History Tell me again the SBC isn't traditional...1963 Hot Rod Annual

Can we stop this now and start talking about radial tires. That's much more fun!

 

It would all depend on what traditional time period you are going for. The SBC started in '55 so any build style from '55 on would include the SBC. If you are looking to build a pre war style car it would not be correct.

Why I think most people have a issue with it is that they are a common engine that a lot of people use. They are plentiful, dependable and put out a good amount of power. In most cases a SBC is a good motor but in other cases the just don't look right. Ultimately what ever it is used in is up to the owner of the car.

Of all the projects I have I am considering putting a SBC in one of them and that is a Chevy truck. Other than that I have no desire to use one. When I see a car I get a picture of the finished product in my head, I usually also picture the engine in my head and don't sway from my initial ideas too much. I usually just don't choose chevy motors too often.

 

And to think that I always thought that Hotrodding was all about building the fastest car with the parts that fit your budget or you could get your greasy hands on in a "cheap" kinda way, and now they tell me I have to build what Tom, Dick and Harry are building because it's supposed to be "traditional"?
WTF!

 

A SBC can never be traditional, because any one can have one. Unless it's rare, and expensive it can't be traditional or cool. The whole point of the deal is to have something no one else can. A barn find is cool because they are rare and expensive. A Caddy/ Olds Rocket/ Packard/Nailhead buick are cool because they are rare and expensive.

It's just like the Guide headlights. As long as they were rare and expensive, they were cool and traditional. now they are repopped, no one wants them, because any one can have them.

It's all an ego trip, the same one the Vette guys play, the same one the gold chain street rodders play. All that has changed is the medium. Read my signature line.

 

The 283 I built for my hot rod...

 

The simple truth is the SBC is traditional. Hot Rod Magazine( for some reason everyone looks at these as being the bible) did not push it as much as other magazines did in the 50's. If you look at some of the other magazines in the 50's they are telling people to use the SBC( some suggest this as early as late 55).

BUT don't build a 40's early 50's style hot rod and throw a SBC in it and try to tell me it's
A. It's traditional ( not to that style/period)

B. Period perfect.

 

Same goes with finned Buick drums.......

 

"SBC can never be traditional, because any one can have one." That makes no sence. The same can be said of flatheads, Model As, and steel wheels. Any one can get them, but they are traditional. But your sig line is right on, as a lot of guys need the SBC to look down on so they feel a little better than others.

 

I think you missed the point. Its like saying flatheads aren't traditional unless they have Ardun heads and a Scott blower. It seems like a car can't be cool unless it has some big $$$ parts hung on it. Sad but true in some circles.

 

really, no one said you can't build a hot rod with anything you want.

Building a "Traditional" hot rod is like "restoring" a hot roded car.

If you are going to restore a Model A ford to era correct stuff, you can't say, "But putting a new webber carb on it runs so much better, and people want their cars to run better, right?, well, my car is era specific with a better running webber carb.

Yes. Hot Rodding is about improving a car.

Building a hotrod that is supposed to look like it could have come out of a magazine from 1949 requires more of a restorer's mentality. It might not be the best for the car, but it's the best they had up to a specific date that you are trying to restore the car to.

So, if you are going late 50s with your car, GO LATE 50's and put a Vette styled SBC in there.

If you're going for a wire spoke bonneville car, run an earlier mill.

If you're building a HOT ROD without caring that it's traditional or not, put a freaking Farrari engine in it if you want, but then don't cry if your car isn't classed with the "traditional" or "restored era" hotrod.

 

So when my dad put a 1963 327 in a 30's ford in 1963, and I do the same on the same vehicle 45 years later, that's not tradional? I thought that is what tradition means

 

Traditional is using the parts available in that time era that you have picked. when i was a kid{many moons ago} i woulda crawled over razor blades for a small block,sadly i had to make do with a flathead.

