Motion Pictures Engine Compartment I.D.?

Was watching an old move Odds Against Tomorrow, a bank robbery story from 1959. Anyways, there’s a small gas station scene where this what looks like a ‘51 chevy wagon that stops gets gas and the teen gas jockey looks under the hood and is impressed with the flathead mill. Was wondering if it really is a what looks like a Chevy engine bay? Or
something else. Just curious.

 

so someone put a flathead Ford in a Chevy in '59? or not too long before '59.

 

Its not a Chevy for that motor shot. Its a 52/53 Ford based on the upper part of the firewall and the hood hinges. The heater is also a giveaway

 

'52-53 ford would be my guess, with a pre-'49 motor.

 

53 Ford


51/52 Chevy

 

Per the front of the engine breather my guess is an 8ba with earlier 59 series heads.

 

I don't see the later distributor.... but the motor does look like a hybrid.

 

OK, so did guys swap flatheads into mid '50s chevys? I guess they did depending on when the swap was done, there may have been better bang for the buck .

 

I have seen a picture of a first gen Camaro with a flathead in it. The engine from the movie could either be an early block with late heads or most likely a late engine with a front mount crab distributor with earlier water pumps.

 

After seeing 10 million SBCs dropped into early Fords...I want to believe...no, I NEED to believe there is a Flathead in that Chevy wagon. Even if it's not true, it just makes me feel better to believe that.

 

The Flathead would've had better bang for the buck considering the wagon probably had a 216 or 235 I-6 in it. It must have been pre '55 when the SBC came out.

 

^^^ true the Flathead would be better than a 216 if it was done that early.

 

Really guys? It's a movie. Movies are NOT documentaries. They'll use a shot of anything that looks nice for the story, reality or accuracy has nothing to do with it.

 

The heater blower is the give away that you are looking at a Ford.

 

Nobody in their right mind would put a flathead Ford in a Chevy. (A 235 in 1950 made 105 HP.)

 

I once saw a really early style of car on tv, and I was impressed that they had this technology in the stone age......

 

I bet it had Flat Foot 10!


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Exactly. Even the motor shot in the California Kid wasn't the motor that was in the car. Hollywood is make believe. They do what they do to make you think you are seeing something that isn't always what you are seeing.

 

Pretty sure that shot was a SBC, the Kid had a SBF.

Heck, they're happy to use 1954 cars in movies set in 1948 and so on.

 

I think you're right. I believe it was the engine shot from the yellow coupe IIRC. Read it in a mag a long time ago.

 

Mash.... Supposed to be 1951 or 52.... Bus is a 1954

LynnW