[ QUOTE ] I invite all the SBC haters to post pictures of their alternative-motored cars... that can do what mine does. [/ QUOTE ] And let's see their timing slips. By the way, I don't think anybody's ever posted any actual flow bench results on here for a nailhead, and early Cadillac or Olds, or an FE. Dave http://www.roadsters.com/
Sam, You hit the nail on the head (have anything to do with your day job?). I think the MAIN thing for a new guy is to get his first project to a driveable (SAFE) state and start enjoying the hobby. You actuallly learn as much keeping them on the road as you do building them. How many of your have taken your projects off the jackstands and never had to touch them again. There is nothing like being able to put some miles on your ride to keep you inspired to keep going. Once you have the problems ironed out on that first project and can enjoy it on a continual basis then it's time to start collecting for the dream ride. Its interesting to me that the "DREAM" project often closly resembles the old one only more refined. Frank
use the smog motor, use it up. and when you do, your mounts, linkage, driveshaft, radiator, everything will be there ready for a healthy little Chev, like Sam n Dave are talking about. Paul
[ QUOTE ] You guys dont catch on very quick. He A: Either posted the question as a prank. OR B: hasnt been around cars or this board enough to gleen the wheat from the chaff. A simple question like this leads me to believe this chap is just getting started with early cars. I want to see him build a real car, not some abortion of parts from some caprice "just cause it was cheap" . [/ QUOTE ] A: my question was not a prank, and B: I have been around old cars, street rods, hot rods, rat rods, classics or whatever the hell the popular term at the time is for at least 30 years as far back as I can remember standing on the headers of my dads 23 bucket T! Maybe I should have reworded my question, I was looking more to see all the different opinions of everyone. This is my PLANNING stage. Im no expert on a sbc but I do know they must be a good choice for a build. If I did have unlimited funds to build a period car I probably wouldnt be building one of the most inexpensive cars out there, but I happen to favor a T bucket. Whats Wrong with cheap anyway?? Im not building a high doller Avoid the boyd type car anyway! I want a driver not a nick nack bitch car that sits and looks pretty all day to show how much $$ you can spend on one thing! Thanks for all the good opinions and suggestions...
[ QUOTE ] Sam & Dave? Didn't they do "Soul Man"? Wow, we really do have celebs on this board! [/ QUOTE ] Yes, it's true that years ago, Sam and I were a rather successful songwriting team. Our career proved short-lived, however, due to the scandal that followed our producer admitting that on the video for Soul Man, we actually only lip-synched. After that, we maintained a fairly low profile, writing tunes for others. Our association was based on a long-standing love for dumping more and more nitro into engines to get the most out of them before they grenaded, which resulted in our co-writing a hit for early-Eighties synth-pop sensations the Talking Heads, called Burning Down The Mouse. Sam and I haven't spoken much lately. For the past several years, much of his energy has been devoted to trying to bring his delusional brother back to reality, as a result of an apparent overdose of early hot rod magazines. I won't bother going into the details of what led to our ultimate falling out, though, when we co-wrote a soundtrack for a movie about Canadian wildlife, only to find ourselves ripped off by its lead actor, Chip Moose. Dave http://www.roadsters.com/
Mann Dave, there you go again... spinning a main web of lies. I wish you'd just cam-up and dial in your emotions... stop spreading your rings to the pistons out there. At least you apply the VHT and stick to the same old story... maybe you'll twist an axle and end this sideways run that you're on. For the last time... Mill Van-nil was the brains behind our operation... Despite what you did to destroy us... I still love you... in a wheel polishing sort of way. Sam.
