why must we put the same make motor in samemake body?

Nope, but I sure do like variety.

 

I already replied but I'ma do it again. The most T R A D I T I O N A L engine in the craft is the SBC followed by the flathead Ford. Somewhere between the flattie and SBC came the Olds and Caddy OHVs, but I stand by the 1st comment. This whole fuckin debate is some old shit that was started by those who don't "get it" and never will. I don't exactly know when it started but you have to be a bit numb between the ears not to understand why you find one in a hotrod. And to just say "...it's your car, build it blah, blah, blah..." well that's a cop out. Form an opinion and share it. I'm using a 350 in one of my projects and a 327 in the other. Oh shit, never mind. They're both Chevys. Carry on kids...

 

that's popularity not tradition. the chevy is no more traditional than any other engine from the appropriate era.

 

[SIZE=+2]Yeah....was a cool letter.[/SIZE]
But....
Nothing in there about "Must keep same brand engine in same brand hot rod". ZAD would probably have been happy to see Chevy V8's in Ford hot rods.​

 

Here we go again. Streetrod vs Hot Rod.

20, 30, 40 years ago would you have said there was a difference? Did tradition end in the 50's? Seriously.

 

Nah, no way....Boobs are all different.
There is no longer any way to make a sbc look interesting or different. This is one of many reasons for the resurgence of early Hemi, Olds, Buick and Cad engines. Most folks don't want their ride to be another belly-button car.

.

 

Whoa whoa whoa. Who defined that traditional hot rods must have same brand engine in same car?

 

I have 3 Mercs here (that are builders), 2 of them have Chevy drivetrains and one has a 302/aod. It took me more time to fit/make the mounts for the 51 with the 302 than to fit in both Chevy drivetrains and have lunch, twice. But for me it comes down to whatever I can get cheap or free, I don't really care so much about what makes it go, as long as it does.

I never understood why having the hood open was so important. To me hood open means there is a problem inside, and I hate having problems inside.

 

It seems that his quest was to see more Chevy V8's in hot rods and fewer Ford flattie's. I don't know if you can point to him and say: "There's your culprit!" But you have to admit....the SBC has proven itself as a great engine for hot rodders since the late 50's.

But did tradition end in the 50's? I don't think it did.

 

It's simple guys - just put a Nailhead in it.l

 

The only thing that irkes me is when someone sticks a SBC in a vintage Mopar, but that is because A) the SBC is so over used, B) there aren't that many vintage Mopars out there, so why make it boring with a SBC and C) I'm a Mopar guy, so I'm biased.

However, I'm not going to give a person crap about it (unless they are a friend), because in the end, it is their car and they can do what they want with it.

 

From a fellow Mopar guy, you hit the nail on the head with that one.

 

I like big tits but not BB Chev were does that leave me.??
GEORGE!!

 

Here's the thing though. ZAD didn't visit the shops where these hotrod kids operate and hold a gun to their heads while he removed the flatheads and installed SBC's in their cars and say, "Here's your new engine! You will drive it and you will tell all your friends that it is the best thing since sliced bread and that they ALL must have one in their rod's as well!"

Somewhere along the lines the rodders made a choice. Chevy built SBC's and made performance parts available.....and rodders chose them more over the other options.

Free world, man.

 

Getting back to the question posed in the thread title.It' a hot rod there are no rules or "musts" for building them.That said I for one like to see something different when I go to a show,so I would tend to encourage others to build something out of the norm. If I see an old Caddy with a newer Caddy mill in it that is out of the norm and I am prone to comment on it in a positive way.
A lot of the time what was done in times past gets rewritten by what is seen to do in the present.We as a group tend to build what is easy to find parts for (driven by demand for sure). It is just plain foolish to contend that a Chevy is not a traditional hot rod power plant . I do think that using other makes is worth promoting and is probably viewer by some as being told that there is a RULE. It seems to me that when people look at a show of full of hot rods the case for the Chevy becomes overstated in their perception of the past due to what can be easily built today.Prior to about 1970 there weren't many kits made to put motors,suspensions or much of anything else in a car, so things tended to be less uniform. Most of these old looking cars that we see are recently built with a recent prospective. The Chevy small block has many advantages that have set it apart as a smart choice for many builds. But hey aren't we hot rodders,when did we start doing the easy thing? There are no rules for hot rods in my opinion. That leaves a lot of room for opinions, and when people care about something they tend to develop STRONG opinions (see earlier posts on this thread. As in the earlier posts just one man's opinion...

