Need some help here. I'm reinstalling the '57 Fullie motor back in my '40 Tudor Sedan and the Schiefer flywheel that was in it is junk and needs to be replaced......The question I have is, Should I replace it with a lightened unit or a stock unit. It will see most of it's use on the road around town. THANKS.
A steel flywheel will provide better manners on the street. Aluminum ones allow the RPM to come up quicker, but in a heavy car with a street gear you're probably better off with steel. I'd spring for a SFI rated unit, can't be too safe.
For a driver, the heavier the better within reason. A heavy flywheel has inertia, or stored energy, so when you let out on the clutch the engine has to do less work to get the car moving. This is particularly true on a mild, small cube engine without a ton of low end torque. The light weight flywheels are for race cars for the most part.
Both of the above advice is true. Unless your car is light, have some steep rear gears & engine has lots of torque, you'd be a lot happier on the street with a steel unit. You'll also be doing a lot of down shifting when you begin to slow down to low speeds or else your car will start bucking... Go with a steel SFI unit!
You will want to use the steel flywheel for a street driver. The stock chevy unit will work just fine and you will save some money.
A good compromise is a steel wheel but about 20 lbs, midrange between the 30lb steel and the 10 lb aluminum, depending on what gear you have and torque of the motor.
....and if you're using the early cast iron bell housing with the three bolt starter, you need the 168 tooth 'wheel.
Basic Flywheel 101, be sure to check the teethe count and get the correct balance. A new set of AMERICAN made bolts would be good too, Lock-tite and a torque wrench. TR
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