It's all good - not arguing with you, but I will tell you this, to me there is just about NOTHING worse than a sol called Hot Rod with a Wheezer stock V8 (of any brand) with open headers and making a whopping factory under 200HP while fartin and bangin. And that kindo fo V9 says "POSER". And I can't wait to smoke those guys with this little 4 banger. I still have my 1/2 dozen V8 cars, but we wanted this one to be different and have some FUN!
I'm with hotrodron. I'd go with the 2.3. I think they are neat. Especially turbo. The sound of a bone stock smog motor with straight pipes is awful. Center-bolt valve covers, bleh. The motor is already built, just use it
Don't underestimate these Ford 2.3-2.5 motors. They don't have to be nervous and high winding to make decent power. And they don't have to be in a lightweight car. A NEW Ranger with the 2.5 version weighs about 3200 pounds and gets down the road quite well. They also came in Mustang's that weighed around 2500 Lbs. Both of those are a lot more than what his Model A which should be right around 2,000 lbs. My 31 Coupe with a SBC weighed 2186 at a certified scale with full interior. I'm not trying to convert anyone, just pointing out some facts so people aren't so quick to dismiss.
I've been thinking about building a low buck little cruiser, something like a track roadster for a fair weather economy cruiser. Just yesterday I was searching Craigslist for a 2.3, then today I ran across this thread, bringing about the comments I made earlier. I don't know how readily available service parts are, but with a carb and no computer they are a lot more old school, (simpler to work on) than the computer controlled FI engines. I'm thinking the fuel mileage should be pretty good in his A.
"Don't underestimate these Ford 2.3-2.5 motors. They don't have to be nervous and high winding to make decent power. And they don't have to be in a lightweight car. A NEW Ranger with the 2.5 version weighs about 3200 pounds and gets down the road quite well. They also came in Mustang's that weighed around 2500 Lbs. Both of those are a lot more than what his Model A which should be right around 2,000 lbs. My 31 Coupe with a SBC weighed 2186 at a certified scale with full interior. I'm not trying to convert anyone, just pointing out some facts so people aren't so quick to dismiss."<!-- / message --><!-- sig --> __________________ Wow, 2186 fully dressed? I had no idea an A was that light. If so, I might give the 2.3 a little more consideration. I'd actually love to whip up a cool little car [like my 57 Lloyd Alexander] with a lightweight 4 banger/5 speed.
From everything I have read, a stock 30-31 roadster was about 2155, and a coupe 2265. That seems to be the average. Mine was a High Boy (no fenders or hood) SBC with Aluminum Heads and manifold, lightweight headers, Chopped top, and a basic interior (with headliner door panels etc.) Grille shell was a fiberglass 32 style.
A WHAT? You must be dating Paris Hilton, who else would buy that story No, wait, we have a new dingbat winner- search youtube for "Donna the Deer Lady"- if that don't make you laugh, you ain't right The old guy who lives over the hill from me has 3 various Model A's with turbocharged 2.3's, they all run and sound great, are reliable as a rock, and they all draw WAY more attention than anything with a boring bellybutton engine. Gotta agree with hotroddon, there's nothing more boring to me than a plain-jane crate engine with a potato-poser cam in it, in a "hot rod". Got the same poser sound effect as a stock Harley with loud exhaust- blaaaaahhhhhh... blaaaaaahhhhh That 2.3 might be sweet with four EFI'd Hilborn stacks 305, the school marm of the small blocks? Sorry, I wouldn't even slow down to look at it
And the people behind you have to plug their noses because of the inherent oil burning that the sbc spews. Sometimes the smell of a gm vehicle is so strong that I have to back off so the fumes don't stink up my interior. .
I dont even know why some one would bother asking this question???? We all know what hes gonna end up putting in the car.... So im not feeding into it.
