Hot Rods 265 w/PG trans in a Model A Frame

Unclee.....thank you.
I look forward to lots of fun with this car!

 

The 265 is a good engine in a light car...don't worry about the lack of a full flow oil filter...Ford flatheads never had one either...just mount the engine like the factory did it and be done with it....The only problems with any 265V8 is the stock pistons...they have a tendency to crack near the wrist pins...you might want to upgrade to TRW replacement units if your engine has high mileage just to be safe....if you don't upgrade, be gentle with it and don't rev the snot out of it....when the pistons crack, they make a solid "clicking" noise...not a knock or a loose lifter noise...you'll know it....I ran many 265s back when they were plentiful and cheap and learned all this from firsthand experience....the first thing we did to any 265 was to install stock replacement pistons because they were revised from stockers so they wouldn't crack....I ran a 2 door 56 Chevy wagon w/265, Duntov cam, Hedman Hedders, dual Carter WCFB carbs, truck three speed trans w/2.94 first gear, and 4.88 Posi rear....pulled the left front tire up on a holeshot and went 14.30@100mph best time....don't be afraid to use a 265 with some minor preparation....they're great little engines.

 

Just found this thread. I have been running a 265 & Muncie for 5 years in my28 coop . Front mounts , bell housing mounts & cross member rear mount . No problems at all . I drive the crap out of this car . No problems . It came out of 42000 mile 55 with a power glide.

 

mschiffel....thanks good info.


pecker head.....I've had tri 5's in the past but none of them had a stock 265 in them. I always wanted one and they are nostalgia in a hot rod, at least to me!
If you could...like to see some pics of the mounts and cross member.

 

Another item I don't have a lot of knowledge about these early Chev engines.

I have a partial draft tube at the bottom left rear of the block. I'm pretty sure I need the other top tube in the manifold.

My engine has what looks like a freeze plug in that top hole.....this can't be to good?
I want to pull that plug and place the original draft tube back in......correct?
I'm not going to worry about a PCV system for now.

 

Sounds like you have the stock draft tube. '55 was different.

http://www.danchuk.com/ItemForm.asp...Category=3f036dc4-a561-4b60-b80f-689568e0df32

 

The 55 265 block had the road draft tube in the position we now see the oil filters on SBC's, there is no manifold tube. The is a "ventilator" cannister under the intake manifold in the valve lifter galley that connects with the road draft tube however Most of the 55 road draft tubes got damaged from engines being tossed/moved around, so Danchuk repops them. Chevrolet made a mistake and put flat top, with NO valve reliefs in the early 265's; a lot of warranty work due to piston-to-valve interference when over revved. That was the early piston problem I think someone else was actually referring to. I think I mentioned the flat top pistons without valve reliefs in one of my earlier posts; you can use a borescope through a spark plug hole to check if you can't get a good look in otherwise. You don't want those pistons in any performance or cam change scenario. If you do have them, just be careful how you drive the little thing. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

First pic points to where the second pic draft tube is supposed to go which is now plugged. Pic 2 is the top road tube that sould go in that top hole.
Isn't this the correct setup for this engine?

 

The engine pic is a 1955 pic . The pic of the road draft tube is for a 1956 and newer engine. Chevrolet changed them in 1956 because the 56 engines had an oil filter added where the 55 road draft tube was. The 55s had the top hole plugged as yours is.

Bob

 

Bob W......thanks.
So mine is correct then and it just vents out the bottom tube.

 

I personally detest the 2 speed Powerglide. They may now make a great race car trans but in the 60s we threw rocks at them. To get a small cubic inch engine to work right, you have to keep it in it's narrow power band. Impossible with a powerglide on the street. I ran a genuine no block oil filter 55 265 in my 36 Ford and it did quite well with an adapter up to the original drive train with 4.11 gears and 16" tires. Put that same engine in front of a 2 spd PG and it's a tired turd in traffic. HP in these engines comes from higher RPMs. They have no low end grunt for heavy traffic situations. Get as many gears as you can and keep the R's up in the power band.

Until the 350 trans came along you rarely saw an automatic Chevy hotrod and it sure as hell was not fun to drive.

 

If this is any help. I have a friend that has a '55 4-dr, wagon drag car/street car. He has been running a small block 400/turbo 350 combo. for years. Front mount-trans. mount only. Has not had any problems. P.S. if you need a hurst front mount. I have one new in the box 75.00 and you pay the ride. Gene 410-982-4042.

 

This old PG transmissions are not the same as the 60s and early 70s Aluminum versions. If you are just driving around they work ok. My 55 Nomad had one in it.

 

Yes.

Your 1955 oil pan is also a one year only pan, in 56 they changed the drivers side pan rail to make room for the oil filter.

Bob

 

Bob W.......Nice Nomad and a nice Corvette!.

I had a '57 but 327 w/steel PG that blew about a year after I got it running.
So, it appears I have a pretty original '55 265.

Also keep in mind this PG has been very recently rebuilt.

 

Thanks, I also had a 265 I rented out to a couple of shows. It was next to some guys Camaro.

 

Cool!

 

I also have a rebuilt early 50's 3speed top loader (78 case) open drive that I considered but I don't have the trans adapter and they can be rather pricey then I'll need the rest of the setup to go with.