I have two engines, a 350 with about 4000 miles and a 292 with about 30. I have some issues to work out with the 292 still, but I'm hoping with the distributor and new harmonic balancer I picked up I'll be able to sort those out. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2296761 I have a 63 Nova and a 66 C-10. The 350 is currently in the c-10. The 292 is in another truck. Once it is running well, I plan on pulling the 292 and selling the truck. My question is, should the 292 go into the truck or the nova? I was stuck on the idea of putting the 292 in the nova, but I wonder if it'd be much easier to put it in the truck. The truck will be my daily driver - I just picked up a t5 for it. Originally I was thinking that the 292 would get better gas mileage than the 350, but from what I have been hearing I'll probably get around 10 or 12, which isn't much better than the 350. I realize that there will be issues with putting the 350 in the nova, but at least those 'problems' are well documented and it has been done many times. I've kinda outlined the issues I'll have with the nova and the 292. Here is what I've done to the engine and the possible difficulties of installation. This is what I've collected thus far: 292 (.30 over) Holley 390CFM 4 barrell carb offy intake, stovebolt cast iron headers petronix or hei igintion (have both) A guy over at inliners.org put a 292 in his 64 chevelle. Most of the pics below are from his install. Passenger side engine mount - heres what I want to do: When using this as a solution, you have to run an electric fuel pump, not sure what to use though... The 292 block is taller than the other L6 blocks. This can be a problem when you put a 4 barrel carb on. I've picked up a gn snorkel and plan on doing this: The 292 oil pan will not clear the steering linkage. I plan on using a 250 rear sump pan and 'dimpling' it to clear the linkage (thanks to twisted6 for the help and pic). I believe I will have to drill the block to mount the starter. I have the Leo Santucci book, so I have a template to do this. I am a little worried about cooling and fan/radiator clearance. I have a new two groove harmonic balancer to replace the 3 groove. I'm not sure what fan to use. If I use the one on it, I think it will hit the radiator (big blades, needs fan spacer to clear harmonic balancer). I wonder if the fan radiator combo that came stock in my nova will be enough to cool the engine. Any ideas? To put the 350 in the nova, I'll need a special oil pan and pickup and v8 motor mounts and springs (I have some already). I think thats it for now. Am I missing anything?
To put the 350 in the Nova you can just dimple the pan also, I put a dummy engine in mine with the rear sump pan on it and heated the pan with a torch,then you just take a soft hammer (read dead blow) and bump the steering linkage a couple of times to dimple it. Make sure you steer it lock to lock and check it.
no issues, my 1st car was a 66 with the 230 in it, we swapped to a 327/4sp. and the only tough part was finding the front sump pan for it. those were only required on that chassis. ramshorn exhaust tucked right in, stock 6 radiator kept her cool, i did run a point distributor as an hei would've required bashing the firewall.. otherwise, haunt the salvage yards for that pan or just order a shiny new v8 pan and consider gettin rid of the monoleafs out back and it'll be fine. and you don't NEED the v8 springs, mine hunkered down real pretty on the 6 springs. the wheel hop out back and the amazing ability to spit driveshafts will have you thinkin multi-leafs before long though. especially if you go with a manual tranny. ps if you dont pull down 18 or better mpg you're driving uphill everywhere!
my 64 SS Prostreet Still sits on the Stock Mono Leafs with CalTrac bars and I have No issues with 5000 plus Rpm launchs(4speed) And I never had a problem with the Old style slapper bars either. For that matter Most of the videos on my site the car had the old slapper bars on it.
Did you get that engine done at ValleyEngines in Fountain Valley? I saw that being slapped together or one just like it. I had them do my Volvo banger... and wow do they have heaps of motors lying around that place.
The engine isn't mine. It belongs to a guy on inliners.org. The oilpan stuff costs about $300 new. I've seen them on ebay/craigslist (sometimes not even installed yet) for around $150. The 350 is mild - I'd say less than 275-300 hp.
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