I Worked for a NYC municipality in the 80's....We would rebuild those 637 V8s...and the Smaller 478 V6's all the time....Allways wanted to Hot Rod the 637 with a Reground Cam...Some Custom Pistons...and a custom intake with 2 4BBL Carbs....That Engine would make Great Power for a Cool street Rod....or light truck....
I think they would have made great power and more rpms with some kind of custom intake and carb only. The way these engines made so much power down low i guarantee if they were opened up to let more air in and revved to 5 or 6000 the HP would be close to where the torque numbers were down low. Maybe ITB carb setup would be awesome too just imagine the sound coming through 8 little carbs with little velocity stacks on each one😳
I have a lot of experience with the big V6’s, that powered a fleet of refrigerated straight trucks, from 4500-9500 series. All with 5 speed low hole first trans, the bigger 9500 had two speed rears. I was able to get a 401 V6, with the 5 speed trans, to put in a 59 Chevy 3500 8’ step side reg cab pickup. That came with Thriftmaster straight six! We were able to get the big V6 installed with the trans. With the full floating rear end, re-geared with a HD 3:42 posi differential. That let the truck set up as such tow a very heavy boat and travel trailer. Like it wasn’t there!
My dad worked for a GMC dealership in the mid 60's, when lived in Salina Kansas. He knew those GMC motors inside and out. Always said his favourite was the 401.
40-50 , years from now, the sad part is you won't be able to pull a motor and crank it, most of the computer parts won't work anymore. So sad, old school was way more forgivable and reliable
Did you no there is a kit available to convert ls motors to ford distributor with points and condenser? And im sure you no a center head is available to easily convert one to a carb also. So it may cost a little more but once bought these could be used on any ls engine. I saw a 4.8 with carb cap and a Muncie behind it a while back in a g body. Although it required a hood scoop it ran very well on 91 octane. I believe hot rodders will always find a way. To bad the days of BBC N FE FORDS does seem to be gone 4 good. I also about 2 weeks ago found a site selling 400 SBC seems this fella bout a gm warehouse after the buyout in 08 and discovered it was full of 400s built in 81 the epa would not let gm use. He is selling blocks that are decked slightly center line bored with forged internals and punched 20 over for about the same price as a chevy truck engine. Been considered picking one up myself. When they are gone thats it. You may want to Google it as well , HAPPY NEW YEAR'S
@@walliehart2055 Yes I have seen the front distributor already in ls motors summit sells them also the manifolds Just like John deer, the auto makers have been trying for years to copyright all cars, so short of washing them, putting in gas and oil, everything else must be done by a dealer, not even garages will be able to turn a wrench ok them. If that happens the aftermarket for things to make computerized engines run will disappear
@@billp6016 i agree , its the greedy corprate that is running america down. Im 40 now and although i have been fixing junk my whole life I want something i can depend on for the rest of my time here. I have been puting alot of thought into finding a CHEVROLET not chevy. The same model as me a 78 which just also happens to be the cut of year on smog and emissions here in West Virginia to get a state inspection sticker. Being in the rust belt im thinking of looking out in the grain belt for something cheap to build for myself. A truck would be more logical although I am going to find a nice car. Im a big man and have been thinking a Monty or possibly a nice delta 88 .scrounge around find a couple engine's and trannys, for a Chevy would be a 400 or BB, or olds 455. Rebuild one myself for now , have the other one milled and built later as money is in short supply these days for me. To have a nice car to take to church on sundays and possibly a Saturday drive now n then. Might even be able to get the little woman to ride with me, though i doubt it. Lol. Mostly just to show my family ( kids) possibly grand kids? That at one time a man didnt trust anouther mans work. He could keep his machine looking and running great without the dealerships help. The suv i have now is a Saturn veu redline with a honda 3.5 and runs great.with 125,000 it should be at midlife now. Just no class ,little comfort. I believe the money i put into whatever i find, doing most of the work myself will be a better investment than buying anouther plastic bubble. Not a teenage hot rod. A nice smooth powerful CAR. If the lord is willing i tarry here anouther 10 years it will most likely be worth more then than what it will cost to do now. This has been on my mind a while now. Chevy aint looking good with plants shutting down, ford stopped all cars but mustang and Chrysler has been headed down hill since dimmler and now fiat. Old American Iron is looking better every day. Thanks for the feed back i totally agree with you. My local mechanics are slow, dealerships get all the work. Shame we have got sold out. My hope is America will make a comeback for the next generations sake. Ours has been subverted and sold out to 3rd world countries. Shame on sleezy politicians.
@@walliehart2055 The best engine stock I've ever had, rebuilt and enjoyed, horse power to cubic inches is a 66-67 Oldsmobile 400 large lifter bore. It was primarily a irrigation engine the one I had was stock It had 375 horse abs 435 ft lb of torque, It was in the 1967 442 with a 4 speed. That thing you could punch it at 55 in third gear rolling on the highway and smoke the tires. They don't make them like that anymore. They all came with a hardened steel crank.
I learn something every day. Wasn't too long ago I found out about the old V12s that were about this same time period I think. All this stuff will last forever if you half way give it a chance. People laugh at points and condenser ignition. It can sit decades, sand the points and fire it up. Electronic ignition leaves people stranded and ordering parts all the time. Electronic stuff is fine but for my toys that I want reliable, this old stuff is where it's at. You can almost always make it home with a few wrenches and a little work.
I have the original points and condenser on my 69 Chevelle. It is all stock 307, powerglide. Was my Uncle's then my Dads car. Now it's mine and I don't have Dad anymore. It will stay as it was made and I will run it the rest of my days.
