When is it time for a "SBC"????

Hear Hear I agree put in a SBF!

 

the first 302 in my 53 ford started knocking i went back with another 302 cause the mounts ,radiator ,exuast and wiring where set up.if this 302 dies .you can bet your ass there will be a SBC in it next.yep its easy&cheap.and thats not a bad thing .

 

yeah, mine too. There IS something about a 55 Chevy 2 door post with 2 aircleaners sticking through the hood. at least to me. Yeah mine never gets any attention either. A dressed up sbc is a great looking engine no matter who you are and with mine for "some" reason I can barely get out of the car and open the hood without a constant flow of people looking at it and asking questions. You are right, they are boring I guess

 

Im pretty old and i bought my first 2 ton truck when i was 16. it was a 46 ford with a new sears allstate rebuilt 53 flat head a 4 speed and a vaccum two speed rear end. I was using this truck to haul logs to a town 50 miles where they made chicken coops. Guess what that flattie had a real hard time hauling 3 cords and couldnt keep up with traffic. Then it wanted to overheat in hot weather.so i bought a JC Whitney adapter and installed a 58 332 FE , What a difference Haul 4 cords would run 60 loaded. Never even thought about getting hot either. That flathead did a lot of work in its time but isnt that what rodding is all about modifying and changing to make stuff more reliable ,faster, dependable usable and enjoyable than a stock vehicle. Install whatever mill you want in there if you dont like it you can always do something else.OldWolf

 

Nicely said ol wolf>>>>.-------------------Crankshafts!!!!!Lots of em>>>>.

 

So are really that stupid or are you just trying to piss folks off? Nothing wrong with a flatty but nothing wrong with a sbc either.

 

SBCs are a lot like the Swedish Women's Beach Volleyball team...yeah..they all look alike...

I like the look..I like the performance when you tickle it..

And the sounds it makes when it's screamin' is awesome...

So...I'll take two please...

 

OK,
its time for me too chime in, i didnt disapear. Thanks for all of the responses! There have been alot of good advice and then some that i am not quite sure what bucket your drinking from.
I have raced plenty of SBC and SBF's (circle track) and had great success with both and also broke both mainly do to some other circumstane other than pure performance.
I have had alot of attention with the car because it is a survivor and is pretty solid not to mention people get plenty exicted that it retains the Flatty.
I am leaning towards freshening the Flatty and installing a new crank mainly because by the time i gather up all the parts for the change and change the exhaust, radiator clutch, etc........... i just as well fix the engine thats in it. Its about a wash on the money. It still retains the stock trans and rear so the sb would eventually eat those too.

I infact have a fresh killer little 307 sbc long block (bored, balanced, h-beam rods, 202 heads etc..) that has never been run that i would sell or swap for a similar y-block if anyone is interested.

Anyone have a special on a Scat crank for a Flatty!

 

*farts* wrong.

 

not quite. it's only the 265, 283 and 327 that actually fit into the era that we emulate on this board. and technically there weren't any big blocks in the typically accepted sense until 1965...hmmmm. sure, there were the w-head engines but they were a different class. if there was no big block to compare it to before '65, what did they call it then? not a small block, that's for sure. so how does that make it traditional? they have always been and always will be the EASY WAY OUY though, there's no arguing that. there are infinite other directions to go, most all are just as reliable if not nearly as easy to get parts for but people either don't actually know that or are just too conditioned to think that way regarding the SBC.

oh yeah, as far as looks go...those engines that i mentioned look traditional. a fucking 350 DOES NOT. sorry, it's just the facts but since you guys are arguing tradition i must point out the accessory holes on the heads, the water pumps etc that don't make it work as you guys convince yourselves that it does.

big mac-that vette engine is trad and bloody gorgeous, but PLEASE do something about those ugly edelcocks and those damn anodized AN fittings...seriously

 

I thought all GM v8s, v6s, straight 6's, some 4 cyls, big and small blocks all shared bell housings? or am I mistaken?

The LS doesnt share anything with what? other sbc's? I find that hard to believe since my generation 2 block is using a generation 1 cam and generation 4 pushrods. Alot of parts interchange with the bbc's too.

 

If you are the kind of guy that has to ask on here what you should do then you're the kind of guy that will stick a SBC in anyway ... I for one wouldn't put a SBC in anything because there are just so damned many of them. If I had a '39 Chevy 2dr sedan I'd stick a Ford 514 in it and put a tag on the front saying "Check the Heartbeat of this Chevrolet" ....

