Hello everyone!!! My father just baught a 1956 chevy truck and we wanted to do a v8 swap in it. We dont want a performance vehicle because we arnt going to race it.. we just want a dependable truck that we can travel with to go to car shows and drive around town. So what is the best engine, tranny, and rearend for this setup? We also dont want to spend a great deal of money. We would also like to keep it manual. does anyone know how much this would cost ballpark range?

Thanks

Those trucks came with a v8 from the factory, so it should be a bolt in. Just need the right mounts, brackets etc. The v8 and the 6 have a different bellhousing, so that will have to be changed also. They came with a 265 v8, but any Chevy v8 right up to 87 will bolt right in............after 87 will also bolt in, but being computer controlled engines............and you said low cost.

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Good news if your manual trans is good you can leave it in but your bell housing wont work.You can use any chevy SB v8 from the first one in1955,265,283,307,327,350,400.350 is probably the easyist to find and are priced fair.If you cant buy a low mileage used or rebuild it yourself buy a crate engine from jegs,summit,skoggin dicky,etc.Then find bellhousing for your application and flywhheel,cluth disc,pressure plate,throw out bearing and clutch fork.The install should be pretty easy since your truck was avalable W/V8.I have a freind who has a 265 if you want to keep it original in appearance.

I have a 56 chevy pickup in the barn, haven't done any work to it yet but it has an inline 6. Just curious, what v8 was available that year and does anybody know how to id which 6 cylinder I have?

The 265 was the Chevy v8 that year..the 283 came out in 57. Your 6 is most likely a 235............not sure when the 261 became avaiable. .....I am not sure where the numbers are to ID them.

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You could have a 261 in that Chevy truck. If memory serves me right, on the passenger side of the block, about 2/3 of the way back, a couple of inches above the oil pan, there are 2 vertical bars (kinda like this ll ). They are about an inch long. Good engine.

As far as the swap, I'd be tempted to look for a later 60's-early 70's Camaro or Nova that somebody was parting out. You could get a good 327 or 350, 4 speed and 12 bolt rear end that should be pretty close to the same width as you have. Or just use the one in there now.