Pretty hard to argue against an HEI unit. Never seen one fail on its own, just when some twit hooks up wires backwards. Points stay adjusted for 10-15K, HEI forever, and the spark is about 400% hotter. Its also 60's technology, not exactly new, or particularly complex.
@@robertthomas2942 i think HEI distributors are kindve the grail of that tech. Got an old chevy 250 that i've been tinkering on doing small things to and an HEI is on that list. It's amazing what new tech/ metallurgy can do for old robust designs. You can end up with the "Toyota Strategy" real fast, decent performance with endless reliability.
Better get some lead substitute in this old stuff too! Lol! Without hardened seats and all.. My 73' Buick had the little door in the dist. cap for adjusting your points.. miss that car a lot! 4dr. LeSabre in Solar Yellow. I didn't have to take my fishing rods apart.. just put them in the trunk and off I went! Lol
What an absolute beast of an engine. I don't care that it isn't 450 hp at 6500 RPM, I'd still love to see one of those in a Chevelle doing that mellow idle a street light. *drud-drud-drud-drud-drud-drud* ...
@@dustinontaiyabbi5608 Maybe, but there's no logic putting a 1300 pound bus engine in a passenger car, unless you need to destroy the front suspension and thinks that's funny.
Seen one in a mid 1960s Cracker Box cab over GMC 10 years ago. I remember it had some badges that said 637 it really took me by surprise, usually those truck have the 2 cycle 671 Detroit diesel under the cab .
Yes, GMC offered the 702 V12, and 637 V8 in the Cracker Boxes, 7000+ series, and the B Models. Also fun fact, by the time the Astro was released, the V12 was discontinued, but you could still get the 637 in an Astro Tractor trailer!
I sold GMC'S in the 80's and they were always big on gas power with some very healthy large cubic inch gas engines. Gasoline was cheap and nobody driving under 25k per year cared about diesel.
Great to hear that. I had one too for a few years. Was living in the city at the time and no power steering was too much. I rebuilt the v6 instead of putting in a csb. In hind sight it wasn't the smartest thing but I liked doing things a different.
In 1973 I worked at Cape GMC Pontiac. I worked mostly on the trucks . I did a lot of valve jobs on the 305. What a great engine. The truckers swore by them.
what a smooth running engine low compression lots of torque!!!!!!! what a beauty!! I've seen a couple of those out west hooked to giant irrigation pumps.
Yes, very much did enjoy hearing it fire up and run even though I'd never heard of the thing until just now! Will have to check your other videos and see if you dropped it in something, I hope so as that thing would sound awesome loaded up and pulling something big. EDIT- scratch that, you only have but the one upload lol. Hope you're doing good & the engine is working for it's keep with ya. 73
I always wanted to hear one of these...I thought they might all be extinct because, for a long time I couldn't find a 637 GMC video. Very cool, it sounds great. Even though I know it hasn't been done because it would be exceedingly difficult and expensive it would be neat to see one of these built for high(or even highish) performance.
@Kathleen Shaw There is a guy called Locomotive Breath that has a GAA in a Mustang dragster. It's pretty cool. I talked to him a little bit, he lives in TX although I am not sure if it is near me. Are you the lady that owns a few cool old Fords with Super Duty gas V8s?
People keep talkin smack on its hp and tq figure and comparing it to 366/427 tall decks etc.... i wanna say think about how long this thing will last its so large and effortlessly makes that figure which is good for longevity which was the idea here cause its not straining at all whereas youd have to ask more of a 366/427 to get those figures which = more stress on motor and less life span ...not to mention a 366/427 is not gunna pump out that torque figure under 1500 rpm like this monster :)
you are so right! appreciate your comment on this.. I have a gmc v12 that only makes 250 net hp but it makes 630 ft lbs of torque at 1600 rpm lol.. love this old iron!
@Richard Skipper not really a ton you can do without an aftermarket porting and polishing will only get you so far especially on such a heavy chunk of metal youd never experience the gains
Even a 549 or 534 makes so much more low end torque than a 427. If you were trying to make money with one, you'd have to weigh initial cost, vs rebuilding the cheaper 427 every 80k miles. Probably a 671 Detroit was waaaaay better than either, lol. You want a colossal gas waster, go big and get a Hall-Scott!
@Alex Eidenier No. The GMC big block gasoline engines had bathtub combustion chambers in the heads. The diesel version of the engine is very different, with the exhaust ports inside the V, a balance shaft in the block, and larger head bolts to hold the high cylinder pressure.
It wouldn't be crazy powerful but stock it's got 567 lb/ft of torque so that's pretty good. It's only got 7.5:1 compression so bumping it up to 9.5 or 10 and better carburation or even EFI would yield a great eng for a tow rig.
@Scott it would probably push out around 1200ft without to much hassle twin 650 carbs to keep the hp where you want it efi would be overkill for the price
Read thru the comments. Most people have no idea what this is. Have it confused with all the other BBC's out of cars , pick up trucks, etc, etc. This is a coach/ truck motor folks. Not for a chevy II, S-10 or a rat rod. Drop this into a car and it will drop until it rests on the ground with your front suspension looking like a Wile-E Coyote cartoon.
Jay Leno has a Bentley sports car running a heavily modified Rolls-Royce airplane engine. If said Bentley sports car can fit the same noisy behemoth that powered the Spitfire and P-51 Mustang, I'm thinking a normal vehicle could support this behemoth with upgraded suspension...
