So, you finally scored that new old truck youve been eyeballing for the past six months. If its anything like the 61 GMC ½-ton stepside I recently acquired, then its been sitting idle for a bit too long. And if youre on a budget, you probably want to see if the engine thats in there will run before hoisting it for a costly rebuild. With a little patience and some necessary parts, you can get that old wheezer going again.
Mine has a funky GMC-only 305ci V-6 under the hood, and since it was resident, I decided to see if it would run before I gave up and yanked it in favor of something more vanilla. Even though absolutely nobody has ever made speed equipment for it, I dig its appearance. It has arches in the valve covers and vaguely resembles the Chevy 348/409 W engines of the late 50s and early 60s. Introduced in 1960, the GMC big-block V-6 has to be one of the most over-engineered engines that the General ever made. These engines were designed to run 200,000-300,000 miles between overhauls, as evidenced by the massive crank, main journals, and connecting rods, which would probably give most big-blocks a run for their money in the stoutness category. They were designed for long life with superior oiling and cooling characteristics (according to the sales propaganda), and rumor has it that GMC stopped making the big V-6s because they were so trouble-free that they werent profitable for dealer service departments, since they rarely needed work.
Mine sure did, though; too many years of being parked left me wondering why it had been parked in the first place, but the guy who sold it to me assured me that it ranfamous last words. Its easier than you think to fire up a crusty old motoras long as nothing is blown, spun, or cracked, you should be able to revive it after following a few simple steps.