Burndup, you don't want a raggedy old smog car even if you did usta have one, except to part out. That's not old enugh to get nostalgiac about! (This has been a public service reality check for the good of friends and HAMBers)
Hey, my post was sincere. I just hate to see people fuck up. No where did I say you had to build a trilor queen nor that I hated the almighty SBC! There is a reason the Smallblock is the GO-TO motor for most people. It works damn well! What I was getting at is that your question is elemental. You show lack of automotive maturity. I dont mean that in a bad way either. Just sit back and learn. Or better yet, dont listen to us but find a garage to hang out at. Help your buddies to wrench. If you have no buddies, meet some. Thats all. Welcome to the board.
[ QUOTE ] Its great that everyone is so anti-sbc. Eventually everyone will have a nail-head, or caddy or flathead then havin' a sbc will be different. Doesn't matter that its available to this guy cheap. Nice easy way for a guy to get into the hobby.....naaaa slag him for being cookie-cutter. 'cause running those other mills is traditional. [/ QUOTE ] ummm, before you made this post not one person said anything anti-SBC. Actually its been surprising that this post hasnt became anti SBC at all.
<font color="red"> 2 Words.........Y O U R C A R .......Do whatever the Fuck YOU want........mine is getting a 312 y-block! R E D M E A T </font>
Nothing wrong w/ SBC's. If you're not trying to stay periond perfect, look around a little and see if you can find a 500 ci. Caddie motor. That'd make for good fun in the T
"And let's see their timing slips. By the way, I don't think anybody's ever posted any actual flow bench results on here for a nailhead, and early Cadillac or Olds, or an FE." I'm going to post some power and time numbers from an early Olds dyno/strip flog, a '50 hopped up in 1952, soon, mostly as a flathead comparison. The numbers aren't that great, even considering that this was a very early effort. And look at the first encounter between HRM allied with Ed Iskenderian and a Ford/Edsel FE--they reached a very advanced full-race level of development in a 10 part or so staged hop-up before they even got the lump to reach its advertised stock power. There's nothing non-traditional about an SBC, unless it's covered in Mr. Gasket parts. Hot rodders first contemptuously dismissed it as a disposable piece of junk because of the ridiculous rocker arms, but that opinion lasted about ten minutes--when the things reached the strip, it was thunderingly obvious that they were miles closer to their rated power than anything else, and in fact NHRA had to start factoring Chevy power UP and everybody else DOWN in the stock classes to keep things sane. For years after 1955, small blocks were so scarce and expensive in the junkyards because of the demand from rodders that many rodders were forced to buy crate engines--and that cycle repeated itself with 283-327-350 versions as those were released. They were traditional rod fodder from the second rodders could get hold of them. The earlier OHVs were portents of the future, but never really delivered. The Chevy (along with the early Hemi) was the future actually arriving. And making a Chevy look right for any era from '55 up is dirt simple.
If you start, go get your self that Chevy combo. Put on some nice ribbed alu valvecovers, an early 4bbl intake with oil filler tube and if you want to spend a little get one of those 4bbl to 2x2 adapters from 97heaven or vintage speed, progressive linkage and a couple of '94s. Add a generator and you got the early look without spending too much.
rot, i read this thread last night and again tonight. going back to your original question, i'd like to throw out something to consider. i would suggest that whether or not you should buy the caprice depends on the condition of the engine and tranny. if the car is a low mileage vehicle with what appears to be a good running engine/trans then i suggest you buy it and throw it in your T as is after a quick clean-up. if the engine and trans both need rebuilt then i'd think you can buy rebuildable 350/350's all day for that much or less (at least where i'm at; i don't have any clue what current prices in socal are). the rest of the car probably isn't all that useful to you. i don't have any intention of getting into any debate about sbc's vs other engines or your experience level. there are about 5,000 hambers and probably about 5,000 opinions about those subjects. i bet three fourths of all hambers currently have or within the last 5 years have had a sbc running in some vehicle or other. there are myriad reasons for using sbc and just as many reasons to not use one. but that wasn't your question. i think that the condition (value) of the engine and trans should drive your decision. i.e., can you get a better combo for the same $ or get an equal combo for less $. if so then don't buy it. if not then you probably should snag it.
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