@@lsswappedcessna Well, that Bentley is actually from a time when high-performance car engines and aircraft ones were very similar. It used a ladder frame, pretty much like a truck, and heavy leaf-springs, so it didn't lack for support. The other thing is, the Merlin was quite advanced for its time. Although heavy compared to engines today, it was light-weight back-then, with many aluminum components. You have to understand also that anything meant to go into an aircraft is generally made to be as light as possible, as that leaves more room for either air-frame reinforcement or usable payload (especially in military applications). This thing, it was meant to create as much torque as possible with the simplest architecture and strongest-lasting components. Weight was not an issue, in fact, it might have been seen as a benefit, with the block and rotating assembly made out of heavy-duty cast-iron and steel to ensure its reliability and durability.
That's Bad Ass. I love all kinds of cars, I don't even discriminate between domestic and imports. But Rat Rods, Rustic rides, and even jalopys are some of my most favorites. Mainly because you can enjoy the car now, instead of waiting for it to be fully restored. You almost get more attention when a car is chopped or has a good layer of patena on it.
I love the big V8's,they just go forever & have plenty of torque, the one in the video is a 10.4 litre engine, that sized engine is usually fitted into a truck or a bus. My Holden Commodore has the 346 c.i. (5.7 litre) V8 LS1 engine fitted & I love driving it,it has been a big & welcome change from driving my dads Commodore which has the 231 c.i. (3.8 litre) Buick L36 V6 engine in it which tends to lack the balls of the V8 engine. The LS1 engine has done over 337,630 kms now,it runs like new since I replaced the hydraulic lifters,etc,it had been off the road for over a year due to me being unemployed & the engine needed a partial rebuild to fix the lifters,etc to stop the clattering noise.
I have an Impala over here with the 3.8, it was pretty strong for a V6 until a rod came loose. I'm guessing the previous owner had work done to it, I dropped in another NA 3.8 and it just lacks power. I've been eyeballing the stock supercharged 3.8s in the junkyard lately, but not sure what all is needed to do the swap. Local u-pull-it yards only want roughly $300 for used engines. Would probably be better off buying a donor car I guess. I bought my dad a truck that has an LQ4 6.0L in it which is kinda-sorta similar to the LS1. It's going on 240,000 miles and the only thing i've done to it is replace the oil pump because the pressure dropped to nothing. Now it's between 45-50psi at idle.
The GM school bus I rode in the late 60's and early 70 's had a large V8 and was very powerful.....been looking the junkyards ever since to ID the engines.
It would very likely be a Detroit Diesel 8v92 which powered many American buses from the 50's through to the late 70's. These were 2stroke supercharged engines.
It was probably a 427 tall deck. They were all 4 bolt mains with forge nitrated crankshafts. Not high rpm engines. Torque monsters. The 366 was it's little brother. Today's gas would be a problem for them. It would rattle the valve train.
@@rickhale4348 They also had sodium filled valves, (366 / 427) tall block. Some build these for high performance. The head bolt pattern is the same as the low deck Mark IV 396, 402, 427, 454.
If you would have said V6 I might have an idea what it was. My dad use to drive truck, school buses too later on and then trucks again. He told me a story one time of when he was driving bus that the school got a new bus and he had to go to Indiana to pick it up. The bus was a Superior with a 401 Magnum V6 in it and it was goverened at 55 mph. He said he did everything imaginable to break that governor to go faster lol. He drove that from Indiana to Dillon MT at 55 mph!!!
Numbers: official HP 250 or 275 depending on year, and 500 ft. lbs. Too big/heavy for most any kind of car or p/u - wet w/ accessories nearly 1,500 lbs. BUT, lasted forever in the right application - 35 years in my firetruck.
The 702 V12 that came before was much more durable. Unfortunatly the crankshafts on the 637 werent given the best hardening process. 702s used on irrigation pumps have ran for the equivalent of 5,500,000+ miles and one example that was used for nearly 30 years straight still runs in an pickup it was swapped into today after it was repaired after being in storage in a barn for around 30 yrs with a dropped valve that broke 2 pistons and a head.
@@hendo337 That equivalent must be taken with the understanding of it's application. Many constant speed engines like pumps and generators have extreme longevity.
@@gcrauwels941 of course an engine run on natural gas is going to be cleaner as well, much less if any carbon deposits and less nasty condensations and pollution in the crank case caking up and corroding inside like an engine burning gasoline.
Being a low-compression, super duty truck engine that produces a LOT of exhaust gas, it would be an absolute beast in a modern rebuild with an aftermarket throttle body FI and blow-thru, intercooled turbocharging. Great motor for a blue water fast boat or a custom truck application.
I had the V6 version of this motor. It was large and as heavy as a big block and was a total torque monster. They weren't high revving motors. It also came out as a V16 or V12. Would have to look it up. This series of motors were diesel alternatives. In a pick up the V6 cruised down the interstate at 70 or 80 with ease at low rpm. Decent but gas mileage for what it was but not as good as most small block V8s. The 292 Chevy and 300 Ford straight 6 cylinders were torque motors. The Ford had crankshaft issues if reved. Didn't care for them but they were fine if they weren't push. The 300 Ford was a gas guzzler. The 302 was much more efficient and the boss version was a beast. The 302 Chevy was race ready from the factory and had the same stroke and bore as the Ford 302. Chevys usually had better flowing heads.
The industrial 300 Ford 6 cyl had a forged steel crank and better connecting rods. Put a fuel injection head, better cam and intake then you'll get 250 to 300 Hp out of it.