 

Tradition never ends.

Power to weight.

HP per cubic inch.

Packaging.

Looks (although truely a matter of taste).

Availability (How many SBCs were built from 55 to 65?).

Now that's just for the parrots that like to express the "belly button" ideal. Back in the day when I was learning, when I started to "get it", my dear departed Dad was a Cadillac fan. He wedged an Eldorado engine and trans in a 36 Dodge PU, kept the batwing and closed the full hood. He even nestled in some power brakes and IIRC power steering. Due to the weight and choice of gear (he liked hiway gears) he was nearly invincible in the street races of the day. My favorite story was how he raced an ealy 60s Vette 1/2 dozen times going north on Telegraph Rd here in the Motown area. He said it looked like the guy and his girl friend had been out all night and just about every race was a runaway victory for his ol "turtle" as his buds called it. When Mr Vette had enough he asked Dad to pull over so he could buy him a coffee and see the truck. "Whatcha runnin in there?" Dad says "Stock". "Bullshit!" "No, it's stock...Cadillac". He opened the hood for him and they had their coffee and BS'd about racin. Does that mean a Chevy motor woulda been a bad choice? Nope. Dear ol Dad just happened to have the Caddy layin around and stuffed it in there. In a Dodge. Back in 63. He never told me about anyone dissin him for not using a HEMI or another Mopar motor. He just got a lot of compliments on how it fit and how it ran. A story like this should permanently answer this chickenshit debate of "Ford in a Ford" and "Mopar in a Mopar".

 

Doesn't bother me a bit, because the SBC can always be removed and replaced with whatever is appropriate to the car.

-KK

 

You might also notice the Dodge p.u. in this issue, same style as your avitar, with MOPAR power, and a supercharger mounted remotely, in the bed!

 

I can understand both sides of the debate. I've had the Chevy engine in the truck for about 3 years now. Love it. But I have thought about switching to a Ford y-block or possibly a big block Ford. That's the beauty of our hobby. But starting over with a Ford means spending lots of money.... might just as well build something new and leave the old truck as is. I don't loose any sleep over it. Gary p.s. Just posted for the 200 th time, still a rookie.

 

Have fun. The chev's probably already set up for SBC mounts so it would be easier but if you've already to a ford motor you're dying to use....

Edit: Unless it was an original 6cyl car i should say....

 

True. But those old flatties didn't put out more than 70hp (heck the latest models weren't putting out over 120hp)....and the frames were designed around that. If I wanted something with some getup & go (be that a modded flattie or an SBC) I'm going to have to box the frame and put in stronger mounts regardless. (although the traditional 1950's rodders may not have done this)

 

you just sound like a die hard ford man and thats not bad . in time your learn that none are better then any other
but if you put a ford in it make it run good fast spent $$$$$$ and have fun with it

 

The only reason I would gripe is because people put SBC's in everything, but otherwise, i dont care.

 

I put SBC's in everything. I just make sure I paint them all FORD GREEN!

 

^but you got the corvette valve covers. Duntov would be proud. LOL

 

you don,t sound like you had many if all you like is fords and hemis and make that statement about 32 fords and flatheads. what you sould have learned is that they all have good and bad designs its just what you like. build a y-block and see if it doesn,t cost alot more $$$$ but if you like them it,s not a factor same with a hemi or caddy,or nailhead or anyother ford motor

 

They didn't make a Nash V8, so I'll never have a Nash in a Nash...

 

yrs ago , it was cubic inches ... thus cad , chrysler , lincoln .... anything big ! make of car was not important it was the BIG motor . 425 cads were popular . nail heads & hemis everywhere ............... this ford in a ford is something new . do what works for you ! ................ steve

 

Why not put a late 60s AMC muscle engine in your Nash? Nash Kelvinator was part of AMC at one time...or even more cool would be to put a big honkin' Hudson Hornet six in your Essex. The Essex and Hudson were companion brands and nothing on the road whipped a Hudson Hornet in the early days of NASCAR...who says (as you seem to think) that you have to put a V8 in your hot rod?

 

The last time I check we build these rides for ourselves, not for the masses. I understand traditionalism and where people come from when they say you should keep the powerplant the same make as the rest of the vehicle, but until they start handing out the cash for me to build it with what they want in it, they can go nit pick their own ride. If you don't like it build your own , your way. This one is mine, just for ME!