History >>>Proof is in the Pudding:Early Chevy V8 Hot Rods!!!!<<<

[JeffreyJames]

I thought I would put together a thread that would gather all the Hot Rods that ran a Chevy V8 in the earlier days of Hot Rodding. There once was a time when a 265, 283 or 327 was king and if you ran one you were hot stuff. Today it seems like it's the red headed step child of engines. So I thought I would bring to light some past features in different publications from the 50's and 60's in one location so that is can serve as inspiration not only to those that are running a Small Block because of money restrictions but to those that seek the engine out because they know in it's roots it is as traditional as it is full of potential.

Looking at late 50's through the 60's magazines you will find there is no denying just how much impact these engines had on our hobby. It seems like every other feature had a cool looking Hot Rod backed up by a Chevy V8. Most of them running Corvette valve covers and with a wide array of intake setups. From an Edelbrock 2 x 3 setup to a Weiand 4 pot and even lots of 4 Barrel intakes in the mix too, they were making waves and leaving readers dreaming about putting a Chevy engine in their own Hot Rod.

I myself have been guilty of tipping my nose up at a Small block because they have become the belly buttons of engines for sure. But to me being different when creating a traditional Hot Rod is secondary to recreating and restoring the history by faithfully recreating and emulating the cars of the past. If it was good enough for them then then sure as hell should be cool today right? The more I learned the more I learned to love. In fact so much that I decided to run one in my '35 coupe and that's with having good Olds, Hemi and Cad engines sitting in a corner of the garage too!

This months Rodder's Journal has feature on Earl Evans Titled The Complete Hot Rodder. In that article that Jay G. Fitzhugh wrote, there is a paragraph that sets the tone for this thread.

"Gene Ohly was still in high school when he took a job as a machinist apprentice with Earl Evans in 1952. Evens production was in full swing and the flathead Ford was king with the performance crowd. And then the '55 Chevrolet hit the market. As told by Ohly, sales for the flathead Ford slowed to a trickle. A meager attempt was made to after overhead sales, with Evans creating patterns for Olds V8 components, but it was the 265 and then 283 Chevrolet that everyone wanted to go fast."


I am going try to gather as many as I can, to leave some of you dreaming about a properly dressed early Chevy V8. Perhaps some of these articles will sway some of you hard core Olds,Cad,Hemi, Nailhead fellers towards acceptance of what is as cool today as it was in the heyday. Take a look!!!!


Viva La Chevy V8!!!

























I will scan more in next week and photoshop them so they appear as one image like I did with the above articles. Hope you enjoy!!!

[60'shotrod]

DAMN I WANT this one, that is SWEET for sure!NICE thread too Jeffery,a damn GOOD idea dear Chap!

Nick.

[JeffreyJames]

I myself wouldn't mind the three window. My next batch of scans is going to include some pretty incredible cars for sure. Thanks Nick, I hope this give a bit more inspiration for that 265 of yours!!!

[bigblockdude402]

Very informing. I appreciate your informing the sbc sceptics.

[belair]

Two thumbs up. I love the SBC.

[roddinron]

Why those cars must all be dreaded "streetrods" if they're running a sbc!

[solid]

Sbc made it possible for lots of people to have hot rods. All the cheap performance and swap stuff helped keep hot rodding alive imo. From jeeps to croselys they have been in everything. You can still build a potent sbc cheap. I like em too.

[hotrd32]

I have an Album called "Traditional Non-Boring SBC's"........

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/a...p?albumid=8196

[JeffreyJames]

Those are great hotrd32!!!!

[Astrochimp]

Originally Posted by JeffreyJames

Viva La Chevy V8!!!

The frame is art.

[fordnutz]

Dan Wittenberg from Vancouver, British Columbia Canada installed a factory crate motor smallblock chev in his roadster pickup in the fall of 54. He was working at GM as a mechanic and bought it thru the parts department. It has to be the earliest small block chev transplant as the 55 chev had just hit the showrooms. The pickup was updated over the years and still exists, but with a new owner. Dan has cloned his old roadster pickup as he couldn't buy the old one back. Pat.



Dan's clone of his roadster pickup.

[general gow]

i love that red tub. that thing is sweet. great idea for a thread, jeffrey.

[JeffreyJames]

The RPU is awesome!

[cactus1]

Yup!

[RichFox]

The small block Chevy will never be as much of a belly button engine as the Flathead Ford once was. At the first Bonneville Nationals 98% of the entrys were Ford powered. I don't know but I doubt people were bashing flatheads for being to common. When I got interested in Hot Rods SBC had just come out and were thought to be a nice package but kind of small at 265 inches. You could buy a Cad at 365 inches. Or an Olds at 324. Seemed like a better deal

[3wLarry]

My tastes are changing when it comes to the chevy. These pics are the look I'm going for in my new '32 truck project...

I've rounded up all the parts now to have one look like I just pulled it out of a new 1957 Chevy...a 283 4 bbl.

And those period parts ain't cheap!

[Midwest Rodder]

The RPU is soo beautiful! I want it.

[Kreepea_1]

I like this thread! Nice album Htrd32.

[oldebob]

. I think early small blocks are cool. However I doubt that many people on here will be pulling out a Flathead, Hemi, Olds, Pont, Stude and putting one in.

[oldebob]

Originally Posted by 3wLarry

My tastes are changing when it comes to the chevy. These pics are the look I'm going for in my new '32 truck project...

I've rounded up all the parts now to have one look like I just pulled it out of a new 1957 Chevy...a 283 4 bbl.

And those period parts ain't cheap!

You would have imediately run down to the Chevy dealer and bought a new set of $20.00 Corvette valve covers for it and you know it.