I'm a 65 year old greenhorn who recently bought a 41 Chevy Special Deluxe that I originally owned when I was 18 years old. It has the original 216 3-speed torque tube drivetrain. It's a project, but the body is in good shape, everything is there. I would like to make it a nice daily driver with an automatic tranny...either a better 6cyl or smallblock V8 with and maybe a vintage air kit? Not sure if a bigger/better 6 cyl will handle the vintage air? Everything I'm reading says torque tube and rear end have to go also? Thanks in advance for any help getting pointed in the right direction.
If you are making a driver out of this I would update to a later engine and drivetrain just for parts availability....Any late model six will handle AC systems....
A 292 Chevy 6, 200R-4 transmission and an updated rear. It will handle the A/C easily. A 350 V8 might get better gas mileage though. Another option would be an old school 348 Chevy for the cool factor
Ideal thing would be to find/buy a doner car, get everything you want. SBC's work well in them, be aware the frame narrows toward the front and lots of people put the motor in too low. Tri five rear end is a bolt in on original springs. The old rad-if its good-is o.k. for cooling with an aux. trans cooler. Time consuming but not a killer project.
I would do this also and I would update the fuel feed to a more modern, efficient fuel metering system and even consider raising cylinder pressure with "boost".
I've had '37, '39, '40, '41 and '46 Chevy coupes, all with sbc's and open drivelines. Lots of room in the engine bay to add creature comforts.
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