@@DaveMcLain Dave, I have two of them. They were industrial motors out of my farm harvesters. Yes they are forged steel. To your credit, no forged steel came out in pick up motors.
Yeah no replacement for displacement . Had one of them once i found it in a farm field in some old home built tandem axel grain truck 40 ft box side dump . The old sask farmer had two trailers as long as the 59 gmc truck . In the fall he would do custom grain hauling . His son crashed the truck after dad passed away the other son sold me the whole thing for the price of scrap . Was building a 4x4 to run that plant . Went up north for work when i came out of the bush the storage company when my 4x4 project was at had had a fire and they scraped everything . To this day they still fightin me in court . Thanks for the music
None thing has no rpms couldnt turn a blower worth a damn on top of that heads are poorly designed as far as performance goes youd basically be building all custom parts except a block to make any really impressive HP figures out of the thing
It would break most likely, crank isnt the strongest. Now...you have a custom billet piece made then finish it up with race quality parts I can't imagine it not easily smashing the four digits of hp and tq without breaking a sweat.
If you turn on subtitles, when the engine starts it just says [Music].
They are correct.
LOL, it really does. That's awesome.
When he revs it it says applause, which is also correct.
The best music on the planet especially when you are watching car chases regardless to the screen size.
I Worked for a NYC municipality in the 80's....We would rebuild those 637 V8s...and the Smaller 478 V6's all the time....Allways wanted to Hot Rod the 637 with a Reground Cam...Some Custom Pistons...and a custom intake with 2 4BBL Carbs....That Engine would make Great Power for a Cool street Rod....or light truck....
@jdog942 I wouldn't have gotten rid of it, that sounds like it was pretty friggin cool
I think they would have made great power and more rpms with some kind of custom intake and carb only. The way these engines made so much power down low i guarantee if they were opened up to let more air in and revved to 5 or 6000 the HP would be close to where the torque numbers were down low. Maybe ITB carb setup would be awesome too just imagine the sound coming through 8 little carbs with little velocity stacks on each one😳
A torque monster
A 1200 lb boat anchor.
@@pete1342lmao why do you say that?
That's a healthy motor. Even the carb is on point.
I have a lot of experience with the big V6’s, that powered a fleet of refrigerated straight trucks, from 4500-9500 series. All with 5 speed low hole first trans, the bigger 9500 had two speed rears. I was able to get a 401 V6, with the 5 speed trans, to put in a 59 Chevy 3500 8’ step side reg cab pickup. That came with Thriftmaster straight six! We were able to get the big V6 installed with the trans. With the full floating rear end, re-geared with a HD 3:42 posi differential. That let the truck set up as such tow a very heavy boat and travel trailer. Like it wasn’t there!
My dad worked for a GMC dealership in the mid 60's, when lived in Salina Kansas. He knew those GMC motors inside and out.
Always said his favourite was the 401.
Yep, just roll away with that stuff!
379/401/432/478 were powerhouses, would love to find one and build it for a truck for myself
Qwantuz hp ??
Qwantuz hp ??
Wow, started up so nicely and sounds great. A serious beast of a motor
Qwantuz hp ??
40-50 , years from now, the sad part is you won't be able to pull a motor and crank it, most of the computer parts won't work anymore.
So sad, old school was way more forgivable and reliable
Did you no there is a kit available to convert ls motors to ford distributor with points and condenser? And im sure you no a center head is available to easily convert one to a carb also. So it may cost a little more but once bought these could be used on any ls engine. I saw a 4.8 with carb cap and a Muncie behind it a while back in a g body. Although it required a hood scoop it ran very well on 91 octane. I believe hot rodders will always find a way. To bad the days of BBC N FE FORDS does seem to be gone 4 good. I also about 2 weeks ago found a site selling 400 SBC seems this fella bout a gm warehouse after the buyout in 08 and discovered it was full of 400s built in 81 the epa would not let gm use. He is selling blocks that are decked slightly center line bored with forged internals and punched 20 over for about the same price as a chevy truck engine. Been considered picking one up myself. When they are gone thats it. You may want to Google it as well , HAPPY NEW YEAR'S
@@walliehart2055
Yes I have seen the front distributor already in ls motors summit sells them also the manifolds
Just like John deer, the auto makers have been trying for years to copyright all cars, so short of washing them, putting in gas and oil, everything else must be done by a dealer, not even garages will be able to turn a wrench ok them.
If that happens the aftermarket for things to make computerized engines run will disappear
@@billp6016 i agree , its the greedy corprate that is running america down. Im 40 now and although i have been fixing junk my whole life I want something i can depend on for the rest of my time here. I have been puting alot of thought into finding a CHEVROLET not chevy. The same model as me a 78 which just also happens to be the cut of year on smog and emissions here in West Virginia to get a state inspection sticker. Being in the rust belt im thinking of looking out in the grain belt for something cheap to build for myself. A truck would be more logical although I am going to find a nice car. Im a big man and have been thinking a Monty or possibly a nice delta 88 .scrounge around find a couple engine's and trannys, for a Chevy would be a 400 or BB, or olds 455. Rebuild one myself for now , have the other one milled and built later as money is in short supply these days for me. To have a nice car to take to church on sundays and possibly a Saturday drive now n then. Might even be able to get the little woman to ride with me, though i doubt it. Lol. Mostly just to show my family ( kids) possibly grand kids? That at one time a man didnt trust anouther mans work. He could keep his machine looking and running great without the dealerships help. The suv i have now is a Saturn veu redline with a honda 3.5 and runs great.with 125,000 it should be at midlife now. Just no class ,little comfort. I believe the money i put into whatever i find, doing most of the work myself will be a better investment than buying anouther plastic bubble. Not a teenage hot rod. A nice smooth powerful CAR. If the lord is willing i tarry here anouther 10 years it will most likely be worth more then than what it will cost to do now. This has been on my mind a while now. Chevy aint looking good with plants shutting down, ford stopped all cars but mustang and Chrysler has been headed down hill since dimmler and now fiat. Old American Iron is looking better every day. Thanks for the feed back i totally agree with you. My local mechanics are slow, dealerships get all the work. Shame we have got sold out. My hope is America will make a comeback for the next generations sake. Ours has been subverted and sold out to 3rd world countries. Shame on sleezy politicians.
