Need some advise here. A friend just called and offered me a 87 chev 4.3 short block. Totally rebuilt by a professional engine builder. I think it is. Z block. Bin sitting for 7 years wrapped in plastic. Comes with new headers new distributor, carb. It is a tbi motor. No brain box but might be able to come up with it. Anyway how would this work in a 38 chev. 2 door sedan? Need your thoughts Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
tough little motor , carb manifold , plenty of room in the engine bay. plenty of trans choices. just not very friendly here though.
I'm thinking what he is saying is that there are intakes for carbs readily available. I've seen a couple of them in rods or early trucks that you have to look twice and count plugs to realize that they are a six instead of a V8. With the right trans and rear end behind it that little bugger should keep up with the big dogs on the long roads and mess with their minds at the gas stations on group stops.
I have a 4.3 / 200 4R combo in an O/T vehicle , 222k miles..runs perfectly ,good mileage , just a 350 with 2 less cylinders
Transplanting the 4.3 is gonna be around the same work as a more traditional SBC or more modern inline 6 or some other traditional engine. The only major downside I can think of is I and many others would consider a car with this engine kind of engine - a negative point - and either wouldn’t buy a old car with a 4.3 litre or would want to buy it cheaper and then change the drivetrain.Although you are getting a great engine it’s like the car deserves better. I think you would be happier with a more traditional power plant. But do what makes you happy it’s your car.
Yes I think I tend to agree with you. Just doesn’t seem like a good fit. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I was nervous sending my thoughts cause I don’t like to be negative towards other people’s ideas - but I think you are on the right track!
They are tough little motors, and a score is a score. It just does not belong here on the HAMB. No part no way, no how!
They do well pushing a big ass 2 1/2 door truck down the road, considering their size. I've got one stashed away, that's earlier, and carbureted. Haven't decided what to do with it yet.
They’re 262 cubic inches IIRC, just 3 cu in less than a 265 that came out in 1955. Good little engines, you can get a factory 4 bbl intake off a 3/4 or 1 ton truck. They make good torque, so they pull good, but if you want hp, it will cost a bit to get. On the negative side, they are thirsty, no better gas mileage than a v8. I had the makings for a little hot rod motor, block bored .030, newly worked heads, etc. Couldn’t give it away. Got tired of tripping over it and put it in the scrap pile.
had 230K on the one I had, only had to replace a water pump one time, The valve covers/oil pan retained original gaskets, GREAT little engine. In 85/6 the 4.3 came from factory with a 4 barrel in the p/u's. Do a intake swap and a holly 4 barrel and RUN IT ! One does have to look twice and count cylinders to tell difference.
It's already been said, unless you do something wild with the exhaust it will sound like a fart going down the road........................................
Great engine but your 38 Chevy will dwarf it. That car needs a V-8. Having said that, what price is your friend offering it for? Is it a true "friend" price? If he's practically giving it away, grab it and stash it away for a future 'small sized' project. I think of that engine being stuffed into something small (like a Metropolitan) and it still going like stink. You might find yourself building a track nosed, full hooded Track T around it.
Good engine's , early Astro vans had 4 barrel and standard HEI. An engine compartment as long as a 38 Chevy you could almost put 2 in there and have a V-12.
Good thing is you can set up driveline, use that engine, and if you feel the need for Chevrolet V-8, the transmission will bolt up to that. Everything from there back is ready to go.
It’s a sbc with two cylinders loped off Good strong engine Parts are cheap If you wanna transplant a v8 after the fact should be straight forward and easy. I see cars up here sell with “off” or unique engines from time to time they sell for less and take longer then your traditional sbc or whatever. If your getting it for a bag of peanuts and gets you on the road then go ahead !
As people have said it's a SBC with two cylinders missing. The issue with that in my opinion is that they run like a small block Chevy that's missing on 2 cylinders They don't run smooth. On a V8 there's always at least two cylinders firing so the engine runs nice and smooth. With the V6 you don't have that so as soon as you start to hop them up a little bit they idle rough (when I say rough I mean compared to a V8) And to a hot rodders ear, when you are used to listening to the rumble of a V8 the V6's have got a screwy exhaust note. Inline 6's sound awesome when they're hopped up. V6's not so much. Put me squarely in the camp of just because you can doesn't mean you should.
FREE? That's my middle name. Go get it. If you don't ever use it use it as trading material. Someone will have a use for it!
My old bud 'Bluto' had a beautiful '30 'A' roadster, full fendered, black, 327, 350 T.H. trans, Jag rear. Immaculate car, Mike Dwight paint. Won local shows, but 'Gold Chain peer pressure' forced him to transplant a Chevy V6! Ran 'O.K.', then he added a 4-71, made some H.P., he kept working on the then-current (1978) 'tricks', but exhaust sounded like a long 'fart', as mentioned. Bluto finally replanted the 327. We were all relieved. Yes, it was a 'street rod', but Bluto built the whole car, except paint. Thank the HAMB for rescuing us from the iron fist of 'Street Rods'! Bluto inherited millions with the sale of the family property, in the '80s. Marriot Park bought the South 40, as he called it. Some years later, at his new 'ranch', he showed us his collection. In the engine section, that blown V6 sat on a rolling stand. There was a sign attached: 'For Sale'. We laughed. He said he offered it to some 'street rodders', for free. Couldn't get rid of it.
We put one in a deuce sedan about 15 years ago...because we had it and we were putting the car together on the cheap to sell. Pulled the car down the road fine. Sounded like crap. Made the car much more difficult to sell and hurt the price when it finally did. Should have put in a V8...just saying.
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