As the title asks will a small block Chevy fit in a stock A 28-29 engine space WITHOUT cutting the firewall or moving the grill shell? anyone done this and how? I know it will need the short water pump and points dist. cap any other trick? I do not have an engine here to try and do not trust published dimensions.
No. You can only lower the engine and move it forward so much before the lower pulley and the balancer hit the crossmember and the drag link. But if you are careful, you don't have to cut the firewall as much as most guys do. You can cut and rearrange the firewall, but you will still need a relief for the distributor.
Some have reversed the firewall, but I don't know if this is an option. If you succeed, please share.
I knew this wasn't going to be easy!, Time to scrounge up a sbc and see what needs to be modified, is a zipps water pump riser with the 6cyl pump shorter?
This is mine with the zipps, it's about 5 1/2" from where it bolts onto the block to the front of the pulley. Hope this helps.
i've done three(3) 28-29 fords with a SBC and i cut the firewall on all of them....the lower part recessed 3" if you are recessing a firewall 1-2-3-4 inches is really all about the same amount of work
One of my reasons to not cut the firewall if possible, is foot and legroom, the space is already tight as many of you know.
not as tight as you think again if you just cut the firewall for what you need. Mine still has a stock toeboard in it. Lost zero foot/leg room. My stock short water pump is also 5 1/2 inches from block to pulley, the zips just raises the fan, it doesn't give you more room front to back.
I feel your pain as far as legroom goes. I'm 6 foot 5. It's a little tough getting in and out, but lots of room once I'm in. It requires careful planning. I have small seats and they are pushed right to the very back. The firewall is completely stock and I'm running a big block Oldsmobile. It can be done, just requires careful planning.
@chopped51 I know I am chiming in a bit late here. Any info/pics on how you managed to get that engine in without attacking the firewall.
If youre doing the work to box the frame rails, and put in the SBC motor mounts, recessing the firewall is pretty easy, and you can make it look pretty nice w/o a whole lot of work. Here is how I did the firewall recess on my Model A. I used 14 ga sheet metal and had my metal shop bend it into that shape on their brake. Ignore the crummy hack job to make holes for the steering column and master cylinder. Ive cut that mess out and replaced it (as you can see in the second picture). The car was originally a 80s built rod and it seems that they used whatever would make a hole in metal, to make their holes (Id guess tin snips and just hacked at it as best they could).
Old post I know. I've help a friend with a '30 and it seems those (30/31) are easier. His we used the band for the original firewall, welded in flat sheet (instead of the firewall sticking out) and used the top corners to make the dist recess. But keeping the stock tank and running an F100 steering column......is it possible with a SBC, in a 28/29. I'm wavering on the current motor setup. Badshifter do you have pics of the drivers side engine bay. Also are you (@catdad49 and @badshifter) running the Hurst style motor plate or something similar.
I'm running a Hurst mount, f100 box, stock tank in my 29. It all works fine, no issues. I will find, or take a pic.
I have a fiberglass body model a with a sbc unboxed frame turbo 350 ,I didn't build it,it is all apart for a rebuild,it had a hurst mount.
Yes it can be done, by pressing the hub on the water pump back toward the housing, and making a new pulley. Plus using a electric fan, and trimming the front cross member a little
The only way an electric fan works is by off setting it up. Now, as best as I wanted to keep an OEM fan, I had to accept using an aftermarket flex fan because the face of the fan is flat to the hub as compared to the stock fan. Every bit counts when finding room.
I'd rather have a recess than an electric fan... There are fan blades that don't add any additional length to the pump snout....