1954 Chevy 4500 Wayne Body Conversion

[brmarti2]

Cheers everyone!

My wife and I have started on a conversion of an old chevy bus with lots of character. We have big plans for this rig but right now I am still working on getting it running to full strength. It came with a 80s chevy 292 L6 motor and a SM465 attached to it. After much debate, we decided to stay with the gas motor and rebuild the tall boy. The motor is back in and now I'm just figuring out how to get everything back together. I have been stocking up parts for the interior conversion but I am waiting to start on that after I gave the thing running again.

Pics coming soon!

[s2mikon]

That’s old! Please send pics. I have had 2 of those 292 6 cyl motors over the years and they will work hard. Check advance adapters they have an overdrive / spliter that goes between the transmission and bell housing. I have one just haven’t installed it yet. Please keep us posted.

[peteg59]

Welcome to the site.

While you won't be breaking any speed records with that 292, it is a reliable "workhorse" engine and should serve you well.

X2 on pics.
Good luck and post them up if you can...

[brmarti2]

I plan on finding a nv4500 to link up to the 292 so I can get the overdrive and keep the granny gear. I'm currently trying to figure out how to get power steering put in to it. The current steering is also getting in the way of my exhaust so it would be two birds with one stone if anyone knows of a good donor power steering box to look for.


(first try on an image, everything rotated so looks like I need to adjust some sizing)

[Ronnie]

The NV4500 is not great behind the cummins 5.9 but should do very well behind the 292. Dad had a stepvan with that engine. Really great engine. Sure a sweet looking bus, glad to see it getting restored/rebuilt.

[s2mikon]

Send pictures of the steering box and linkage. If I remember it is behind the axle with a drag link going foward. Cool bus. Thanks for restoring it. That needs a 53 series detroit.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by s2mikon

Send pictures of the steering box and linkage. If I remember it is behind the axle with a drag link going foward. Cool bus. Thanks for restoring it. That needs a 53 series detroit.

I put a 3-53 in my old 47 Dodge years ago. Loved it.

[shortbus4x4]

Nice bus. I think you would be better off keeping your SM465 and putting an Advance Adapters Ranger gear splitter in it. Get the overdrive one. This way you can split the gears which you will want with the 292. The NV4500 has a big split between 3 and 4.

[brmarti2]

Here are some pictures of the steering box. It is the larger of the steering boxes that chevy offered in the early 50s, I think the 100ish bearing one. I still havent taken the box and pitman arm off since we are moving soon and I hope to drive it down the road to the new house.










I will look in to the gear split for the sm465. Are they easy to track down still. I checked a couple sites and I didnt see any still in stock. Is this something I should start looking for used?

[brmarti2]

Another photo of the steering box and pitman arm

[s2mikon]

Some of the Dodge power wagons had a side mount power steering gear forward of the axle. 1973 – 1991 ?? I have 2 of them.

[Ronnie]

I have a shorty 6 window bus late 90's with the steering gear forward of the axle. I do not want to part it out but finding one in a junkyard might be a good source. I will get some pictures.


In keeping with the age of the bus a spicer 5831 aux trans will give you overdrive, and a deep crawl ratio as well. They are still around and were used in 1 1/2-2 ton trucks of the period. You would mount it behind the current trans and a short driveshaft would go between them. Just a thought.

[BeNimble]

I have the 2-speed rear axle from my 1972 C50 if interested. Have the front axle too, but the steering gear went to metal recycling.

[Bluesky]

That's a good looking bus, I'm interested in following the build.

[brmarti2]

l'm still trying to figure out the power steering. I think its just going to take some fabrication to get a pump to work. The box is currently behind the axle and needs to be a top frame mount due to clearance issues, but that's a problem for another day. I am currently working to build out the dash and plan the wiring and battery storage. I have this vent that has been cut in to a bunch of dead space next to the driver seat that I think will be perfect for battery/inverter/electronic storage but I dont want rain to get in to the area for obvious reasons. I think the vent will be great to have but does anyone have any ideas on how I could make it weather safe and still keep the vent in there?