small block chevy's//love'em or hate'em? good-guys car show observation.

[BigIrish]

I don't hate on any engine, but sure is nice to see something different.

I was driving my speedster (avatar) the other day. A guy asked me what engine that was. When I said a Ford straight six, he looked at me like he felt sorry for me.

"You know you could put a 350 in there for hardly any money and..."

"YES" (interrupting him) "I know that. I like this better."

He was truly puzzled. I get that alot.

 

[jfg455]

Big Irish - In your car a SBC would just look out of place. In some rides it is fine but ones like yours needs the asthetics of an inline motor.

 

[Sam_Fear]

I don't hate on any engine, but sure is nice to see something different.

I was driving my speedster (avatar) the other day. A guy asked me what engine that was. When I said a Ford straight six, he looked at me like he felt sorry for me.

"You know you could put a 350 in there for hardly any money and..."

"YES" (interrupting him) "I know that. I like this better."

He was truly puzzled. I get that alot.

You know you could go buy a new Hyundai and you wouldn't have to work on it at all.

 

[Dragfink]

Complaining about small block Chevy's is the new flat black!

 

[TiredIronGRB]

Complaining about small block Chevy's is the new flat black!

I think that's my new signature.

 

[genosslk]

I've used chevy engines for years, easy to build, easy to get a crate engine, lots of parts for them for a lot less money than other engines.... but.... I do love to use something different just to have someone say "It's not a
chevy"!!!! I used a 300 ford six in my yard art with some "fun" induction and I get many compliments. I just got a buick flat eight and will be rebuilding it for a car. Might build my own induction system just for fun.

 

[42chevy]

I really like the SBC, it was my first performance engine I built and made excellent power. However, I chose an Olds for my '42 Chevy. I started with a 350 Olds and moved to a 455. Both engines were about $400 in good running condition. I like having a $400 455 that moves fast and it always surprises people that I used an Olds instead of an SBC.

 

[Willowbilly3]

I've owned a lot of them and still have a soft spot for a 283, one of my all time favorite engines.
What I don't get is building a really unique rod then using the least unique engine out there. And while the cheap and reliable is a good argument it doesn't hold water for a really expensive build that never gets driven much anyway.
I can find 302s just as cheap and they really don't cost that much more to build. 4.6 Fords are everywhere and a very good little engine, plus they'll beat the snot out of most sbc on fuel mileage. The 318 Mopar was probably the best all around V8 ever built and they are still easy to find and easy on gas too. If Mopar had built 40 million 340s (like chevy did the 350), that's what every sprint car and hotrod would be running.
As a shop owner in the 80s and 90s I got to see a lot of everything and I saw a lot of crappy 350s, flat cams, weak valve trains, premature timing chain failure and those infernal cast valve cover mating surfaces on the heads that made sealing the valve covers next to impossible. I've worked on enough 350s in my life that I really don't want to wrench on of my own.

 

[TiredIronGRB]

I've been building them for 35 years and still love them...

Any engine can be unique...or boring...just depends on what you do with them. This is the same engine as above.

Here's a few more examples...

 

[Willowbilly3]

That's some nice looking engines there.

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

Any engine can be unique...or boring...just depends on what you do with them.

This is exactly right. I challenge any of these "oh I will walk right by anything with a SBC" to find fault with that engine.

Besides, the coolest thing of all is driving YOUR hot rod, not parking it at some lame show so an armchair quarterback who probably doesn't even own a car can find fault with your engine choice. Likewise, who cares if that same guy praises you for installing a caterpillar bulldozer engine in your non-driveable car? what's the point?

 

[CR55]

Well said Mr. Blue!!!![cl

 

[Willowbilly3]

This is exactly right. I challenge any of these "oh I will walk right by anything with a SBC" to find fault with that engine.

Besides, the coolest thing of all is driving YOUR hot rod, not parking it at some lame show so an armchair quarterback who probably doesn't even own a car can find fault with your engine choice. Likewise, who cares if that same guy praises you for installing a caterpillar bulldozer engine in your non-driveable car? what's the point?

I agree it is a jaw dropping engine, but probably not cheap with the vintage 6 carb set up. Also I was wondering just how much you can drive an engine with no air cleaner(s)?

 

[TiredIronGRB]

I agree it is a jaw dropping engine, but probably not cheap with the vintage 6 carb set up. Also I was wondering just how much you can drive an engine with no air cleaner(s)?

I drive the crap out of it, when it's wore out I'll swap another in...as we know SBCs are plentiful

 

[Willowbilly3]

That's good to hear. I was always afraid of running without air cleaner(s), heard all the stories about a quick death to engines but never did much more than cruise around on Saturday night with the air cleaner off in case a quick race materialized.
If I'm not mistaken that is a 283 or first year 327 due to the generator. Not impossible to find but getting as little scarce in these parts. My favorite small blocks are still those small journal engines.
I'm going to clean out a lady's garage of a bunch of sbc stuff today. Most of it will probably end up on a load of scrap iron. Those bare 350 blocks cost about what they are worth just to get checked out at the machine shop. Even the head castings cost more to rebuild than a better set of new heads cost.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Also I was wondering just how much you can drive an engine with no air cleaner(s)?

Stay off the gravel roads or it will be a faster death ... but your heads will be ported.

 

[Old Iron]

I love em!!
This is the last one I've built and it's in my 40 Pontiac (avatar)
This is not your average small block though [ddd
It's a 4.125 bore bowtie block, angle plug 64 cc bowtie heads, 3.335 stroke 35 lb. 4340 molly crank, 490 gram 4340 molly rods with Honda journals, 390 gram gas ported pistons with .043 gapless top rings, jesel belt drive, clinch shaft rockers, 3 stage dry sump, victor jr. intake, 750 hp Holley carb.
It's 358 cu. in. 650 horse and will turn 8000 on 91 pump gas.
Nothing boring here