OK gentlemen (and ladies as well). There obviously appears to be people of varying income groups and conceptions of what is expensive what is not in this forum. We'll all build our cars the way we can and can afford to resulting varying range of Chevies. Some are built with high price and some are but together more with innovation than credit card. All are worth every penny. I myself belong to the poorer group and actually been forced to freeze the projects for better days. As you can probably guess already this is my last day at work. You who are able keep on putting your fours together.
Rizhto- Sorry to hear about your new "situation" When times are lean, and money scarce, adaption and creativity become necessary. Money means that you can buy instead of think. Thinking means that you come up with something unique. Herb
just lurking here, interesting read, and noticed the mention of the wide spot in chevy block being a problem. This might have been mentioned, but are any modern heads, [aluminum hopefully] that could be cut in 2 and welded back together with a spacer, or reversed end for end?
Yes 39cent, that has been done for the Ford A/B block which has the same wide spot. An even bigger problem is where the head bolt holes in the "new" head fall. Obviously, if they come where there is a water hole in the deck surface, you can't use that bolt location. Even if the new hole falls on the deck surface in a spot that you think that you can tap, you are only going to get 1/4-5/16 of thread- not enough in cast iron. In spite of this, it has been done. I've seen pix of a SBC head with a 2" piece welded into the middle, and seen references to an Olds head that is supposed to be adaptable. Remember- just because you can find a way to bolt it down, does not mean that it's going to stay there, or not blow gaskets. PS The 1928 Chevy "race" engine sold at the $1200 price Herb
Well the EBay engine went for $1200 and $100 shipping. Cheap in my book. Besides I needed an engine I could talk about with out anybody reminding me this is a 28 Chevy thread.
Thanks to kume who posted that the Chevy was on the Bay. I bid more than the selling price but nobody else wanted it so I got it for the reserve. I have a friend building a nice speedster that wanted to use my Dodge Bros. motor. Can't do that but we could run the Chevy at WoS in the 130 club runs.
Just spoke to the guy selling the Chevy. Like kume, he sounds like a Kewi to me. Maybe Oz. But he and kume might know each other? What's up with that kume?
If I had known the seller that motor would never have made it onto ebay but would be in my garage. Sadly freight would have at least doubled purchase price for me. Pleased to see it has found a good home - what a bargain.
You are right about that. And the original builder lives just across the bay from me. And he has the missing parts and plenty of interesting stories I bet. He is in his eightys now.
Wow - fantastic - Im sure you will share stories with us. Also when you get it home some close up photos of crank etc would be interesting just to see how and what was done to that motor
Rich, Congrats on the purchase look forward to seeing what you do with it. for those interested Bob Giovanine Talks 1925 Chev 4 Bangers.
JImmy, Thank you and Curt Giovanine for the videos- they are FANTASTIC!!! ... wonder if any of the plane restorers have a line on Jenny rods?... Hmmm....
Yes 39cent, that has been done for the Ford A/B block which has the same wide spot. An even bigger problem is where the head bolt holes in the "new" head fall. Obviously, if they come where there is a water hole in the deck surface, you can't use that bolt location. Even if the new hole falls on the deck surface in a spot that you think that you can tap, you are only going to get 1/4-5/16 of thread- not enough in cast iron. In spite of this, it has been done. I've seen pix of a SBC head with a 2" piece welded into the middle, and seen references to an Olds head that is supposed to be adaptable. Remember- just because you can find a way to bolt it down, does not mean that it's going to stay there, or not blow gaskets.to get 1/4-5/16 of thread- not enough in cast iron. In spite of this, it has been done. I have done all this on a 455 olds head on a Model A engine. Yes moved the bolt holes, welded in a 1" spacer. No it does not blow head gaskets. It has been done for 8 years, has won king of the hill on the south east hill climbs 4 times.
thanx George, as I don,t have a Chevy 4 I asked the question mainly to get some info about using other heads and how it is done. The question gets asked a lot and that type of info is really helpful, and thats what the HAMB is all about.
The Chev head you refer to was done by Bill Stipe. He makes some great parts for Model A's. To rework a over head to fit a Model A takes a lot of machine work. If you could not do the work your self it would cost to much. My next project is to make a over head for a Model A from scratch.
