The Naysayers can bash the SBC all they want, Those of us running them know what they are capable of, and what it costs to own them. I always think its funny when i see mustangs at the drag races with SBC's under the hood..than some one pipes up to say .."did you see that ford beat that chevy" I just roll my eyes and say yeah..I saw that 1/2 breed go against its brother, some people are just born clueless
So many good things about them, but the interchangeability (take THAT, Ford) keeps them king in my book.
I started out with a 327 Chevy for my '63 Biscayne project, which turned out to be junk....so went with a mildly built 283....and I love it. Everyone said go 350, for many valid reasons...torque, HP, etc...but being that I graduated in 1962 I wanted to have something that my friends had in high school... Mine is running ~280hp or so and with a four speed 3:11 first gear and 3:36 rear end it gives me the same thrill that those little sbc's did when I was in high school....And is a real thrill to drive, whether going thru the gears, or just cruising....It works for me!! Only change I would consider in the future would be to swap a 409 into it.... Good post by the way.. Cheers.........
wow, u mostly only hear the haters. sbc is the only motor for me tho. i built my first one at age 14 and i'm looking to build my 283 real soon to replace a tired 350 in my coupe. hell yeah guys good to hear.
I had my first in a 72 Nova. I beat the piss out of it, ran it hot, whatever, and it always treated me right. I like um, Theres a reason there so popular. But...Haters gonna hate.
i've never been stranded by one. limped off the highway with 2 broken push rods, on the way back from york pa., pulled into a gas station. [sunday evening] attendant found a couple in a can under the workbench, i put them in and was on my way. had some that ticked, smoked and banged but i never walked away from one.
sure i wanted a flathead in my 29 A cause it would look cool,but i bought a cheap sbc,bought some old looking valve covers,and a intake from an old 63 belair,old little afb 4bbr, not to powerfull but has more power than a flathead and i have been enjoying my car instead of waiting to save money to rebuild a flatty.
Hey, to each his own I say. That being said, I like Ford engines and I have them in everything (even a Model T) and if I ever found a Chevy product I liked, I would not hesitate to jam a 302 in it.
In my opinion, best engine ever built...and the most popular (except on here). I dig em and have them in everything I own. Flatheads are cool, would'nt have a hemi but I don't mind if someone else does.
I doubt if you could coast off the interstate to the nearest parts store and get a water pump for a flathead or hemi off the shelf. Whereas for the SBC you would probably have two or three choices of pumps.
Amen to the Mouse Motor. Best motor ever made. May not be the biggest or the fastest but it's simply the best. Chevrolet U.S.A-1
X2 ....I really cant figure out why Chevrolet got away from the basic design, and especially ALL of the external mount points and basic dimensions, they shouldve just improved it structurally a bit and pounded it out of aluminum....but then what do I know....
I can't believe what my eyes are seeing here! A SBC positive thread on the HAMB? Does this mean the end of time is near, or Hell is freezing over soon? At last I can enjoy the 327 in my gasser and not have to hang my head in shame!!!!
Sbc,s has been the hot rod motor for over 50 years but the cool thing about hot rod,s is it,s what you want so do what you want and like
This sounds like arguing over your favorite flavor of ice cream. Chevy lovers love their 283s and 327s, and you rarely hear of a dud from something box stock. Chrysler folks will say the same of 225s and 318s, can't kill them without draining the oil out of them. Ford folks love a 390 and dislike a 360. I really like a Windsor engine. They've all made good engines. They've all made junk. They've all made stuff that should have been as good as all the hero engines people brag about, but core shift and seasoning of iron created junk. Pick your favorite brand, apply last. Can't blame an engine for the wrong application of parts put inside it. Many ways to splatter an engine if you put all the parts to use in the wrong way. Pick your brand. I need a 19/32 socket for the 283 rod bolt nuts on my old 283. I splattered a crank and then a #5 rod and carnage afterwards in my first 350 engine build because of my failures in paying attention. I seriously like a SBC. There are some interchange problems, but not many. Ask the folks who like and know more than I do.
Blew the 350 in my 60 Vette, broke crank, oil pump, rear main cap. Bent #7&8 rods, #7 piston pin put a hole in the cylinder. Had a 283 I bought 30 years ago out of a 66 Impala. No idea how many miles on the motor. Put it in my 55 Cameo used her for about 5 years. Truck hasn't moved or started in over 20 years. Had no money for a rebuild, so pulled 283 out of the truck, cleaned out the sludge, some paint, new intake I had, put her in the Vette. Back driving........ Love those SBC's
Apache sat since '94, all it took was a battery and a little fuel down the vent tube on the Quadrajet.
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