Which engine would you pick and why?

[Northstar T]

I'm definitely part of the old school crowd that still think "there is no replacement......for DISplacement!!!

Old ways die hard, I know. it took me quite a few years to admit that modern technology IS the future today for hot rodding. you don't have to look far to see 400, 500, 600 or more HP from assembly line cars today, and many of them are relatively small CI engines. not only do they give the HP and torque numbers, but they all get 20+ mpg and have impeccable street manners.
I guess I've never really been a big CI person anyway, but I have dreamed of building another 301 SBC in a 55 Chevy post car, just to re-live my "glory days"……… but then I realize I can drop in a wreaking yard LS motor for 1/3 the money, have equal time slips, and comfortably drive it home from the strip on 1/2 gal of gas.
Now if I could just figure out a way to make an LS sound like a 60s hot rod………….. but I admit that's one aspect of a 60s hot rod that just can NOT be duplicated with modern technology.

Russ

 

[blyndgesser]

Is speed alone the point? Or is it the visceral experience of driving something barely tamed? Or is it all about the build? An LS3 crate motor can deliver on the speed, but for some of us 525 store bought injected horses just can't compare to the challenge of dialing in a carbed BBC just so.

 

[baddawgcustoms]

Old ways die hard, I know. it took me quite a few years to admit that modern technology IS the future today for hot rodding. you don't have to look far to see 400, 500, 600 or more HP from assembly line cars today, and many of them are relatively small CI engines. not only do they give the HP and torque numbers, but they all get 20+ mpg and have impeccable street manners.
I guess I've never really been a big CI person anyway, but I have dreamed of building another 301 SBC in a 55 Chevy post car, just to re-live my "glory days"……… but then I realize I can drop in a wreaking yard LS motor for 1/3 the money, have equal time slips, and comfortably drive it home from the strip on 1/2 gal of gas.
Now if I could just figure out a way to make an LS sound like a 60s hot rod………….. but I admit that's one aspect of a 60s hot rod that just can NOT be duplicated with modern technology.

Russ

I became a believer in technology a couple years back when I sank a ton of money in a sweet 74 Camaro, 427 with ALL the goodies and what handed me my A$$ back to me first time out? My buddies 322 Hp 4 cyl Mazda 3! Bone stock except a twin turbo kit for an extra $2500. Won't say how much I had in mine !!

 

[TerryRene]

we are starting into our adventure into the bucket world. i wont to keep with the whole ford theme and go with a small block ford with a c-4 trans. any suggestions on 302 VS 351 W?

 

[old round fart]

I would say cheapest. Eaither one will be more power than you need. This car will weigh about one third of the donor car!

 

[blyndgesser]

A roller-cam 302. Cheap, plentiful, powerful.

 

[baddawgcustoms]

I'll echo the last two guys. Finding a running donor car will make it much easier than chasing down this bracket, that bracket, flywheel, starter, converter etc. at least then you have the rest of the car to sell/crush and make a little money back as well. Both 302 and 351 are jam up engines to run, but I'm very partial to the 302. Parts are cheap and plentiful. Even an old 289 would be perfect!

 

[Zandoz]

Is speed alone the point? Or is it the visceral experience of driving something barely tamed? Or is it all about the build? An LS3 crate motor can deliver on the speed, but for some of us 525 store bought injected horses just can't compare to the challenge of dialing in a carbed BBC just so.

For me, speed is not even on the list. For me it's about building something unique, safe, and fun to drive. As long as I own it, it will never be raced. My racing days are long in the past. Yes, I'm an old fart...LOL.

 

[EX JUNK]

For me, speed is not even on the list. For me it's about building something unique, safe, and fun to drive. As long as I own it, it will never be raced. My racing days are long in the past. Yes, I'm an old fart...LOL.

