“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” - John Lydgate
Danny, I have put a few early sbc with four speeds in a Deuce. There is a way to do this and not cut the firewall, k member or have to split the wishbone. If that interest you, pm me any time. Good luck with the build, I like the direction you are going. 270Bob
Danny, over the years I've had a couple of flathead powered cars and was never satisfied with their performance. Why pay more for less performance? A 283 or 327 is a great choice for your coupe. Gary
I make no apologies, the Small Block Chevrolet is the greatest V8 engine ever built! Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
283 or 327 is a wonderful little engine !! Can find parts anywhere, and cost to ad HP is not much either.. I never knock the old Flattheads.. love them, but for pure Old School punch you just can't beat these SBC motors.. Good luck, and hey, we want pictures.. Cheers
My pal Lester Codd (Merced) gave me two great running 283s, numbers check turned out to both be 1965 truck blocks, with single-point Powr-Pak heads. I have some intakes, a 2X4 Edelbrock with two 500 CFM Carter Comp carbs; also a 3X2 with factory Rochesters. One went into my '50 F-1, the other was destined for my '27 tub. I had 4 or 5 flathead cores around, but to build? $$$! So, I resigned myself to do the SBC. Found some nice stuff for it: Rings, rod/main brgs, new valve springs, and a very slightly used Cal Cam my late bud Chico ground for me. Built a nice Mallory distributor for it, with the early Ford type crab cap...cool hot rod touch. Cal Custom V/Cs, stainless headers...getting ready to assemble. My San Jose bud brought me a nice gift: '47 Merc flathead V8, Factory relieved block has no cracks, is bored .040" with 4 ring pistons, rebuilder's tag says .010 rods, .010" mains. However, a 'helper' in his shop pounded one piston dome 'flat' when removing them. (they come out the top, not the bottom!) A call to Dick Spadaro before he passed netted a .045" oversize 4 ring piston, $15.00 incl. shipping, so I put it in the lathe and crocus-cloth 'buffed it' to size. All valves are good, I'll do a nice valve grind before re-assembly... Pretty sure the SBC will win out for the tub...tranny adaptor, '39 box, '40 rear. But the flathead also fits those mounts...doesn't even need an adaptor...had MANY flatheads over the years, should know better. Eeny Meeny, Miney Mo.... Which one'd really make it go? Yeah...which one, obviously...
So,,,, what do you do? an adapter to the 3spd./ torque tube rear, or open drive conversion? A buddy had a 40 sedan with a 65 283 with an adapter and 39 box stock rear, It was a sweetheart.....
That is exactly what I am doing with my 39 sedan, 65 283 with 097 cam, 9.8 :1 compression tied to the 39 3 speed with a 3:54 gear in the banjo. I drove one with that combination 10 years ago and it was the best thing in the world!
@HOTRODPRIMER If you go with an adapter to a early ford box, I have a few of them laying around I can hook ya up with.
In my world the only thing that rolls off the tongue better than 327 is............... 327 with a 4 speed, preferably a Muncie 4 speed.
One of my old Forty sedans had that same set up and I loved it when driving around town,out on the interstate it left something to be desired,then again,I haven't ruled it out. HRP
Danny, your pocketbook will Love you even if others don't! scrap metal 48 (Milo) had Model A's with smallblocks and they definitely fit the overall theme of the cars (understated, yet reliable). That is some sweet ride and I really like Moose's version. Will it be at SIM this year? Later, Carp
I know just enough about the early sbc to be smart enough ask questions,I'll listen to everyone that offers legitimate information. I'm a 100% sure the coupe won't be at sims,this is going to be a slow & methodical build compared to my Deuce pickup. HRP
Road draft tube, no side mounts and canister oil filter (to a point in time) would be a quickie start.
My friend Randy is a near genius on every subject except women. (Married four times, no house, no money, lives with his parents.) Randy said the key number to look for is 8. That's the number of cylinders the motor should have.... Moselli
WOW, a LOT of responses here. Just hope it's a 3731548 265/283 block (hope for a 265); same casting numbers used for both sizes. That block will have the provision for a block mounted starter motor, so any new automatic transmission, and any manual shift transmission bellhousing will bolt to it, and work for what you need it too; 55/56 blocks can only use a bellhousing mount starter motor, which is fine for a manual trans, but another for an automatic (like cast iron Powerglides or dual range hydro's?). Front mounts strictly also. I'd avoid a 55, 265 block; too many oiling issues involved (don't hate me those who have a 55, 265). With the early SBC V-8's, you're getting real close to the time the flat head ford V-8 was facing almost total extinction, do to those same SBC's. And, you can still build one for a LOT less than a flathead V-8, or just about any other engine too. I just happen to have one of those, AND, TWO sets of NOS .030 over, TRW pistons, and all the stuff to assemble a couple of engines. I might even get around to it too, after a few other projects get done first. We ALL know that story. Lets all hope it's NOT a LATER 327, 307, 305, 262, 267, or the even later SBC engines. Who knows what your friend actually has? I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
I've got a nice pair of Chevy II ram's horn manifolds and an sbc Mallory flat cap distributor to trade for that useless 4 cylinder you're going to remove Ooooh, and a rare Shell bottle you can use for a puke tank
Hey,that's not a bad idea using a old rare shell bottle for a puke tank,I think I have one of those out in the garage. HRP
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