I should know this, but what strait 4 cylinder engines came in the early sixties nova's? thanks Lil Joe
It's a 153 cubic inch motor. Was also used in marine applications for years. SBC valve covers fit it, and I believe some other mouse motor stuff may interchange as well. Cool OHV bangers!!
I think General Motors sold patent and forging to volvo marine just like they did when they sold aluminum buick v8 block to brits rover
What head for the 4 cyl will accept the SBC valve cover. I used to drag race a '64 Nova wagon with a 153 c.i. 4 cyl. Mine had a different valve train than a SB. Yes it was the familiar stamped rocker/ball arangement but the rocker ratio is like a 6 cyl., different from a v8. The valve cover is just like the 6 cyl. only shorter. Much deeper than a v8 cover. Frank
Just remembered that there were some 4 cyl sprint car engines that used a small block head much modified. Is this the application for the SBC cover you were refering to? Frank
Those neat little engines were also put into US Mail Jeeps. I passed on one last summer for $75.00, I'm still kicking myself. Have you looked at S10 4 bangers? Some of those even have a 5spd hooked to them. Dean
I worked for a company in Portland Oregon in the mid 70's that bought a boxcar load of damaged O.M.C. marine 4 banger engines and out-drive units. I got a great edumacation on chevy 4 bangers when I was elected to salvage as many of the banged up engines as possible. It seems the boxcar was part of a train that had derailed and there were several thousand gallons of house paint in the same boxcar when it went over. What a mess! We bought 23 engines and I was able to save 22 of 'em. There were 120 hp and 140 hp models in the mix. The 120 hp versions were 153 cu.in. with 3&7/8ths bore. Valve sizes were standard chevy 1.72 intakes and 1.50 exhaust and the little engines had single barrel carbs. The 140 hp version was really interesting. It had a 4" bore [used 327 pistons] and displacement was 158 cu. in. The cylinder head had 1.94 and 1.50 inch valves with a 2 barrel rochester carb. As far as I know, G.M. built these engines and sold 'em to OMC but you couldn't get the bigger engines in a production car to the best of my knowledge. That's the engine to get if you can find one...look for them at marine parts outlets and marine repair shops.
Frank...I saw a picture somewhere of a 153 Chevy with one M/T small block Chevy valve cover on it. It was probably a modified motor, to be sure! (Been a while since I've seen an actual stock 153 motor!)
[ QUOTE ] Have you looked at S10 4 bangers? Some of those even have a 5spd hooked to them. [/ QUOTE ] The small one (1.6) is an Isuzu motor. I'm pretty sure the others are just corporate GM stuff.
[ QUOTE ] Those neat little engines were also put into US Mail Jeeps. I passed on one last summer for $75.00, I'm still kicking myself. Have you looked at S10 4 bangers? Some of those even have a 5spd hooked to them. Dean [/ QUOTE ] here's the info on what engines were in the postal jeeps: DJ-3A (1955-64): Four cylinder L-head, three speed manual DJ-5 (1965-67): Four cylinder L-head, three speed manual DJ-5A (1968-70): Chevy four cylinder, Powerglide automatic DJ-5B (1970-72): AMC 232 I-6, B-W T-35 three speed automatic DJ-5C (1973-74): AMC 232 I-6, T-35 or M-11 automatic DJ-5D (1975-76): AMC 232 I-6, 727 TorqueFlite automatic DJ-5F (1977-78): AMC 232 I-6, or 258 I-6, TorqueFlite automatic DJ-5G (1979): Audi 121 four cylinder, 904 TorqueFlite automatic DJ-5L (1982): Chevy or Buick 151 four cylinder, Chrysler 904 transmission CJ-8 (1984): Used in Alaska only 258 I-6, Chrysler 999 transmission
I seem to remember the Midget guys ran the Chevy II motors,probably early '70s. Some of them ran a V8 cylinder head,don't know what had to be modified.. Gaerte now makes an Aluminum 4 cylinder to accept a V8 head.Very Pricey. How does the original Chevy II motor compare to the later Iron Duke 4 banger?
