1952 gmc 6x6 replacement engine?

[Badassbowtie]

Hello i'm rebuilding a 1952 gmc 6x6. I was wondering what engine would be best to put in it. I'm stuck between a 6.5l detroit diesel and a 5.9l cummings. I am just curious if anyone has put any of these engines in a 1952 and how hard it would be and how much work it would be.

 

[topo]

The GMC can be difficult to repower with the high and low range in the transmission the transfer case is singal speed and the front axle is reverse rotation .

 

[73m819]

Either engine would be good, just a bit of fab work, will need a trick toque converter ( the 6.5 might be a bolt up), I would not worry about the front drive, ect., if you use the oe trans, the trans is based on a tricked up caddy trans, cast iron case. A 52 caddy weighed as much as the truck, the way I under stand it, heavy duty clutch packs, and a few other things were added.
I would look to B&M TRANSMISSION for trick parts and the converter. The caddy trans was a favorite of hot rodders, it could be built to take unimaginable HP, I ran one behind a bored and stroked 53 olds, I could twist drive lines, but the trans never even hic upped.

 

[rustystud]

Either engine would be good, just a bit of fab work, will need a trick toque converter ( the 6.5 might be a bolt up), I would not worry about the front drive, ect., if you use the oe trans, the trans is based on a tricked up caddy trans, cast iron case. A 52 caddy weighed as much as the truck, the way I under stand it, heavy duty clutch packs, and a few other things were added.
I would look to B&M TRANSMISSION for trick parts and the converter. The caddy trans was a favorite of hot rodders, it could be built to take unimaginable HP, I ran one behind a bored and stroked 53 olds, I could twist drive lines, but the trans never even hic upped.

I was just ready some old threads for grins and giggles and came across this one. The poster did not realize that the old "Dual Range Hydromatic" 4 speed transmission does not have a torque convertor but a "fluid coupling" . The Flywheel of the engine is the outside of the coupling. There is a really big 'O' ring that seals it. About 14" across. There is about 32 bolts holding it together. So you cannot use just any engine behind this transmission. You can go with a more modern Allison transmission though.
As far as getting parts from B&M transmission, no one has made parts for this transmission for over 50 years. Let alone Hi-Performance parts. I still have some parts laying around though from when I rebuilt them.