Hot Rods Dressing a SBC to look more Traditional

Valve covers got to go as well but that was what was available going to the machine shop.

 

Nicely done. I like that look.

 

Gotta be Chevy orange

 

Thank you for your astute observations, in the future I will have to remind myself to check with you before I post any photo's that might offend you sensitivity, as far as trolling I really have no clue as to what your talking about.

And yes I have cable TV/cable but not in this car, it's got a 350 transmission. HRP

BTW, I like your avatar, it's real traditional. HRP

 

In my coupe.

 

All early Chevys had black plug wires. Cloth covered wires were long gone by '55. '57 looms and heat shields on this one. Bonus points for the Sparkomatic.

 

IMO I think the linkage should be a rod and not a cable.

 

That looks great!

 

If you have a 350, it's a 350. Are you trying to fool a 283 or 327 snob, forget it. I think for what your looking for, early cal custom or similar vintage covers, keep the breather stuff the 350 needs, and do a short water pump and driver's side bracketry for your alternator. 2 barrell is fine, there is or was adapters to go for 4 barrell carbs. I would find an early oil fill intake, I got one of of craigslist for 40 bucks. Switching dampers is a waste of time. An old time racers trick was to put a small damper on the engine to help it rev faster, I doubt it's true, but it was ingrained into me. Rams horns are nice. I like the 66,57 Chevy truck alternator bracket set up off the end of the exhaust manifold. Black cap, black wires, orange paint, and black pulleys.

 

Redo the Chevy 4 tube headers into 3 tube headers so it looks like an Olds. the 4 tube Chevy headers say "New SBC" engine also the Hellings aircleaner gives a vintage look, but with a chrome acorn nut not that modern wingnut. If these center 2 pipes were made into 1 this engine would look old.

 

Or just make it look like something else. If some can't tell, it is a SB Chev. JW

 

Here's the 350 I'm running in my F100. Cal Custom valve covers w/o breather holes, early Edelbrock intake (C3BX) with oil filler tube, Hellings & Stellings style breather, and ram's horn manifolds:



For the PCV system, I made a snap on baffle that goes under the intake. Starting with a factory Chevrolet 75-86 valve cover PCV valve, I located the best spot in the back of the intake, drilled a 1 inch hole, and shoved the grommet and PCV valve in. Using the webbing that’s already on the underside of the intake, I fabbed up a two-level baffle to keep oil out of the PCV system. Air enters the slot facing the lifter valley, then turns 180 degrees into the compartment where the PCV valve is. It slides over the intake webbing and the two pins welded to the sides snap into the holes drilled into the webbing shown in the last two pics.

 

Hidden alternator http://www.gener-nator.com/

 

So many threads now days are started and the OP doesn't return, so far this is one of those. Are we answering his question in post one or are we drifting ? Just a thought. JW

 

Well, since @Jive-Bomber has been here as a Mod for over 20 years I am pretty sure he will be back

 

@Bandit Billy - you pictured the wrong end of the goat!

 

Did a guy a favor in 1971, 1972 he sold me my '55 F100. $60.
I installed a GIFTED '69 'Vette engine/P.G. tranny, just to move it around. Ran so good I left it in there, 170K miles.
Updated it again, '89 SBC/350 TH trans. Runs even better. (lots of mods)
Anyone think my 354 Chrysler Hemi will EVER go in there???

 

No matter its origin to a small degree, period dress is all that you need. We all have a seasoning of snobbery driving is to get a targeted look. Sure, accessory bolt bosses say newer heads but who gives a fat rats ass. We're dealing with an engine with the same visual architecture from 55 to 84 so period dress is pretty respectful. Are 3 2Gs a sin, does it require 97s or 94s to win the big dick contest? Oh you have 9 fin valve covers? Take one off, I wanna see the legit Cal Custom logo. Are my seven fins worth an extra 10 style points or do you lose cuz you don't have something more rare, and what if...

Spill it 'Bomber, you have a plan or trying to just get a new look? Show us whatcha got, but in some form or fashion I feel this could be a test.

 

Here's my 350

 

I put these on the 283 I had in my old '55...hoped everyone thought I had a bigger motor.

 

Or just mess with everyone, paint it gold and stick these on it and call it good, with appropriate air cleaner assembly.