@@walliehart2055
The best engine stock I've ever had, rebuilt and enjoyed, horse power to cubic inches is a 66-67 Oldsmobile 400 large lifter bore. It was primarily a irrigation engine the one I had was stock
It had 375 horse abs 435 ft lb of torque,
It was in the 1967 442 with a 4 speed.
That thing you could punch it at 55 in third gear rolling on the highway and smoke the tires.
They don't make them like that anymore.
They all came with a hardened steel crank.
@@walliehart2055 the original Bronco might go up in value once the new redesigned 2020 model comes out
I watched this again and the spoken word has greatly improved. Sincere thanks and that engine sounds perfect. Pure music sir. Thank you so much.
I learn something every day. Wasn't too long ago I found out about the old V12s that were about this same time period I think. All this stuff will last forever if you half way give it a chance. People laugh at points and condenser ignition. It can sit decades, sand the points and fire it up. Electronic ignition leaves people stranded and ordering parts all the time. Electronic stuff is fine but for my toys that I want reliable, this old stuff is where it's at. You can almost always make it home with a few wrenches and a little work.
they use electronics because its cheap to make and costs a lot to repair
I have the original points and condenser on my 69 Chevelle. It is all stock 307, powerglide. Was my Uncle's then my Dads car. Now it's mine and I don't have Dad anymore. It will stay as it was made and I will run it the rest of my days.
Pretty hard to argue against an HEI unit. Never seen one fail on its own, just when some twit hooks up wires backwards. Points stay adjusted for 10-15K, HEI forever, and the spark is about 400% hotter. Its also 60's technology, not exactly new, or particularly complex.
@@robertthomas2942 i think HEI distributors are kindve the grail of that tech. Got an old chevy 250 that i've been tinkering on doing small things to and an HEI is on that list. It's amazing what new tech/ metallurgy can do for old robust designs. You can end up with the "Toyota Strategy" real fast, decent performance with endless reliability.
Better get some lead substitute in this old stuff too! Lol! Without hardened seats and all..
My 73' Buick had the little door in the dist. cap for adjusting your points.. miss that car a lot! 4dr. LeSabre in Solar Yellow. I didn't have to take my fishing rods apart.. just put them in the trunk and off I went! Lol
What an absolute beast of an engine. I don't care that it isn't 450 hp at 6500 RPM, I'd still love to see one of those in a Chevelle doing that mellow idle a street light. *drud-drud-drud-drud-drud-drud* ...
They can be turned up to around 400hp with just tuning.
@@dustinontaiyabbi5608 Maybe, but there's no logic putting a 1300 pound bus engine in a passenger car, unless you need to destroy the front suspension and thinks that's funny.
Damn Micky, I almost thought you were gonna knock that beast off of the high end of your trick engine stand when you revved 'er up ! Sweet sound
Never knew this awesomeness existed until today
Me neither. Pretty rad.
amazing find! I love how it sounds! and I defiantly love that rev up back fire
Clean it up, put it in something and gear it to the moon. Like 75mph at 800 rpm.. 😎👍
Tallest gears they make for the Dana 60 would fit just about right. What did this engine come out of, a bus?
DeanMk1 yep
I've always preferred a larger engine loafing along at speed to a smaller engine revving its guts out.
@@1956MercM260 Me too!
@@johnossendorf9979 and that is how you make something last for-damn-near-ever
low speed low output, thats how you make things last
Seen one in a mid 1960s Cracker Box cab over GMC 10 years ago. I remember it had some badges that said 637 it really took me by surprise, usually those truck have the 2 cycle 671 Detroit diesel under the cab .
Yes, GMC offered the 702 V12, and 637 V8 in the Cracker Boxes, 7000+ series, and the B Models. Also fun fact, by the time the Astro was released, the V12 was discontinued, but you could still get the 637 in an Astro Tractor trailer!
I sold GMC'S in the 80's and they were always big on gas power with some very healthy large cubic inch gas engines. Gasoline was cheap and nobody driving under 25k per year cared about diesel.
I have a 67 pickup with the 305 v6. I put 400 miles on it some weekends, and purrs like a kitten. Very dependable.
Great to hear that. I had one too for a few years. Was living in the city at the time and no power steering was too much. I rebuilt the v6 instead of putting in a csb. In hind sight it wasn't the smartest thing but I liked doing things a different.
In 1973 I worked at Cape GMC Pontiac. I worked mostly on the trucks . I did a lot of valve jobs on the 305. What a great engine. The truckers swore by them.
My friend use to have a 67 GMC camper special with the 305. Took it out and took apart. It dwafted the 350 next to it. The crank is HUGE!!!!
Never heard of a 305 v6......
