time was not a issue.

Chris

 

[Bird]

Wonder what the fellows back in the 1950's were using for motors??

A flathead V8 or six making ?? in a five ton truck. Seemed to get where it was going.

In 1957-58, I used to service some tractor/trailer rigs, grain haulers, that were gasoline powered 6 cylinder Chevy trucks. Those were manual transmissions, but the first automatic I ever saw in a truck was a 1951 GMC, 6 cylinder gasoline powered dump truck with a hydramatic transmission.

 

[carpenter383]

My neighbor has a 1978 chevy single axle dump truck with a 350 sbc in it (origionally a 366 big block). It tips the scales at 26,000 lbs loaded, he works the crap outta that thing. It's no power house, but it keeps on going and gets the job done, just like that bunny with drumsticks

 

[Diamondpilot]

My neighbor has a 1978 chevy single axle dump truck with a 350 sbc in it (origionally a 366 big block). It tips the scales at 26,000 lbs loaded, he works the crap outta that thing. It's no power house, but it keeps on going and gets the job done, just like that bunny with drumsticks

Lots of them old GMC and Ford singles around Indiana. My neighbor has one with a strait 6. Its a GMC. Not sure of the total weight but it will haul 6 tons. Gets 3 mpg empty or loaded and will go about 50 mph wide open. My other neighbor about 3 places down has a old Ford 700. It has 400ish cu in motor. Can not think of it off the top of my head. It will haul 8 tons and has a high low rear end. Gets 5 mpg loaded, 7 empty. It will run just shy of 60 with the pedal mashed.

Chris

 

[RickB]

Lots of them old GMC and Ford singles around Indiana. My neighbor has one with a strait 6. Its a GMC. Not sure of the total weight but it will haul 6 tons. Gets 3 mpg empty or loaded and will go about 50 mph wide open. My other neighbor about 3 places down has a old Ford 700. It has 400ish cu in motor. Can not think of it off the top of my head. It will haul 8 tons and has a high low rear end. Gets 5 mpg loaded, 7 empty. It will run just shy of 60 with the pedal mashed.

Chris

The guys that make those combinations work have to actually know how to drive a truck. Not just steer in the direction they are looking.

 

[kevinj]

The guys that make those combinations work have to actually know how to drive a truck. Not just steer in the direction they are looking.

I used to be one of those guys!!!

We had a Ford twin screw with a 477 gasser, 5 speed main box, and 3 speed air shift eaton.

 

[Verticaltrx]

As for the OP, 7K would be no trouble behind that truck. I wouldn't worry about 10-12K either, over that you need a larger truck.

Despite what the trend is these days (people thinking a 1-ton diesel is a big-rig) you really need a 2-ton truck when you get into the 20K gross trailer weight range. I've towed nearly that much with a 7.3L pickup once or twice and it is neither fun nor safe.

With that being said, the motor is only part of the equation. With 4.10 gears and a 4spd you will be pretty well setup for a small block, deep gearing is your best bet.

We have a '75 Chevy C60 with a 14' dump on it and it has a 350, sm465 4spd, and a two-speed rear axle (6.65/8.85:1 ratio) and it does pretty good even in the mountains around here. Fully loaded we gross 28,000lbs and even with not much motor the difference between it and a light duty truck grossing a similar amount (think 1-ton diesel and 20K gooseneck) are night and day. Sure it may not be fast on the steep grades, but it has plenty of gearing to get a load started at a steep stop light, plenty of brake power, and you don't have to worry about wrecking the suspension/drivetrain by hauling a good load on it. Plus there aren't many guys my age (25) that can still split gears so it makes it fun. :thumbsup:

Bottom line, I think the truck you are refering to will work great for what it was designed for, 10K or so max.

