What's your Favorite Vintage Hot Rod engine

You can say if it's a Flathead or even SBC but what would be your next choice?
Mine would the Buick Nailhead, 401-425s

 

Mine's a Cadillac flathead, followed by the Hudson I6 Twin-H 308.

 

1963 gmc v-12! 702 cubic inches of fossil fuel burning torque. found one, been collecting parts to put together a " chitty bang bang " type hot rod

 

Hudson 308 Hornet flathead 6 is my choice. Note: McCulloch supercharger is optional
PaceRacer50

 

I have a 287 Pontiac with tri power I've been icing to put it in something

 

That's f'n sexy! I love it!

 

324 olds.

 

390 cadillac the earlier ones(59, 60) They get my vote. good looking strong runnin' motors. the early olds rocket motors are pretty sweet mills too.

 

I'd have to say the Chevy 302 or 327... next the fe Ford 427.... Chevy 409 .. a Pontiac 428 w/RAM AIR goodies and Tri-Power... I could write a book on this subject....

 

four letters H E M I

 

How about a Pontiac SD 421???....

 

327 chev, camel back heads, and a six pack

 

De Soto Hemis and the Ford FE are my favorites.Also have a thing for just about any overhead valve inline 6.

 

'25 Chev 4 & '34 Cadillac V8 Because it has 4 exhaust ports instead of 3 like the later flat Cads.

 

"W" head Chevys 348/409 look the coolest IMO,followed by a nailhead ...

 

I love the looks of a massive HEMI

 

Mopar Flathead six..

 

354 or 392 HEMI

 

Five letters...ARDUN

 

Tall deck desoto, if cam blanks were available, or a Cad flathead with Edmunds heads. Hey, if your gonna dream...

 

Full dressed Ford Flatty for me. Then Ford Bangers and the original Ford "K" engine 289 271HP Hi-PO

 

331-392 Hemi, most impressive looking engines ever.

 

You've been eating icing ? What about the cake ?

I like the early Hemis and I have a 312 Y Block for my 26 RPU.

 

Later Cads with only 3 . . . now, now . . . - the FlatCad team is going to show you a 41 model with 4 exhausts in the near future - just a little work on the center one. Will it make any difference - who the hell knows, but we're doing it all the same!

 

An overhead valve BANGER!

 

SBC for me the engine that changed everything!

 

317, 341 and 368 Lincoln Y-blocks.....

 

HEMI..big..medium...or small HEMI...

 

I can't choose unless we pick a decade to work within:

Here is mine (only engines that I have worked on . . . so I'm limiting myself on purpose):

1) 30's -- A year ago it would have been a Ford Model C banger - with an overhead (but shit, I've never built one of those, F@#$ it). But wait -- now that I've been bitten by FlatCad Bonneville fever, it will now HAVE to be the 346 cube Cadillac flathead V8. I've never been partial to the 21 stud Ford flatheads . . .

2) 40's -- Most definitely the Ford Flathead V8 - 59Z, 59L or whatever the hell other good block you have.

3) 50's -- Now that is a BITCH . . . so many cool engines, such great innovative times. Sticking to my rules (having worked on them) -- I'm going to stick with TWO (can't make a choice) -- the Chrysler Hemi and the Ford Flathead - with Ardun heads. How the hell do you expect me to pick one of those over the other . . . not a chance.

4) 60's -- Lots of engines I'd like to choose, but I made the decision based on what I've worked on . . . . God only knows I wish it were a 427 SOHC Ford or a BOSS 429 (69 was a good year!) So, I'm going to have to choose the 427 Corvette Rat motor of 1966 . . . the BBC is one hell of an engine that has redefined large cubic inches and horsepower for the somewhat common man. I'd love to talk about others like the 426 Hemi, but I don't know a single person from my youth that had one, could afford one, etc . . . they didn't exist in my crowd in SoCal (and I'm talking the mid 70's when I could actually drive a car!). Hell - big blocks were rare enough . . .

5) 70's -- I really can't think of a single NEW design that I'd jump up and down for . . .

6) 80's, 90's, etc . . . SHIT, ran out of motors that are new to me -- the ones I like are all variants of the past. 1980's --> Just built a strong 302 Ford roller motor - nice compact engine, lots of HP for the price -- lets see how road-racing goes next spring!

But I must say - the Ford Mod Motor, the newer Hemi, the modern Chevy LS motors . . . big ass 426 Hemi variants . . . . I love em all! (really 1990's forward). Never enough time or money . . . maybe someday I'll build some of these -- as I have not to date.

 

hands down AN EARLY HEMI,,,,,,,,,