OPINION: Cool Motors for a Shoebox (Besides A Flatty)

What do you guys think?? Lets here some opinions and see some pics...

 

Olds Rocket
Buick Nailhead
427 side oiler
A Hemi the list goes on and on.

 

Nailhead
early Cad
Rocket

 

If I was building a shoebox ford, here's my choices:

1. Early Caddy (extra points for multi-carbs! )
2. Y-Block (extra points for Thunderchicken valve covers!)
3. Early Caddy
4. Nailhead
5. Olds Rocket
6. Early Caddy
7. Early SBC (Did I just SAY that?)
8. Early Caddy

 

Olds Rocket.

 

Tunnel ram 350 crate motor, all the billet doo-dads you can find!!



Actually I vote for an FE, with Thunderbird valve covers!!

One o' these

 

Anything but a SBC! I'd vote for the FE myself...

 

W-motor Chevy
early Hemi

inline 6

 

Cummins diesel...with a split shift...

 

Y-block
FE
Olds Rocket
Early Caddy
Nailhead

Bonus points on all for multiple carbs or esoteric injection systems

 

I'll cast a vote for a multi-carbed Y-Block or Early Caddy.

Jonny

 

MEL motor!!!!!! It will also lower the front end

 

1. Y-block Ford
2. FE Ford
3. 250-292 straight six Chevy
4. 394 Olds
5. Early Poncho V8
6. Early Cad
7. Nailhead

 

well i have 2 in mine for when i build mine have a 351w sittin at home and i was really thinkin of a y-block w/ tripower

anhting else keep em comin

 

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Anything but a SBC!

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What he said......

 

Olds(49-56)
Cadillac(49-56)
Chrysler(51-56)

 

hey billy, i think you should run a mazda rotary engine and use those dope hubcaps you won ......bob

 

There's a set of conversion motor mounts for 49-51 Ford and Mercury to Buick Nailhead on ebay right now. I just saw them tonight. Search "Buick Nailhead" and they'll show up on the list.
I didn't really read about them, so I can't say anything about their quality or whatever, but check them out. Might make your decision a bit easier.
Otherwise, 302 Ford with finned valve covers, roller cam, shorty headers and call it done.
-brad

 

gonna eventually put a 292 y block in mine with a 6x2 u fab intake.....

 

i plan on putting a 331 caddy motor in mine with multiple carbs, i think weiand mad a four two barrel set up.

 

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hey billy, i think you should run a mazda rotary engine and use those dope hubcaps you won ......bob

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bobby why cant u understand it was a joke jeez am i ever gonna live that one downa anyway i think im gonna go w/ a y-block 292 or 312 with an original tri power setup think that might be real cool but keep em comin the more i hear the more times i change my decision

 

Are you retarded? Y block? no thanks. The only good thing I have to say about Y blocks is that the radiator is basically there for show. The cylinder walls rival an armored bunker in thickness. A caddy mill is cool as hell, but costs way too much for your/my budget. I'd personally stay away from a Ford product unless it's a 289 or a 302, which I don't think is very cool in a shoebox. My vote: Nailhead, early SBC (283,327 though nobody would know the difference), Mopar(SB or B/RB) or a 472/500 Caddy.

Dual quads are in order for any of those, except for the caddy, which will run like a raped ape with a single 4

I say go GM because then you can just swing a TH350 or a TH400 behind it and make your life easy

my $.02

 

289 studebaker avanti engine with manual trans and mcculloch supercharger

 

Poncho power

 

If I had a shoebox with a good running flatmotor I'd make sure I had a good radiator, do a little painting and touchup, maybe two 94's up top and that would be it.

If you're building a back-in-the-day style shoebox then your question has been answered.

Why not mix back-in-the-day styling and run a modern motor so you'd have a good parts supply?

Interesting part about a question like yours is that it allows us all to come on board with our wish list.

So here's mine - SVO 514" billet head motor with automatic - or maybe a top loader - good driveline stuff, killer ignition, quiet muffs.
Stock or even a mildly customized shoebox with a powertrain as above would make for a nice sleeper.

For a budget build, a 460 Ford with auto would be a good choice.
Not much required here, moderate cam, maybe headers, mild ignition upgrade, 9/1 or so CR, good street/strip compromise on diff gearing, decent set of rear tires (Radial slicks?) would have you running high 11's low 12's at the strip.

If you're just gonna cruise I'd spring for one of the 87 & up Ford 302's found in the Mustangs.
Auto or better yet, stick.
Running a well-selected carb and the right diff would get you good mileage with good performance.

Since Ford ran a six in the shoeboxes it should be easy to gain the room required for the longish 302 without cutting the firewall.

The Mustangs of this era had excellent performance with box stock ones running 14 second ET's and the slowest top end I ever read about with the Mustangs was 145 mph.
Not too shabby in anybody's book.

Gas mileage with the electronic fuel injection Mustangs - stock ones - runs 24.5 - 25.5 on the highways (least that's what mine got) and combined town/highway mileage ran right about 20 mpg.

The really nice part about the 302's is that parts for them are everywhere. An important consideration with the long-range driving most of us do nowadays.

 

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this one is equipped with a back up in case of break down

 

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Cummins diesel...with a split shift...

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BASTARD , i spit coffee all over my computer . loL . swaZZie

 

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Are you retarded? Y block? no thanks. The only good thing I have to say about Y blocks is that the radiator is basically there for show. The cylinder walls rival an armored bunker in thickness. A caddy mill is cool as hell, but costs way too much for your/my budget. I'd personally stay away from a Ford product unless it's a 289 or a 302, which I don't think is very cool in a shoebox. My vote: Nailhead, early SBC (283,327 though nobody would know the difference), Mopar(SB or B/RB) or a 472/500 Caddy.

Dual quads are in order for any of those, except for the caddy, which will run like a raped ape with a single 4

I say go GM because then you can just swing a TH350 or a TH400 behind it and make your life easy

my $.02

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Anything but Ford power right? Riiiigghht!

 

The most practical non-Flatty engine for a shoebox would be a later small block Ford roller cam engine. Run a late F-150 oil pan and pick-up and you'll clear the crossmember AND the drag link. These things are cheap run cool and you get good performance from them as they are. If you want you can get sick levels of horsepower with all that's available today.

My opinion for bang for buck combo..... `87- `91 5.0 with factory forged pistons, E303 cam, home ported stock heads, Performer RPM or Victor Jr. with 4 barrel, T5 5spd or top loader 4 spd. If you want the traditional look go for early steel or finned aluminum valvecovers, Joe Hunt magneto, and a "slingshot" Y to four barrel adapter that mounts two 3- bolt carbs from Vintage Speed.