'49 GMC 228 Cam

[CTZR1]

I am expecting the 228 back from the machine shop any day now.
We had to go .03 over on the bore. New piston, rings, bearings, seats and valves. the price you pay for originality is large. Especially GMC.
Anyway. I want to hop it up a notch seeing I dropped a boat load into the restore so we'll go with a new intake, dual or 4 barrel?
Fenton headers, dual exhaust.

The question is the CAM.
4 speed on the floor(Probably a saginaw), 3.55 rear end, .03 bored over 228 GMC. daily driver, nothing special, just want it to be all it can be.

Does anybody have any insight to what is good, better, best?
All I got is Patricks catalog with 3\4mild, 3\4, 3\4Rumpy. what the hell is rumpy

thanks

[NONHOG]

Originally Posted by CTZR1

I am expecting the 228 back from the machine shop any day now.
We had to go .03 over on the bore. New piston, rings, bearings, seats and valves. the price you pay for originality is large. Especially GMC.
Anyway. I want to hop it up a notch seeing I dropped a boat load into the restore so we'll go with a new intake, dual or 4 barrel?
Fenton headers, dual exhaust.

The question is the CAM.
4 speed on the floor(Probably a saginaw), 3.55 rear end, .03 bored over 228 GMC. daily driver, nothing special, just want it to be all it can be.

Does anybody have any insight to what is good, better, best?
All I got is Patricks catalog with 3\4mild, 3\4, 3\4Rumpy. what the hell is rumpy

thanks

Wow sounds like a really cool build ! I'd contact cam companies direct and see if they'll grind you something to meet your needs as opposed to some
vague description from a catalog. I've never done it but have heard its not that much more. Of course your not dealing with a main stream engine.

Good luck wish I was more help.

[NONHOG]

Langdon has a good rep on straight 6 Chev and GMC.

also has this guide......http://www.stoveboltengineco.com/howto/carbs.htm

Worth checking into ? ...........http://www.deltacam.com/camshaftgrinding.php

[MrTucker]

Having a GMC with a 228, I'm very curious how much this rebuild is running you. Care to share? here or in a pm?

[BigSix302]

GMC six bangers are great engines! The cost of a build would depend on how much work you do yourself. When I did my 228 a few years back, I am fairly sure I spent about eight bills on the parts and block/head machine work. I assembled it myself. Pistons will be the biggest expense unless you find a fellow trucker with a set he will let go of for much less. The block and head work can be done by any good machine shop and the costs may vary with the shop used. I would try to find a shop that is at least familiar with the old engines. One thing to remeber here is you are putting together a 228. Not the largest cubic inch engine out there. Mine did fine on the flat areas of the roads, it did not pull a hill without significant speed loss. While they are good engines they lack the cubes. One can find a 248, 270, or 302 and spend about the same money as on the 228. The othe engines are out there, you just have to beat the bushes to find them. Hop up parts are available too. Split exhaust, dual intakes or triples. Cams can be reground for better performance profile (Delta Cam and others). All of these engines are good to about four grand on rpm. I personally would run mine that hard all the time bit they will pull it easily when tuned right. My inline 302 will run all day on the hiway at 2100 rpm in overdrive. It pulls hills quite well too. Better than the 228 did. My ride is a Burb so it is quite a bit heavier than a half ton truck. Oh, I run a t-5 trans from a 84 or so S-10 with a 67 truck rear axle 3.73 gears. Thats my nickels worth from my experiences. Everyones may vary from this of course. Good luck with your choices and have some fun! Thats what it is all about anyway!!

[CTZR1]

Originally Posted by MrTucker

Having a GMC with a 228, I'm very curious how much this rebuild is running you. Care to share? here or in a pm?

I will let you know when I get the bill final bill from the machine shop but the estimate has got me close to 2 grand parts and labor.
1100 in parts bearing(rod, cam & mains), pistons, rings, valves, springs, 700 in labor clean, magna flux head and block. Bore.03over. deck the block & head. Harden seats and valve job. If my wife ever finds out... I would be in some serious doody.
For the money you spend rebuilding one of these you could be well on your way with a 350 stroker.
But then it would not be the same... would it?
Maybe the next one we'll 350
This one was in such nice shape it deserved a rebuild.
The engine itself ran great did not burn or blow any oil. but since i got her stripped down to the frame rails i might as well go through the engine. Then do a little performance hopping while I am at it

[CTZR1]

I hear what you are saying BIGSIX302
I used to have a 49 chevy heavy 1/2. years ago. and she would not pull the hills. Neither does this 228 for that matter. But I hope with a few modifications she'll putt along just fine.
I would liked to have a 270 with a 417 "H" head on it, then we could talk some performance mods worth the money, but that did not happen here.
So I decided to make this little Jimmy 228 all she can be. I'll put a cam in her with a dual intake and headers, a saginaw 4 speed and the 3.55 rear end, she'll scoot along quite nicely I reckon.
I will be sure to let you all know how it goes...

[MrTucker]

Thanks for the info CTZR1.

I'm doing a restoration on my truck, so I'm definitely keeping the 228. I'm very curious to see what kind of performance gains you get out of your inline...

My truck was running well when it was parked, but that was 32 years ago! At the minimum I'll be pulling it apart to clean and replace all of the gaskets.

And of course we'd love to see some pics!