 

[Mr. 5000]

Thank you for the good posts everyone. I don't realistically meet my needs with just one truck. When we do large tree removals I can see myself loading a dump with 20000 but most of the time I haul brush. I am leaning towards a late 70's early 80's 3/4 ton 4x4 with a 350 to haul my Kubota and a late model Chevy 1 ton with a 6.0 to pull the dump trailer. Why a 350 - 97 f250 powerstroke alternator $180.00, 87 Chevy 1/2 ton alternator $40.00. I am picking up a mowing contract in a few weeks and need an extra truck anyhow.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Why a 350 - 97 f250 powerstroke alternator $180.00, 87 Chevy 1/2 ton alternator $40.00. I am picking up a mowing contract in a few weeks and need an extra truck anyhow.

Has noting to do with Ford and Chevy. New parts are just more expensive. They also last a lot longer on average. Remember how often we used to replace starters, alternators, coils, rotors, ect. Now days if it even has some of that stuff it last 100,000 miles or more.

By the way I just replaced a 2005 Chevy 1500 starter for my neighbor lady 2 doors down. Actually went to the hospital where it crapped out and picked up the truck with my trailer and brought it home to my barn. Starter was $210 at Auto Zone.

Chris

 

[carpenter383]

Every vehicle regardless of make will need replacement parts.
In my opinion that is the best thing about GM (especially older stuff) Gm has by far the best parts interchange of any company, they don't change things around nearly as often. You can put a bbc distributor in a small block, the firing order is the same on all GM v8's except cadillac, and now the gen 3 v-8's. I took a starter off a small block chevy and put it on a front wheel drive olds delta 88 with a 3.8l v6 one time.
It seems like ford is the worst about parts changing from one yr to the next. If you swap a cam in ford the firing order might be different. My neighbor needed a front spindle for a 86 ford 1/2 ton 4x4 and had a heck of a time finding one 'cause 86 was unique for some resaon. The list goes on and on.
I'm not saying one company is better than the next, they all have good products and bad ones but when you do need to find parts, it's much simpler if you own a GM.

 

[downslope]

Sorry I misquoted you there.

Well, you didn't exactly misquote because he had qualified it with

...but be a pig.

I think you guys will just have to agree to disagree, since poor says 7K ain't even a load and Chris thinks 7K behind a 350 will be a pig.

 

[workinallthetime]

my dad has a 98 350 in a 3/4 ton, doesnt have much power when you pull the same load with my 6.0 and 373's.
one thing for you guys to remember one of the main factors in the tow "limit" of a unit is the brakes, there is a standard that the unit has to meet to be able to tow x amount of weight.

 

[Ryan03]

My other neighbor about 3 places down has a old Ford 700. It has 400ish cu in motor. Can not think of it off the top of my head.

Chris

That would likely be a 370 CU. with a 2 barrel.

 

[timswi]

As was said by others, gearing is the most important thing. 4:10 or 4:56 makes a good tow vehicle with a small block. I had a similar set up in a 76 GMC 4x4 with a built 350 out of a '70 Corvette..Between the gears and the RPM's that the SB allows, it towed very well below 10k..Gas mileage, not so much when towning.

Also had a '77 Blazer with a dyno tuned, built 406 with 3:73's. It sounded like a stock car when towing and the double pumper opened up. It did well too.

I like old stuff..both of those were new when I was 10 years old.

A 454 is really ideal.

 

[Diamondpilot]

That would likely be a 370 CU. with a 2 barrel.

I actually asked him today because he said it was time for me to change the oil. He said its a 390 Ford Truck Motor. I know its a 4 barrel Holley. Last time I worked on it he told me it was hard to start and he needed the air filter fixed. I opened it up and the filter was cocked off to the side and it had a rock in the carb holding open the butterfly partially...

I did a oil change, aired up the tires, checked the hydros, and fixed up the air cleaner in exchange for 24 tons of gavel being hauled in.

This time around I am going to trade off some time with the truck to haul out some dirt and gravel for a 40x20 concrete pad I am pouring in front of my pole barn.

Chris