I think all the SBC protestors are funny its obvious to me they've had their butt wipped by one something like, the lady doth protest too much they really hate it when they blow tons of money on a different power plant,( to stick out and be noticed) and someone with 1/2 that amount in thier SBC blows thier doors off, and ends up being the one noticed..its friken halarious i tell ya
I drive one of those every day and it's a fuckin' turd, have to downshift to keep it at 65 on some overpasses. Doesn't even get that great of MPG; my 300 H.P. Caddilac got better.
I have one question to ask - Is a pinto engine even the slightest bit traditional? knowing how we define traditional on the hamb. My coin toss for the OP was for the pinto engine, but the 305 at least has some cleanly traceable roots back to 1955. I built a neat looking bellybutton and from the scourge of the SBC clan, a 307 Any hot rod would be proud to have that mill and plenty of dough left over, plenty. Done specifically because the 307 gets no respect in general. I'm a huge long time fan of the B O & P line with a new found appreciation of Mopar stuff. That makes the wallet thinner. I could build two more of those 307s for just what one set of reproduction polished Donovan valve covers cost for my hemi. I could build four of those 307s for what the vintage blower drive costs. Its all relative and if you live in a state of reality money matters, you need to do what you can afford to get the job done. If that leaves you with a SBC then that's what you have. Its a blank canvas to dress anyway you see fit. Leaving it in a boring crate form reflects your personality, sticking a lumpy cam in a low compression engine is .... sort of stupid
Pretty much anyone whou whould think that an SBC was boring or white bread. I am surprised that you didn't. Oh wait Gene, Don already let the cat out of the bag.
The OP needs to say how he will primarily be using the car. If he is going to take it to the strip occasionally and be doing burnouts and donuts and general hooliganism, the 305 is the obvious choice. If he just wants a good looking car to cruise to the local car show and explore the back roads, the 2.3 will be fine. There is local model a's and t buckets that use both power plants and I can't recall a sharks and jets style gang fight ever happening when they run into eachother, so don't sweat why others run, just put in whatever will get you enjoying your rod...
http://youtu.be/mDI_0Fo-kZo Here is a 2.3 in a mini stock car. I'm not sure how tuned it is but it sure sounds mean to me.
Save your cash for a flattie. That 305 would make a great boat anchor. ### Kustom Falcon Build Thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=734282
The banger makes more zot than a flatty out of the box and the 305 more than that. Flatties are the new belly button.
I've sat many times broken down in my brother's 69 camaro, my 64 falcon, my dad's 62 comet, my mom's chrysler newport, my friend's 69 baracuda.......They all break down so to make the statement stranded becomes unpopular is nonsense. ALL manufacturers have mechanics for a reason........for repairs. So, unless I am mistaken, that must mean CHEVROLETS must have broken down once in their lifetime. Run what makes you comfortable but this whole Ford vs. chevy vs. Mopar vs. etc is just nonsense. Not everyone likes your wife but it's who you found comfort in and that's the approach to how I look at my choice. If true hotrodding, junkyard motors all cost the same so all brands were the same price at the pick and pull.
I'd run the SBC, but I don't let the haters with their "belly button" mentality stop me from saving some money and enjoying my SBC.
I thought I wanted a flathead V8 in my A. I go to this car show in Whittier on fridays & I saw this cherry stock 30 coupe with a FHV8 & clean patina, the car looked tight, but the smooth balanced FHV8 rolling in kind of bored me. I like the sound of the UNsmooth unbalnced lumpy Model A 4banger in my car better. Same show. A older couple comes up to me & tell me how this other guy over there in a FHV8 46 coupe wants to race me again. "What"? "Race?" "Again?" I go check him out. The FHV8 looked hopped up, Holley 4v 650 vac sec, GM alt., Ign. stuff. Very clean car. He tells me how I passed him going over the hill & he couldn't catch up. I didn't know. It made my day & I'm a V8 guy, so I thought.
It depends on if you want to bang something different, or do you want to stand in line at the whorehouse..