I would love to see what the Olds 455 head looks like when cut in two. It would seem like that rather than weld in a 1" piece it would be easier to cut 2 heads each 1/2" longer one from each end of a head and weld them together. 455 heads shoulden't be that precious that sacreficing the extra head wouldn't be worth the price of using 2 heads. I would also like to see a Model A Gasket setting on an Olds head. Sorry I know that this is a Chevy Thread but this is where the Olds head on Model A is mentioned. After all we are all HAMBers. Dick
I start to get to the point where I agree with the sentiment of the restorers: If you’re going to run a 455 head, why not just go ahead and run the 455 while you’re at it? It seems like it ceases to make sense running a 1920s engine when you start to load it up with modern (and modern-looking) tech. -Dave
Each to there own. what makes sense to one might not to another. Anyway anybody can use a 455 engine. I like to do what no one else has. Makes sense to me.
Yes you could use two heads and cut them long. Then you would not have to use a spacer. But you will have to weld them. Also you will have to change the cam, the valve layout is different on the olds head. If you check with an A gasket you will find two bolt almost line up. The rest are a mile off.
Rich, you get that motor yet? Looked like it was in fairly nice condition, but I suppose closer inspection will tell the tale. Just lurking and love motors of a different breed. Still plugging away at the Plymouth banger.
Bigcheese I agree with you in some ways but remember that there are people installing $16,000.00 Donovan Engine blocks in Model A Fords. These blocks are basically Model A or B blocks on the out side with modern internals. They also install modern improved copies of early Overhead valve heads. I have felt some resistance from my Ford friends for planning to use one of my 28 Chevy heads on a Model A. My reply is that if they don't have any problem with someone using modern cast overhead valve heads or high compression flat heads why should they have a problem with a 1928 Chevy head. After all the 1928 chevy head was only made for that year model. I think it is just a Ford/Chevy thing. Just think probably 80 or 90 percent of the "STOCK" Model A Fords on the road today have heads cast after 1928 either 29 to 31, Model B Heads or high compression heads. The other side of the coin is that hot rodders have always used more modern parts to improve the performance of their Hot Rods. Where do we draw the line? Only pre WWll parts on pre war cars? What makes this one of the best hobies in the world is the creativity and innovation that we are able to dream up. I would hate to see someone tear the engine out of a Duesenberg and install a modern high performance engine in it's place. But even if someone was foolish enough to do that it would be their decision. But when there are more than several 100,000 Model A's around and probably as many extra engines I don't see any harm with playing with them any way we want to. Some things are too common to be sacred. I didn't mean for this to sound like a lecture. I only meant to bring up an other point of view. Dick
I guess I do understand. It’s an aesthetics/nostalgia thing versus a technophile thing. My interest is more toward the “neat old stuff” end of the spectrum, whereas yours is at the “cool technological challenge” end. I respect that. I think this is one of those things I have to re-learn every month or so. Eventually I’ll get it for good. -Dave
Dave, Again I am with you on the neat old stuff. I have about 60 old engines, most of them old stationary farm engines. Hit and Miss and air cooled small engines of asorted makes. I also restore windmills, Washing machines, Telephones and any other old things that I think I can handle. My old cars are of the Model A Ford persuasion, a 1929 Model A Tudor, a 1930 converted Mail truck, and 2 Model A pickups. The pickups are going to be Hotrods. They are built from modified original frames with fiberglass bodies and steel beds. I prefer to start with something other than a stock complete Model A but there again I am not such a purest that I won't convert those parts that I find unreliable unsafe or restrictive to my enjoyment of my cars. My Model A Club bulletin often records road tips of less than 100 miles that include 6 or 8 cars and joyfully reports that no one had to be towed home. I'm reasonable sure that the 4 cylinder Chevy Club bulletins don't do much better. Caravanning is fun and affords a certain security in numbers due to spare parts and extra help in case of breakdown but I plan to travel cross country by my self. Dick
The Chevy 4 just got here. Or at least lots of boxes with Chevy parts in them, I'm told. The block and crank and head are like baby parts after the Dodge bros stuff. I'll get it sorted out and take some pictures soon.
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