I gotta amend my OMC marine engine story a little. The 4" bore engines were 181 cu in. not 158...sorry. The memory fades in and out sometimes. {I knew there was an 8 in there]
I am running one in my T-tub. 65 Chevy van 153 cube, punched 60 over with a shaved head. Mercury marine valve cover and side covers. Turbo 350 behind it. Don't know what it goes like yet. Hopefully next summer.
fordnutz, that looks killer! Finally a true iron duke! All the later versions (S10, Amc, Pontiac etc.) are mere posers!
The ChevyII 4 banger had 283 pistons (and bore) but a longer stroke (3 1/4 I think) than the 283 giving it 153 cubes. The later Iron Duke was offered first in Pontiac Astros, the Pontiac version of the Vega. Originally it had a non-crossflow head. The bore was different from the ChevyII's 3 7/8 bore. I think the bore was 4" and the stroke 3" on the Duke, giving it 151 cubes.. In 1979 Pontiac went to a crossflow head (exhaust and intake on opposite sides of the head). I think this was done so the engine could be used in the then new 80 (actually'79 1/2) FWD cars. The Iron Dukes, in Astro's, and later in Monza's, had the same bellhousing pattern as SBC V8's. The ones in FWD cars and non-Monza style RWD cars and trucks (S10's, etc) had the pattern used on the FWD cars, i.e. a smaller patttern. Pontiac developed a bunch of race parts for the later Dukes. They had special heads, blocks, cranks, etc. I think they had visions of "race" Fieros.
Rocket 88. The 153 is not the iron duke as model A Vette has explained. These were the shakey ll motors. So called because they did not idle smooth. The duke was the new improved 151 cube version. You should be able to see it when I am in the Vancouver area ( Mission ) next July with it for my daughter's wedding. I usually try to make it by the Java Hut in Langley for the cruise in while I am out there. Nutz
Looking at some pictures of a 153 motor, is it not a shorter version of the 194 six cylinder? It sure looks that way to me...and both engines hit the market at about the same time (1962, I believe) in the Chevy II, that would come to be known as the Nova. The side cover design, front of the engine, head shape, etc all look alot like a 194-250 motor to me! Anyone know if this is the case??
Vette, the later Duke has almost as many speed parts as the small block. Both after market and factory. Some small block pieces are adaptable, as are some of the V-6 pieces. Around here they have a roundy round class called Ponystock (they use the small bodies like sunbirds, etc) the GM bunch uses the Duke. I've gone out to watch 'em run and they are some scorchers. Don't know about the earlier Duke but the later (S-10) were gear drive from the factory. I've seen straight cut gears for 'em at the roundy round place real cheap. Here's another little tidbit I got from Dale Wilch. Half a set of hilborn injectors for a small block Poncho is perfect. So get two, round up a buddy and get the Hilborn setup and both of you can go racin.
Okay...so where do I find one of these motors??? (The distributor placement, manifold design, front of the engine...all has me convinced it's just a short 194 six banger...oughtta be plenty reliable...if not fast!)
FatHack- The 153 was indeed a short version of the 194. The oil pump, timing gears and a few other parts were interchangable. I rebuilt the one in my 62 Chevy II, back in 1973, using 283 pistons. According to TRW the pistons were the same. I have a 153 sitting in my garage in Virginia. I bought it years ago at the Nats East in York. I could never ID what it came out of, but from the date code I think it must have been a postal vehicle. The 153s in ChevyIIs came with 1bbl carbs and manual choke. I think some of the ones in truck versions came with small 2bbl carbs. The one in my old Chevy II was one of the best engines I ever owned - thats why I bought the one I have now. I think they look great in a Track T or other small car. They would probably be a good swap into an old British 4 cyl car. A 153 and a 5sp would make an old MG fly! The easiest (and best IMHO) 4 cyl of this type to find would be the ones in Monzas and clones from 1979-80. These are 151's with crossflow heads. They have rear sump oil pans, HEI ign and old style SBC bellhousing patterns. They usually have progressive 2bbl carbs on aluminum manifolds. The manifolds can be modified to mount other carbs. You can usually score a whole car for about $50.
Here's my version. It's out of a 59 Opel. Looks like a Chevy 11, but it's not. Distributer location, side cover size, and starter location are different. Did GM own Opel in 59? Dean
The Jalopy Journal