I saw one of those for sale on Ebay back in 2014. First I ever saw of it's kind.
Thank you for the video,sure don't see or hear those engines very often I love it. :)
Sounds great with that sewing machine smooth idle. Thanks for the video.
Sounds really nice. Should put it in something just to cruise back roads and burn gas and enjoy the mellow rumble.
Holy cow how cool! I just discovered the big block gm v6s and these back boys tonight. Awesome!
What an awesome sound. Imagine having one of these in a boat
what a smooth running engine low compression lots of torque!!!!!!! what a beauty!! I've seen a couple of those out west hooked to giant irrigation pumps.
@Alex Eidenier 7.5:1
Ya if it had some compression ,it might make enough horse power to pull the massive weight.
My favorite neighbor
😂
Yes, very much did enjoy hearing it fire up and run even though I'd never heard of the thing until just now! Will have to check your other videos and see if you dropped it in something, I hope so as that thing would sound awesome loaded up and pulling something big. EDIT- scratch that, you only have but the one upload lol. Hope you're doing good & the engine is working for it's keep with ya. 73
I always wanted to hear one of these...I thought they might all be extinct because, for a long time I couldn't find a 637 GMC video. Very cool, it sounds great. Even though I know it hasn't been done because it would be exceedingly difficult and expensive it would be neat to see one of these built for high(or even highish) performance.
@Kathleen Shaw There is a guy called Locomotive Breath that has a GAA in a Mustang dragster. It's pretty cool. I talked to him a little bit, he lives in TX although I am not sure if it is near me. Are you the lady that owns a few cool old Fords with Super Duty gas V8s?
@Red Billy Farm truck is old news...lol Thanks though.
I'm in love. That exhaust note... dru-dru-dru-dru-dru-dru-dru-dru-dru-dru-dru-dru-.............
Now THAT'S beautiful.
What the....Wow just by chance i found this Chanel, Thanks for posting..Love the sound.
Sounds hella good though perfect ratrod motor
that thing is very big and heavy
@Richard Skipper it's 275hp and 1300lbs. It's designed for moving a bus.
Mad Mod Yeah, but he says hella, he must be cool, right?
@@walterkersting1362 That profane language.
@Red Billy That's alot of $$ when you can pick up a junkyard 454 vortec for 250$.
That's one badass engine down there man
1:50 I think this is the most american sound I have ever heard
Damn straight
OH my God that sound NICE thank you for posting !!!
Appears to be from the 409 Era. We had one in high school to teardown and put back together....I remember the valve covers.
I wonder if the bolt pattern for the transmission is the same as most of the V8's and in line 6cyl?
People keep talkin smack on its hp and tq figure and comparing it to 366/427 tall decks etc.... i wanna say think about how long this thing will last its so large and effortlessly makes that figure which is good for longevity which was the idea here cause its not straining at all whereas youd have to ask more of a 366/427 to get those figures which = more stress on motor and less life span ...not to mention a 366/427 is not gunna pump out that torque figure under 1500 rpm like this monster :)
you are so right! appreciate your comment on this.. I have a gmc v12 that only makes 250 net hp but it makes 630 ft lbs of torque at 1600 rpm lol.. love this old iron!
This engine makes 600 ft/lbs at 1600 rpm.
@Richard Skipper not really a ton you can do without an aftermarket porting and polishing will only get you so far especially on such a heavy chunk of metal youd never experience the gains
I like tall decks... however, yes, these GMCs are far better suited to commercial and agricultural work. At least the V6 and V12 certainly are.
Even a 549 or 534 makes so much more low end torque than a 427. If you were trying to make money with one, you'd have to weigh initial cost, vs rebuilding the cheaper 427 every 80k miles. Probably a 671 Detroit was waaaaay better than either, lol. You want a colossal gas waster, go big and get a Hall-Scott!
I'd love to see a performance build on one of these on Engine Masters. The 478 v6 would be awesome too. Thanks for sharing
@Alex Eidenier No. The GMC big block gasoline engines had bathtub combustion chambers in the heads. The diesel version of the engine is very different, with the exhaust ports inside the V, a balance shaft in the block, and larger head bolts to hold the high cylinder pressure.
It wouldn't be crazy powerful but stock it's got 567 lb/ft of torque so that's pretty good. It's only got 7.5:1 compression so bumping it up to 9.5 or 10 and better carburation or even EFI would yield a great eng for a tow rig.
@Scott it would probably push out around 1200ft without to much hassle twin 650 carbs to keep the hp where you want it efi would be overkill for the price
wow!!!!Just alittle bit bigger than a 500 caddy engine!!!!!Cool!!! Thanks for postin this!!!!!
Awesome never heard of it but now all the sudden I need one
That has a really nice sound.
LOLZ...doggo running around with his collar in his gob; great video, sweet REALLY BIG block👍you need a 70's Camaro for that beast.
What a beautiful smooth engine indeed...
Love that sound. SWEET.
Read thru the comments. Most people have no idea what this is. Have it confused with all the other BBC's out of cars , pick up trucks, etc, etc. This is a coach/ truck motor folks. Not for a chevy II, S-10 or a rat rod. Drop this into a car and it will drop until it rests on the ground with your front suspension looking like a Wile-E Coyote cartoon.
@ lol, get some serious overload springs for the front AND the back ! lol
Or, put an air ride system in rated for the weight....
Jay Leno has a Bentley sports car running a heavily modified Rolls-Royce airplane engine. If said Bentley sports car can fit the same noisy behemoth that powered the Spitfire and P-51 Mustang, I'm thinking a normal vehicle could support this behemoth with upgraded suspension...