 

This is all good and well ,but a 30s car with an sbc is a 30s car with a muscle car engine . after all the first muscle car with an sbc was the 57 black widow . it seems to be that the most popular engines were high performance manufacture installed engines swaped into older cars nothing real trick here but held high by the simple minded . some of the coolest cars i have seen in rodders journal lately have been tributes to several eras finest ideas compiled into one car ,hence a sbc g2 in a 32 ford with 1960 indy car wheels with a touch of 1967 lemans touring car parts makes for a real cool look .but as with the lack of old safe parts and cars to pick from corners will be cut . i find this traditional thing to be a farce when i see a couple guys slaming a cars date line when i see modern hose clamps two stage paint and any thing welded with a tig . i build cars that my customers want period correct complete with a few hundred hrs of period reserch before even starting a build , my whole point is im yet to see a traditional car thats correct many are close but no cigar . sbc its a moot point.c

 

after reading all the posts people on here are nuts i run a sbc in my 50 and a y-block in my 58 and they are in there cause? i like those so thats what i run not be cause you run a ford in a ford or a chevy in a chevy real traditional is running what you have or like when you get over kill with traditional it,s like a muscle car and if that,s you thing great but putting someone car down cause of what motor they used is jerk off and making excuse cause of the motor you used is just has bad sbc,s are a great motor and one of the most traditional you can get so put that or anything you like in and enjoy it

 

Traditional and boring.

 

"I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members. "
Groucho Marx

 

All I know for sure is prior to the fall of '54, nobody used them in any type of rod.

Long live the Flathead! And the early Hemi!

 

A 270 HP/ 283 CID with dual WCFB carbs, Duntov solid lifter camshaft and Corvette finned aluminum valve covers.......now I would like to think that's about as traditional as you can get, but my perception's a little blurred as of late.

 

Has anyone else said "ho hum' to this thread???

 

If they all had the same big boobs, I'd be damn happy!!!

 

This is the motor that is going in my 31 Model A coupe.

I also had a 1930 Model A coupe in 1958-60. I sold it as a project in progress when I went in the Army.

I wanted to put a 283 (or even a 265) in my first coupe but they were, at the time, way beyond my reach.

I'm 67 now. Old and crusty. A traditional guy in a "new traditions" age. But that is OK. I've earned the right to do it my way. And the way I want to do it now is the way I wanted to do it the first time around.

 

Small block Chevys are like assholes. Everyone has one, but they have their use.

 

Not old enough to have owned either an SBC or flattie (had a slightly turned up 289, wasn't the fastest engine ever, but, it would move when I wanted it to), but, when it comes down to it, I'm of the opinion that I don't care much about whether it's a flattie or an sbc or a nailhead, I care about how much get up and go it has. Do I like seeing the older/ rarer/ more obscure motors? Sure! It's always interesting to see them because they're different, and to see what the owner did to them to get it a little quicker, but, I've seen plenty of SBC's run like a bat out of hell, and for that I tip my hat to the SBC. And, done right, in my opinion, a SBC can be a great looking motor as much as a flathead or early Hemi.

The other bit I have to say is that at my age (in college) I CAN'T afford being picky about my power. Would I like running a hot and rare engine? Sure. Do I have the money for this? NO. But, I've always had the dream of running a hopped up straight 8. It's discouraging to me that some other rodder would give you shit for running an SBC, shouldn't you be happy that someone young is interested enough in hot-rodding to keep it going for the next generation?

Although, if it comes to seeing something different I have a soft spot for inline 6's. Just something I really love about the look of a six-banger wrapped around some 20's/ '30s steel.

Either way, from what I've seen, SBC's are great engines if you're tight on money but still want a pretty hot engine.

 

ya, Bib, I bought a 56, 265, in 56. and everybody was goin overheads like mad over 60 yrs ago with the intro of
cads, chryslers, olds, today I wouldnt hesitate to build any of the old ohv.s!

 

SBCs are magical engines, and were tunable and reliable from Day 1, and hot rodders picked up on their potential as soon as they became available. I've owned and modded a few, but have also built a variety of Fords (including flatmotors and Y-blocks), Ponchos, Buicks, Mopars, Ramblers and a host of European and Japanese mills.

Frankly, I like variety, but would never knock someone running a SBC. The fact that the basic design was launched 55 years ago and is still being used today says a lot.

 

Actua;;y, the first "muscle car" was the 1949 Olds 88. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_car

 

so true best reply

 

I think the first [mass produced]'muscle car' was the 36' Buick Century. I used to race 49/50 Olds with my 40 roadmaster and beat quite a few . Course the Buick had more cubes.

 

"Originally Posted by stude_trucks
So, if you chose to use an SBC and take that approach with something as important as the motor pretty much means you are cutting corners and building a half-ass hot rod. And that is just not something to get to excited over. Solves the problem, but not very nicely."


Around here a statement like that is liable to get you an invitation to line 'em up and see who has a half assed hot rod. (G)
Larry T

 

I think the first [mass produced]'muscle car' was the Buick Century. First produced in 1936. I used to race 49/50 Olds and beat quite a few. Course the Buick had more cubes.