You say that you're "an old fart". Man, you're still a pup compared to me. My motto is, "when it stops being fun, stop doing it". So far, I'm still doing it. LOL

Jim

 

[Zandoz]

You say that you're "an old fart". Man, you're still a pup compared to me. My motto is, "when it stops being fun, stop doing it". So far, I'm still doing it. LOL

Jim

In my case chronological age is not the issue. With my health issues, the way I feel I could call Methuselah "Youngster". After the last round of issues and hospital stay, if I did not have so much likely unrecoverable money tied up in this project, I'd call it quits. But I push on...at least until my wife says it's time to quit.

 

[iajjpop]

I sure like my GM 305 cubic inch . With 30 over bore & a R.V. cam & 350 turbo tranny. All the power I need. [ some times to much power]. for such light car......

 

[ellis8500]

My Ford 302 came out of a 1992 F150 with 182,000 miles on the engine. No machining required on the block nor crank when I did a rebuild. Converted it to carb and put in a higher performance cam vs the truck engine cam. The biggest challenge was on the front of the engine. All it needed was an alternator. No AC, no power steering. Had to custom fabricate the spacers to mount belt tensioner and alternator bracket in order to use a serpentine belt. 3/8" water pipe worked well for that. Some adjustment was required on the tenioner spacers to get the belt to run true. Have no idea what HP is but I do know it is fast enough to scare me. I have not used full throttle yet and really do not plan to. Getting to old for that stuff.

 

[blyndgesser]

It doesn't take much to move a t-bucket down the road.

 

[Zandoz]

My Ford 302 came out of a 1992 F150 with 182,000 miles on the engine. No machining required on the block nor crank when I did a rebuild. Converted it to carb and put in a higher performance cam vs the truck engine cam. The biggest challenge was on the front of the engine. All it needed was an alternator. No AC, no power steering. Had to custom fabricate the spacers to mount belt tensioner and alternator bracket in order to use a serpentine belt. 3/8" water pipe worked well for that. Some adjustment was required on the tenioner spacers to get the belt to run true. Have no idea what HP is but I do know it is fast enough to scare me. I have not used full throttle yet and really do not plan to. Getting to old for that stuff.

I'm kind of following in your footsteps with my GM 60V6. I made the decision last week to de-electronics it and got an old school manifold and distributor...and I've been pondering how I'm going to mount the alternator and deal with the serpentine belt. I have no idea what HP it will put out, but it came from the factory with a whopping 135 HP. I'm planning this build to be as light as possible....light engine, light weight materials where ever possible/practical, short wheelbase. If I can keep it below 1400 lbs it would be pushing about 40% of the car it came out of...and it should have a weight to horsepower ratio close to if not better than a new Camaro LS... Plenty for me.

 

[Screaming Metal]

I'm kind of following in your footsteps with my GM 60V6. I made the decision last week to de-electronics it and got an old school manifold and distributor...and I've been pondering how I'm going to mount the alternator and deal with the serpentine belt. I have no idea what HP it will put out, but it came from the factory with a whopping 135 HP. I'm planning this build to be as light as possible....light engine, light weight materials where ever possible/practical, short wheelbase. If I can keep it below 1400 lbs it would be pushing about 40% of the car it came out of...and it should have a weight to horsepower ratio close to if not better than a new Camaro LS... Plenty for me.

Hey,dowhat you wanna do, but make sure you want that V6 before you start. We've had many folks here that went to one, then after awhile, couldn't get it swapped out fast enogh. They are expensive to build.
I have access to all the cool kick butt parts here at my shop....but at the end of the day, why? If you like 6's, go I6. If you want the V6, Go with it, far be it from me to tell someone what they should do. Just consider the cost. A SBC 350 will be FAR LESS than that V6. Oh, I built one recently that had Mucho Horses, sheetmetal Tunnelram intake, had it all, turned way high rpms to boot. About about 1/3rd more cost than a all-out 350 or destroked 400.
You can get Grand National parts for that thing everyday....good little motor, just be prepared.

