I find it fascinating how the sbc does draw some ire from people, and it’s pretty consistent against this motor. Dodge introduced the hemi in 51 and the sbc was introduced in 55 , only four years later, but a hemi seems to be acceptable in this type build. To be completely accurate, I love the 40s style looks with the 50s style horsepower, so maybe this build is a 50s style??? Dunno… gonna be fun to see where it ends up. I’ve got tons of stupid ideas to mull over!
I don't buy into that and I hope you don't let anonymous folks on the Internet damper things for you either. You're doing a great job, keep having fun with it. An SBC can be built and dressed-up authentically for a fraction still. I'm not talking new aftermarket parts, either. I love the hunt and it's 10x easier to find and acquire original speed and dress-up parts for SBCs (many times NOS) and it's way more affordable. I've told this story before, I was set on running a 389 (Pontiac) with a 4spd in my coupe. After being around a few, I was sold. I searched and chased down parts to build it era correct. At the time, the major missing piece was a manual bellhousing. I would've bought an adapter if it was available and I kept on the shop that made them but for whatever reason, they weren't making them/didn't have them/etc.. After a long while, I found a couple bellhousings from putting out ads, making phone calls and sending emails and such. Each guy loved to chat about their parts and one said he'd sell, however when I agreed to his fairly insane asking price, he balked and backed out. He never intended to let it go. So, I sold everything and went with my second option, a period 327 with dual quads, Ansen blow-proof bellhousing, and had fun searching for period correct bits and pieces. I still do. There are a ton of really neat parts out there. Obviously they were supported well - because they were popular! Granted, my coupe is a 60s era car. But, in all seriousness, it's probably even easier to outfit an earlier period SBC car. The parts recipe is pretty simple to acquire still. Anyway, the coupe is coming along well. I'm looking forward to see what you do with YOUR car.
Thanks Man! Not going to let anything slow me down. I did wrestle with how to execute this plan for my car though. Started out with the salt flats rolling bones style idea and grew to love the 40s / 50s style looks. I’m not necessarily a hardcore period correct kinda guy and like to mix a lot of styles and build themes together if they compliment one another and maybe would have been done back in the day if the parts were available then. I do have a ton of respect for the guys that look and hunt for their parts and build their cars one piece at a time. Maybe next car this will be my direction, for now I have little patience to wait to drive this thing so speed is my friend.
Yeah they have only been bolting SBCs into hotrods since 1955, hardly traditional.......... As I understand it at the time they were pulling out the side valve motors as quickly as they could and tossing them in favour of OHV including SBCs. Ignore the naysayers and build YOUR car.
Wow, real tri-power carbs! They look to be 1958 Chevy based on the front fuel inlet. Any info on that? John
Just rebuilt them, no tags and no stamped numbers so they are older than late 60s due to lack of a stamped number so I’m told. Have the original 355 Edelbrock intake that came with the car that fits the 265 sbc.Swapped it out for a newer version that matches the intake ports on the heads.
Note to self. Before getting to carried away with body fitments and welding anything in place put the trunk on and set the clearances. I did not and it did not go well. Had to redo a bunch of stuff to get the gaps just right. I run an Olds in my build up against a 37 Buick trans. I could have built 2-3 sbc's for what I have invested in that set up. In hindsight I probably should have as I have more invested in this hot rod than it is worth. It will most likely be my last build so perhaps it is not very relevant as my boys will deal with it after my demise Your doing a great job on your build. It will make a great driver.
Thanks! I am spending my retirement money and I too have spent way too much on this one. Hardest part is keeping everything temporary until the frame arrives and I do a final fit before rivets and weld sparks start flying. It’s easy right now, I know panel fit is going to be a hair pulling event based off my studies from this forum.
Rochester started stamping the carburetor identification numbers in the bowls beginning in 1968 to conform to Federal smog emission requirements. Prior to 1968, Rochester utilized tags to identify the carburetors. Of course, the first time the carb saw a commercial rebuilder, it lost its tag. These do not appear to be genuine tripower, but great job on the work you are doing. Jon
It's more the fact that it's in everything. It's almost a default motor. Then there is the ignorant attitude of some that you have to have a Chevy if you want to drive it. Also it's just the cheap easy way out. You know those with an early hemi Cadillac or olds put a little more effort into their car than the sbc and auto choice. Because they are so common in modern builds it detracts from the early build. As identical looking engines are seen in modern builds. It's not that the sbc haven't been used since 55. But weren't nearly as common. They offered little in the way of performance in their early days compared to other readily available options.