@@lsswappedcessna Well, that Bentley is actually from a time when high-performance car engines and aircraft ones were very similar. It used a ladder frame, pretty much like a truck, and heavy leaf-springs, so it didn't lack for support.
The other thing is, the Merlin was quite advanced for its time. Although heavy compared to engines today, it was light-weight back-then, with many aluminum components. You have to understand also that anything meant to go into an aircraft is generally made to be as light as possible, as that leaves more room for either air-frame reinforcement or usable payload (especially in military applications).
This thing, it was meant to create as much torque as possible with the simplest architecture and strongest-lasting components. Weight was not an issue, in fact, it might have been seen as a benefit, with the block and rotating assembly made out of heavy-duty cast-iron and steel to ensure its reliability and durability.
@@vtr0104 True about that, especially about the weight of this thing. All that steel and cast iron would create an insane amount of weight!
Boy does that sound smooth.
love this video. thanks for posting! I have the v12 version of this .. have a great day!
What plans do you have for the v12?
my next rat rod
@@1963impala2drWaylonWire I'm installing one in a '62 fire truck. It's just about ready to fire up. I'll put a video on YT.
That's Bad Ass. I love all kinds of cars, I don't even discriminate between domestic and imports. But Rat Rods, Rustic rides, and even jalopys are some of my most favorites. Mainly because you can enjoy the car now, instead of waiting for it to be fully restored. You almost get more attention when a car is chopped or has a good layer of patena on it.
Please post more. UA-cam suggested this video to me. You must be doing something right!
One mans noise is another mans music, Beautiful sound
Love that sound!
Exactly how I like v8s.
Low and slow with enough torque to reverse the rotation of the earth
Just look at that BEAST! I WANT ONE!!!!!! OR TWO!!
Did t know they made anything bigger than the 500cu inch stuff. Impressive. Pretty clean motor too.
This engine replaced the 702 V-12 in heavy duty trucks. Both the 702 and 637 were torque monsters!
Very nice. I'd love to get my hands on one of those.
That is one beast of an engine. I wonder how it would perform with some head work and a manifold.
180hp and 620lb ft of torque. 😆
damn bug torque monster...lol!
Governed at 2800 rpm from the factory. Low rpm power.
@@michaelatkins9780 if revved higher it would make too much hp😁
@@hillybillysillysally5086 question is can it fit in my civic🤔
A lot better than ford.
Sounds great!
Thanks 4 posting!
I love the big V8's,they just go forever & have plenty of torque, the one in the video is a 10.4 litre engine, that sized engine is usually fitted into a truck or a bus.
My Holden Commodore has the 346 c.i. (5.7 litre) V8 LS1 engine fitted & I love driving it,it has been a big & welcome change from driving my dads Commodore which has the 231 c.i. (3.8 litre) Buick L36 V6 engine in it which tends to lack the balls of the V8 engine.
The LS1 engine has done over 337,630 kms now,it runs like new since I replaced the hydraulic lifters,etc,it had been off the road for over a year due to me being unemployed & the engine needed a partial rebuild to fix the lifters,etc to stop the clattering noise.
I have an Impala over here with the 3.8, it was pretty strong for a V6 until a rod came loose. I'm guessing the previous owner had work done to it, I dropped in another NA 3.8 and it just lacks power. I've been eyeballing the stock supercharged 3.8s in the junkyard lately, but not sure what all is needed to do the swap. Local u-pull-it yards only want roughly $300 for used engines. Would probably be better off buying a donor car I guess.
I bought my dad a truck that has an LQ4 6.0L in it which is kinda-sorta similar to the LS1. It's going on 240,000 miles and the only thing i've done to it is replace the oil pump because the pressure dropped to nothing. Now it's between 45-50psi at idle.
love the big block, I bet you could stroke it out and make such a torque monster that would scare people who push on the go pedal🤫
The GM school bus I rode in the late 60's and early 70 's had a large V8 and was very powerful.....been looking the junkyards ever since to ID the engines.
It would very likely be a Detroit Diesel 8v92 which powered many American buses from the 50's through to the late 70's. These were 2stroke supercharged engines.
@@Draxindustries1 Nope it was a big gasser mounted at the rear of the bus. Exhaust smell was gasoline burned, not diesel.
It was probably a 427 tall deck. They were all 4 bolt mains with forge nitrated crankshafts. Not high rpm engines. Torque monsters. The 366 was it's little brother. Today's gas would be a problem for them. It would rattle the valve train.
@@rickhale4348 They also had sodium filled valves, (366 / 427) tall block. Some build these for high performance. The head bolt pattern is the same as the low deck Mark IV 396, 402, 427, 454.
If you would have said V6 I might have an idea what it was. My dad use to drive truck, school buses too later on and then trucks again. He told me a story one time of when he was driving bus that the school got a new bus and he had to go to Indiana to pick it up. The bus was a Superior with a 401 Magnum V6 in it and it was goverened at 55 mph. He said he did everything imaginable to break that governor to go faster lol. He drove that from Indiana to Dillon MT at 55 mph!!!
Seems to run smoothly, with many miles left in her.
big ole dump truck thumper, these we're the days
Definitely keep it those are impossible to find will be a museum piece one day
i had a 478M in a boom truck. Good on gas...used alot
these were 60° blocks from 305 to giant v12 and they made these into Toroflow diesels also.
Very cool, thanks for sharing.
Music to my ears! 🤤
Love that sounds!