 

If you really want to screw with people get a set of these valve covers and a old Pete Jackson front distributer drive.

These are on my dad's A Pick up.
You would be surprised how many ford experts have asked him if it's a 289 or 302 .

Trucks not HAMB stuff IRS , IFS
True spokes . I have been trying to buy it but he's letting it go to hell.

 

Going to dress my latest sbc (and yes, I’m one of those guys that just happens to love em) in the vibe of the older olds engines. Not trying to fool anyone and I’m gonna write something cheeky on the looms.

 

Traditional means "The way it was when you were a kid"

 

Mornin' Jay,

Well Traditional is a rolling roiling aspect these days. So really anything with valves over the pistons seems to fall into a gray area. Cadillac, Old's, Buick, Studebaker, and Chevrolet as early as '48 and by '55 were all past the V8's we all know and love. Second Generation Hot Rod powerplants if you will.

I have or have had one of each including the V8. they all have their own strengths. The SBC carries parts of all of them so really it is a melding of so many things and good traits. Ed Cole was a Giant amongst mere mortals for certain. The 327 I pulled from a Dump Truck that's powered my '54 going on 22 years still makes me smile every time it fires. AND it fires faithfully every time and will spin to 7000 RPM at will.

Aluminum Accessories, Dual Quads, Rams Horns, Magnetos, 4-71 and 6-71 set ups all occurred pretty rapidly and quickly eclipsed any hope the V8 had of competing except for limited classes and the Red Light wins until a bunch of us mal-aligned and mis-adjusted dorks realized Billet was for a whole different crowd. Thus the quest for the Flatheads and the Traditional Show began. The V8 still has a special place for me. I just put another one back into service. Fun but a different experience all together.

So really you've Ventured into a great realm of 2nd Generation Tradition. The SBC is a Traditional Engine and has so many great things about it. Anyone who Poo Poo's one is just missing the point and quit reading the story of Hot Rodding too soon. The power to weight and affordability were un matched for so many years.

I'm not talking about the Center Bolt Valve Cover engines or the dreaded Uglier than Sin LS things either.

Here's a simple formula that many follow and myself included.

1. Scintilla, Vertex, or Hunt Magneto with Advance in it (Tach Drive is a Bonus) with Black Wires and a Brown or Black Cap.
2. Dual Quads or Three Two's. Three Two's is for looks Dual Quads produce more power.
3. Corvette Rams Horns (for both better breathing and the look)
4. Corvette Valve Covers or Steel painted "Chevrolet" covers
5. Short Water Pump
6. Single Groove Pulleys and one belt.
7. Generator or Alternator (anyone who tells you an alternator isn't traditional in this sense doesn't know they came out in '62 on many manufacturers offerings) I prefer the look of a Generator but Power Gen solves this whole dilemma. GM Alternators are just uglier but man are they pretty trouble free.
8. Front Breather on the Manifold
9. Steel four blade Fan
10. Steel Fuel Lines and a Glass Bowl Filter
11. Drive the BaJeeezus out of it and enjoy every minute.

Don'ts -

Don't try and disguise the fact it is a SBC
Don't put another make of Valve Cover on it ( this is just silly)
Don't apologize for having one
Don't listen to anyone who spews ugliness towards them. We've no time for this in the fun that's too be had with them.

Real Hot Rods have Three Pedals. But hey there's some really really fast slush box Cars out there too.

The "Old Guys" changed for more power and reliability. Most didn't care about the Cool Factor but loved the Horsepower. In the end the really cool guys in my life always kept their hood shut knowing when the flag Dropped all the Bullshit stopped

- Tim

 

I was a kid in the 90's, and my current project Model A RPU is getting a 283 so your point is arguing with itself in my case.

 

Ya beat me to it. Respect for HAMB tradition is not a nod for an era when "we" were kids but when "they" were kids.

 

I sincerely hope that every fella on here that actually built hot rods before 1963 understand that all the rest of us on here that are building hot rods today are paying tribute to what they did and the groundwork they laid out for us. 99% of everything built in the past 40 years (or more) is using something not purely traditional. Some form of repo tires, brakes, axles, rails, crossmembers, body parts or complete bodies, rads, engines, windshields, rags, gauges, seats, tanks, whatever. Our tributes are just that, tributes. No matter where they fall on the traditional spectrum.
Cheers all, and keep the greasey side down.