I'd call slamming small-block chevies more like "new age, history revisionist rod-abilly bs" than "traditional hot rodding", but I guess I don't get it.
He is an old retired guy. To build a good six will cost more than a free 350. The free 350 will come with a turbo auto. The six would retain the three speed. That will keep cost down. Also he is getting lazy and the turbo sounds good to him. Time will tell. However there is nothing on earth that sounds better than a chevy six.
Cool car no matter what engine you stick in it. I grew up riding in my grandparents 54 210 on adventures and vacation trips with them, my best friend in high school had a 54 before trading it for a 57 tudor post that he traded for a 59 Impala 348 4 speed. Even my long legged girl cousin who set me up with her good looking gal friends on a regular basis drove a 54 Chevy. All three of those were some shade of green by the way. I've never had a 54 but sure wouldn't turn down a decent one for a decent price.
Well George, the cars we own and drive (and love) don't always make sense, so why should the engine? I wouldn't walk across the street to look at a 54 chevy, (or a hotted up flathead that makes NO sense performance or $$$-wise),but a lot of guys like them. A hot rod is not necessarily as fast or as focused and " efficient" as a race car. I think it has a different purpose than to be made up of the most logical parts. The op has a different goal than you would with the car. Remember - it doesn't have to make sense to be true.
Oh, I'd build a '54 Chevy in a heartbeat, I could think of half a dozen ways I'd like to do it, several "period", but NONE would fit the typical HAMB '54 chevy mold, not by a long shot...
In my opinion go with the 235 seen to many with 350 it's like a over played song it gets old. I love the car even tho not a Chevy fan
Nice find! Always liked the 54. Owned one for 15 years till I needed the storage for another project. Great cruisers.
"My opinion." Choice of engine would depend on what you overall goal is for the car. If you intend to stay local then a 6 cylinder would do fine. Fact is the 6 would do okay on longer trips if you are prepared for its limitations and willing to chance being caught in an area where a replacement part might be difficult to locate. However, Bob K has driven a 6 cylinder from coast to coast, many times. Myself, I wanted a dependable engine, good gas mileage, and the ability to obtain repair parts should I need something a long ways from home. When intend to use our 54 for very long trips. Everyone has the own standards, likes and dislikes, and goals. John
Is this is car that was sitting and FOR SALE down near Taylor, Texas? If not there is a nice looking green Chevy that is a similar year model there. I was driving too fast to get a good look to tell the exact year model (plus I don't know the year model of these cars all that well.)
This came outa Ok. City Ok. Got several Ok. Plates out of it while digging the rats stuff out. Found an owners manual in the glove box. Not gotten the front seat out yet but the floor pans are somewhat worse than I thought. Radio delete clock delete and ash tray delete. Have had several 54 s and never saw the ash tray delete. No big deal just different.
At what point does something become traditional? So when does something actually become" traditional"? When the H.A.M.B. says so?... I am also confused...lol
I was thinking of the '54 hardtop that I mentioned in this thread. Low and behold, there I find it on the C list tonight. Some of the cool parts are missing, and some crappy parts added, but it has to be the same one. A Pontiac V8 and a four speed are one of the tell-tale signs. Engine swaps are traditional rod/custom stuff. That power train combo has been in there since the builder left for Vietnam. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My '54 I'm finally working on is a Ford Coupe. Just gathering the right engine bearings for it now, rings were hard to find. Kantor had 'em, Oh... The engine's a 406 FE., Top loader Heavy close ratio 3 speed 'RAT'#... the 'ultimate sleeper'...
Friend had a 53, then a 54 in college. He drove the heck out of them in the late '60s. Really got used to spending hours riding shotgun, talking about nothing in particular, listening to the local AM top 40 station and driving to see whatever was going on across Kansas City. He's long dead now, but seeing your 54 reminded me a lot of those days.
Quick question, this car is not a Bel Air, nor a 210, is it a 150 or is it some other model, the 49 to 54 models are always confusing to me?
So is that a 150 Utility Sedan? with no back seat and rear side windows that don't roll down? My Son has one of them, it has a SBC in it.
Yeah that's funny because everyone doing it is either ignorant of the potential of a SBC or they've had whatever they're driving spanked by one. personally I enjoy looking under the hood of old cars and seeing a well detailed original looking engine. I love my SBC but I don't like seeing them in almost every 1940 Ford etc.
This a 150 sedan. Added water to radiator pumped the system to nine lbs. it held somewhat Leaked at the water pump a little. Added marvel mystery oil to the cylinders. Cleaned much rat poop out. Got the seats out. Ordered floor pans. Tried to turn the motor over by using 12 volts but nothing happened when I turned the key on. Didn't get a chance to try anything else.
Plugs out,car in gear, Rock the whole car back and forth by holding onto the radiator support. Got a 55 unstuck this way by using the marvel. pulled others down the road and popped the clutch after all else failed....had pretty good luck getting em unstuck, I can think of three vehicles I got unstuck (all straight shifts) one 65 buick wildcat, automatic, I couldnt.
Acetone and auto trans fluid in the cylinders is one of the best ways to un-stick an engine. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My first car on the road was a '54 Chevy that I bought from the original owner, sure wish I still had it. Bob
The Jalopy Journal