 

Other than the rod bearings and one other obscure small part that I can't recall the LSX engines share absolutely nothing parts-wise with the Gen 1 SBC. The same basic bore center and crankshaft centerline dimensions are used.

To the original poster: You're ready for a SBC only if you think it's time.

 

Ah,you put one over on us,you know what's happening.Like to see those flatty's saved but not by me.

 

You're mistaken.

Chevrolet and GMC RWD engines use Chevrolet bellhousings, oddly enough because they're Chevy engines

Buick, Olds, Pontiac and Cadillac RWD engines use a B.O.P.C bellhousing.

The LS series engines are in no way related to the LT and previous engines, they're a completely fresh design. The only relation is that General Motors builds them.

Typical bowtie tunnel vision, every Chevy guy assumes that since the car is a General Motors product it must be compatible with Chevrolet.

Shawn

 

woops, I meants Chevy, not GM.

Btw, Chevy is the minority of engines i've owned. I've had AMC, Ford, Mopar, and Chevy powered autos. I got a 455 Pontiac and 351 in the garage right now too. The only chevy autos i've ever owned was a 73 Nova and my current 49 Panel. I'm not a "chevy guy", buddy.

 

Dropping in a SBC is a smart thing to do, but badlefihand really nailed the rest. You want a "well balanced" system when you're done.

The first cruise night I rolled into with my '41 I didn't expect much attention. I popped the hood so it would cool off (like 115 degrees that day!) and walked away. The motor hadn't been cleaned or anything.

I came back 5 minutes later so about 20 people crawling all around my car... I was stunned. I just listened to everyone commenting what a clean survivor it was, and NOBODY could believe anyone still ran a flathead! I just laughed to myself and walked away again.

So I know what you're talking about regarding running a flattie. I haven't taken my '41 on trips more than about 100 miles. Hey, it's a flathead and the car is almost 70 years old! I put a '69 327 and TH350 in my A bone though, because it will end up all over the west coast.

Would the flatty survive driving 15,000 miles over the next 12 months? Probably, but it's just a little cruiser that we like to putt around in.

I'm afraid that if the motor went I would HAVE to SBC it because building a flattie is just too expensive right now.

Flathead, 125 HP: $5000
SBC, 350 HP: $1800 (plus trans, driveshaft, rear end, brakes, split bones....)

Know what I mean?

 

Sure thing. I'll change them just for you. BTW, don't you work at Autozone? How about ordering me a Merc flathead? Oh wait, you guys only sell SBC's.

Seriously, I love the look AND sound of an old hopped up flatty. I also love seeing the variety of drivetrains running around, nailheads, olds, caddy motors, etc etc etc.... If I ever have the time and money to have several cars to play with you can count on them having that variety, BUT, I need something I can afford to drive the hell out of, and replace parts as I go without having to sell the kids....

 

uh, haven't worked at checker for awhile...got a little tired of retail management. never criticized your choice though because THAT is a traditional chevy OHV engine. i've just never liked the look of AN fittings with that anodizing on them. you know they're available in black right

 

You could do what I did on my '38 Ford pickup. I painted the small block Chevy in Ford flathead green and lettered the valve covers "Ford Experimental Overhead Valve," even created this whole cock-and-bull story about the rare Ford experimental OHV engine being one of only 16 made and the only one left in running condition. I've had people fall for it hook, line, and sinker.

 

Did it work


SBC's are like opinions, everyones got em

 

FWIW, My hemi will get a LOT more attention than your flatty and I can smoke you on the strip to boot!

 

When your on a budget.Cant go wrong with SBC or SBF.

 

I would hope a Hemi would be able to do that!!! But we are talking about SBC's. I got nothin against a hemi.

 

Its never a good time for a SBC. BORING. Lots of other options unless your a "Street Rodder". I wish I didn't have to look at my own. Makes me sleepy at every glance.

 

The one in your 57??? Now, theres not a thing wrong with a Chevy IN A Chevy

 

Thanks Buddy. But really, I do have a hard time lookin at a really cool ride, then makin my way around to the engine bay and seeing one of "them". Economy? cool. Napa parts store? cool. On a budget? Cool. Something cool? hummm.... We'll discuss this at Arlington. Will be good to see you again. B

 

Put a small block Olds in it. All kinds of torque.

 

YEAH, I'm gettin thirsty

 

Ya I hear ya. FYI... Pops is working on a one-off hand built fuel manifold for that motor. Should be pretty cool when it's done.