"Little in way of performance"?!?!?! You're literally talking about the first American engine to be rated at 1hp per cubic inch... Let the guy build his car... I'd rather see a running driving car with a SBC than a "more traditional" build that isn't running because flatheads or whatever else are fucking expensive to build. You can not argue that. Acting like he is taking the easy way out is bullshit. Cars are expensive and hard to build no matter what engine you put in it.
And further more, attitudes like this are why guys like me....who build a lot of very traditional cars, and actually put the miles on them aren't hanging out here much. This elitist attitude sucks. Just because I build date coded period garbage, doesn't mean I don't want to see the enthusiasm of a guy like @Hotrod31A building his car. Sbc or not. OP sorry for the hijack and rant.
In case you forgot the Duntov letter, here is a link. https://www.motortrend.com/news/the-duntov-letter/ SBCs and Hot Rods are inextricably linked, and go way back. This was the first step.
Let’s see if I understand your logic… you’re basically saying if you run a sbc in your car you don’t put much effort or money into the process because everyone runs them using the argument they drive their cars? So who is actually ignorant for saying something like this? My comments hit their mark didn’t it? I could actually say the same about the Olds, Hemi and yes the vaunted Flathead that THEY are the default motors for these cars, but that would put me in the same position you’re defending. However I am the type of builder who really doesn’t care whether you like what I do or not as I am building my car for me. I won’t rip on your car or builds for the same reasons. Cheers Mate.
No problems. I figured sooner or later one of these types would surface. Funny thing is I usually like their builds, but not their take on hotrodding. They somehow miss the point that hotrodding started by the mix of available and cheap parts to go fast and then faster and get hung up on some details that don’t freaking matter. My next car may have a Toyota or electric motor just to have fun with the build thread reactions lol.
He chimes in nearly every build thread with the same miserable 'advice.' Such a downer. Of course, he never offers to fund these non-SBC alternative engines he wants everyone else to use.
Not trying to hijack….but dude wouldn’t like what I’m doing either!! out with the old…..in with the new…..had a lot of fun with the Flathead. Time to move on. I am the same as you. Been a huge struggle! Really love multiple periods. Mix and match away! Your car , your money!! Have fun no matter what !! Love what your doing and keep hammering man!!!
Which bit. The part about them being used in everything? The part about some saying you need a chev if you want to drive it? The part about the sbc not offering much in the way of performance compared to other 1950s ohv engines?
My point is it takes a bit more effort to build an early hemi or olds or whatever than a sbc. It's not saying the rest of the car is any less.
The OP is working hard on his car in the Texas heat and doing a great job at that. I'm sure the boy's back in 1955 that ran flat heads couldn't wait to get their hands on the new Chevrolet V8. Sure the Cadillac's, Old's, and Hemi's could maybe make little more power but were larger and heavier than the SBC. The small chevy's were light and compact and would certainly out run most flat heads. Scratch built vintage SBC's are a great option for a vintage Hot Rod and they take the same amount of effort to build or install in a given car as any other engine. The OP's is building his car the way he wants with the engine he wants and that's the way it should be.
Now back to more important stuff.. all day banger installing the drivers side subrail and both extensions. Everything is temporary pop rivet fit including firewall and rear panel. Plenty time for gap and final fit after frame arrives and they hopefully matchup. Measurements are at least on target from an old drawing I got off this site. Also sprayed the rails and parts with zinc rich primer and descaled and hit the rusty spots with converter anywhere the media blast won’t be able to get to. PSA —- WEAR YOUR SAFETY SHIELD when using the wheel of death. Had a cuttoff wheel snag a corner and explode on me. That could have been my face and neck. I knew better than to do what I did, but I got in a hurry and the results speak for themselves.
The Jalopy Journal