Numbers: official HP 250 or 275 depending on year, and 500 ft. lbs. Too big/heavy for most any kind of car or p/u - wet w/ accessories nearly 1,500 lbs. BUT, lasted forever in the right application - 35 years in my firetruck.
pusher44 gmcjb, Probably never saw the high side of 3000 rpm...
The 702 V12 that came before was much more durable. Unfortunatly the crankshafts on the 637 werent given the best hardening process. 702s used on irrigation pumps have ran for the equivalent of 5,500,000+ miles and one example that was used for nearly 30 years straight still runs in an pickup it was swapped into today after it was repaired after being in storage in a barn for around 30 yrs with a dropped valve that broke 2 pistons and a head.
@@hendo337 That equivalent must be taken with the understanding of it's application. Many constant speed engines like pumps and generators have extreme longevity.
Basically towing stroke and cam.. would do 30,000lb loads in the right chassis
@@gcrauwels941 of course an engine run on natural gas is going to be cleaner as well, much less if any carbon deposits and less nasty condensations and pollution in the crank case caking up and corroding inside like an engine burning gasoline.
Listen to that beast. Damn.good old AMERICAN POWER 👍🇺🇸
What a pretty monster !
Being a low-compression, super duty truck engine that produces a LOT of exhaust gas, it would be an absolute beast in a modern rebuild with an aftermarket throttle body FI and blow-thru, intercooled turbocharging. Great motor for a blue water fast boat or a custom truck application.
YOU JUST CRACKED THOSE HEADS WITH NO WATER....
What a Beast of an engine
The V-6 and V- 8 GMC engines were built on a platform as gas or diesel. The V-6 diesel was known as the Toro Flow and the V-8 as the Turbium.
sounds quite beefy for an old time unit.. thanks for the peek matey
Sounds great
Magnificent beast.
I had the V6 version of this motor. It was large and as heavy as a big block and was a total torque monster. They weren't high revving motors. It also came out as a V16 or V12. Would have to look it up. This series of motors were diesel alternatives. In a pick up the V6 cruised down the interstate at 70 or 80 with ease at low rpm. Decent but gas mileage for what it was but not as good as most small block V8s. The 292 Chevy and 300 Ford straight 6 cylinders were torque motors. The Ford had crankshaft issues if reved. Didn't care for them but they were fine if they weren't push. The 300 Ford was a gas guzzler. The 302 was much more efficient and the boss version was a beast. The 302 Chevy was race ready from the factory and had the same stroke and bore as the Ford 302. Chevys usually had better flowing heads.
Early 300 fords wasent that bad on gas it was the fuel injected ones that was hard Drove them a lot
The industrial 300 Ford 6 cyl had a forged steel crank and better connecting rods. Put a fuel injection head, better cam and intake then you'll get 250 to 300 Hp out of it.
@@wintonhudelson2252 now that sounds like a idea buddy there perfect truck motors if ur not looking for high revs and definitely like ur ideas
@@wintonhudelson2252 No 300 Ford ever had a steel crankshaft.
@@DaveMcLain Dave, I have two of them. They were industrial motors out of my farm harvesters. Yes they are forged steel. To your credit, no forged steel came out in pick up motors.
Friggin runs perfect...DAMMM
Yeah no replacement for displacement . Had one of them once i found it in a farm field in some old home built tandem axel grain truck 40 ft box side dump . The old sask farmer had two trailers as long as the 59 gmc truck . In the fall he would do custom grain hauling . His son crashed the truck after dad passed away the other son sold me the whole thing for the price of scrap . Was building a 4x4 to run that plant . Went up north for work when i came out of the bush the storage company when my 4x4 project was at had had a fire and they scraped everything . To this day they still fightin me in court . Thanks for the music
Seems too run Real good!
sounds great !!!
the valve covers look like a 348 or a 409.I like it
Sounds NICE!!!!
Sounds good.
I helped a guy replace a head gasket on one of these in a truck. The heads were enormous, and heavy!
Dang! That sounds about as good as a 8v71 or 12v71 Detroit.
I LOVE IT!!!! I WANT ONE!!!!
One ton dually mill!!!
The motor itself weighs 1300 pounds bud.
I love this!
I'll bet that sounds like" I'm coming and Hell's coming with me!"
More like "I'm coming and I'm dragging all of hell along with me for the ride"
That's so cool, something like this I'd love to replace my six cylinder with something like this..
Just smooooooth!
Yes I would like to hear it run, thank you for asking.
That is smooth
The chickens making noise in the background cracked me up for some reason
love the water hoses you have connected. rip
What a beast 👍👍
A backwards 2 barrel bug spray carbie.. it fired straight up that’s mental!!!
That's from back when the USA was mostly dirt roads!
It sounds good
Could you imagine what kind of power this monster would make with a Detroit blower? I'm salivating just thinking about it.
Probably not much, due to the truck cam, heads and heavy valvetrain
They don’t make much power, I think they make a shit ton of torque though for pulling
It would make more sense to get it to rev faster and free up air/exhaust restrictions. It’ll make big power with just that
None thing has no rpms couldnt turn a blower worth a damn on top of that heads are poorly designed as far as performance goes youd basically be building all custom parts except a block to make any really impressive HP figures out of the thing
It would break most likely, crank isnt the strongest. Now...you have a custom billet piece made then finish it up with race quality parts I can't imagine it not easily smashing the four digits of hp and tq without breaking a sweat.
Its getting hot fast
I'd like to hear that engine run with headers and flo-thrus
thats a great ole engine!!!!!