Hell, if you just want cheap and easy, a 350 is the way to go. If one of those isn't to be had, hell, grab a 305. Theres a few builds where you can easily get 375-400 horses from one cheap. With a 350, you'd be pushing close to 500....
The 305 has a great rod to stroke ratio, its a torquey motor that loves to rev between 1800 to 4500 rpms, thats where your motor will spend 80% of its time. The other 18% will be idling, and with 2% hauling Butt....or at least trying to, if you can get out of the traffic....

 

[Zandoz]

Hey,dowhat you wanna do, but make sure you want that V6 before you start. We've had many folks here that went to one, then after awhile, couldn't get it swapped out fast enogh. They are expensive to build.
I have access to all the cool kick butt parts here at my shop....but at the end of the day, why? If you like 6's, go I6. If you want the V6, Go with it, far be it from me to tell someone what they should do. Just consider the cost. A SBC 350 will be FAR LESS than that V6. Oh, I built one recently that had Mucho Horses, sheetmetal Tunnelram intake, had it all, turned way high rpms to boot. About about 1/3rd more cost than a all-out 350 or destroked 400.
You can get Grand National parts for that thing everyday....good little motor, just be prepared.

Hell, if you just want cheap and easy, a 350 is the way to go. If one of those isn't to be had, hell, grab a 305. Theres a few builds where you can easily get 375-400 horses from one cheap. With a 350, you'd be pushing close to 500....
The 305 has a great rod to stroke ratio, its a torquey motor that loves to rev between 1800 to 4500 rpms, thats where your motor will spend 80% of its time. The other 18% will be idling, and with 2% hauling Butt....or at least trying to, if you can get out of the traffic....

There are reasons for going with the 60V6. The biggest is I got one out of a running car, with a 700R4, for less than the cost of scrap. At the time I was looking for a Studebaker 289 V8 to rebuild, and stumbled across the 60V6. I had no specific plans for it until the day the guy who was delivering it asked what I was going to do...almost as on cue, we both said "T Bucket". The next thing that came to mind was the little bobtail buckets from the 50s and early 60s like Tweedy Pie...only lower.

The other big reason for stickinig with the 60V6 is small...as in small size and weight. I'm following the formula of Colin Chapman of Lotus fame...“Simplify, then add lightness,”.

As far as mods go, the only ones will be a carb, manifold, distributor, and headers...all of which I should end up with less than $600 invested. I could do more, but I don't need to. This thing is intended to be a casual cruiser, not a pavement buckling beast. Down the road, if I want more power,a Buick 3.8 will bolt right in with just a motor mount change.

 

[cooter]

I kinda like the 71-74 ford pinto 4cyl. 2.0L. I had one bolted to back of sand rail when running dirt drags. 1400lb rail ran 300ft at 60mph in 6.26... ohv with 7500rpm red line factory.. big o fomoco 2 brrl off a 351w and a home made joomie.. pinto powerd T.. I think linda Vaughn "miss hurst" had pic in one.

 

[fletcherson]

I kinda like the 71-74 ford pinto 4cyl. 2.0L. I had one bolted to back of sand rail when running dirt drags. 1400lb rail ran 300ft at 60mph in 6.26... ohv with 7500rpm red line factory.. big o fomoco 2 brrl off a 351w and a home made joomie.. pinto powerd T.. I think linda Vaughn "miss hurst" had pic in one.

I think I am late to this party, no one mentioned a 289 or a poncho 428... I also think for a different look, maybe a Buick wildcat 310 alum or alum olds f85... How about a studibaker golden hawk engine with the super charger? I do like the flat heads in buckets.

 

[fletcherson]

I think I am late to this party, no one mentioned a 289 or a poncho 428... I also think for a different look, maybe a Buick wildcat 310 alum or alum olds f85... How about a studibaker golden hawk engine with the super charger? I do like the flat heads in buckets.

By the way, nice to see screaming metal back.

 

[old round fart]

An Offy would be cool.