Hello all, I apologize if this has been covered before, but I came across one thread on it but the pictures were gone and left me with more questions, so here goes, I have a 1954 Chevy 210 I am restoring, paint is done, interior is done, I’m working on the final chrome polishing and installation and other odds and ends, my mind never stops and I want to repower the car, currently it has a 235 inline 6 and a power glide transmission. 1954 roads, this car would be fine, but with the power glide transmission makes this thing an absolute dog, I was originally going to swap a 200r4, big 10 rear end and a 283 small block but if I can keep the original power glide and just put a different engine in it that’s the route I would like to go. I was thinking about the 292 inline 6, I know they’re different bell housing patterns, does anyone know a place who makes adapter kits to put the 90degree v6/v8 engines in front of the power glide? would the factory transmission hold up to the larger engine? What’s the “safe” limit of the cast iron power glide. Most of the people I know who messed with these cars back in the day have either p***ed or have dementia. Im not looking for a race car, but would like to be able to take this car out on the “highway” 2 lane interstate, 60mph speed limit, and not get run over by idiots. Am I crazy for thinking this or am I better off swapping the whole driveline. if anyone has any pictures of one of these swaps or just swapping a v8 into the factory closed drive line I would appreciate it. Thank you
You're better off in many ways to convert the car to open drive line, if you intend to use a "modern" engine with the 55-up V8 or 63-up Straight 6 bellhousing design. I've put a lot of miles on old cars that are happiest around 60 mph, or even slower, driving across the country. The idiots are idiots no matter what you're driving. I've never been "run over" by them. Also you might find that the car can go faster than you think it can, but perhaps you're used to modern cars that turn only 1500-2000 RPM at highway speeds? In the old days, 3000-4000 RPM was common engine speed on highways, and even if you don't believe it, the oldies can handle it just fine. Two weeks ago I spent the day driving a very old Volvo home from Texas, 850 miles, 4000 rpm at 70 mph. The car didn't care.
I appreciate the input, I am going to need to get some miles in the seat to really decide I guess. I’ve had the car for about 3 years now and I’ve put about 2 miles on it, that was a drive down the road to make sure that it would shift into high range and back home. Was in the paint booth almost a year and another 6 months in the interior shop, I’ve been polishing chrome off and on for a year and a half. I need to finish up the brakes and chrome and I’m hoping to get a feel for what the car will do on the road. I got the hot rodding gene from my dad and can’t seem to leave anything alone. I was just thinking the 292 would be a different swap and wondered about logistics of it
The main problem is that the cast iron Powerglide changed several times over it's use from 1950-1962. The early ones with closed driveline don't have much interchange with the later ones that fit the V8 and later Six engines. and they played with the shifting, vacuum modulator, torque converters, valve body, etc over the years, so you can't just put a later bell on an early rear housing and be done with it.
That’s what I was really wondering, is there a good write up somewhere that explains differences and changes they made on the cast iron powerglides at all? There may be some bugs to work out in my transmission due to the fact that it sat since 1979 tore down to bare metal and lead, the power glide is a foreign beast to me so I’m sure there are some things I need to learn about it
I don't know about any write ups on it...but you can look at how it works and how to service it here https://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1949_53/index.htm and what parts were used in the early ones here https://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/parts/1929_54/index.htm and the slightly later ones here https://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/1929_57chevyparts/index.htm
I drove my '53 Chevy with a '58 235 and stock three speed and 3.70 rear end to Carlisle (460 mile round trip) at a constant 70 mph with the only problem being sore wrists from hanging onto that big steering wheel for that long.
I had a '54 with the factory powerglide and 235 in high school. I took it to the track once. It did the quarter in exactly thirty seconds flat. About half way down the track, I started feeling like I'd never get there. It was embarr***ing I had another one while in the Air Force, this one had a factory three speed and 235. It was surprising how much better that car ran compared to the one with the powerglide.
If I had a three speed I would probably keep it, it’s just the shift into high range that kills it. I know they’re not race cars but I agree. What I’ve seen it’s pretty doggy. Also I appreciate the links. Any information is good information. Especially since my usual transmissions are manual shift. Only owned 4 vehicles with an automatic in my life. The other 20 have been standard shift
The bellhousing is different between the 6 and V8 versions, the indent for the starter is in a different place, and there are a few bolt holes also in different places. You'd think they'd be the same, but no.
I drove a 54 Chevy with the same drivetrain as yours 20 years ago as my daily driver. Took it everywhere. 4 lane, 2 lane.......it just cruised along.
Eh.....the "they handled 3-4k rpms just fine" idea always bugged me. Back then a car all spent at 100k. And ridgereamers were commonly needed on 50k mile engines to pull pistons without wrecking the rings. The fact that my later model 350 that had overdrive stock is in better condition than my older 350 that had a th350 with 80k miles backs up my sentiment
One thing to consider when replacing the stock engine…. The e-brake controls go beside the engine and not over at the A piller under the dash which started in 55…
I road all over Washington and the Oregon coast in the back seat of my grand parents 54 210 two door post from 54 to 61 when they traded it for a station wagon . It was a bit faster if my grandmother was driving but made a lot of 200+ mile road trips. It's all in what you want. As is the cars are great cruisers but won't win stop light drags and aren't road burners. From experence the later Chevy straight sixes are a bit too long and you fight fan to radiator clearance. a 250, turbo 350 and matching rear out of a mid 70's Nova type ride makes a nice combo otherwise.
The easy way, 283, 350 trans and a 55-57 rearend with higwaygear. Keeping The tube and old axle would cause alot of headace
At the end of the day, It is what it is and what it is ain’t bad. With a 72 year old car, one has to have realistic expectations and drive the car on its terms. You can have a lot of enjoyment with such a car. Man, you are almost there. Almost done. Ask yourself this, Do you really want to make it a garage Queen for another 2 years or so? It may never get done, stuff happens. Most V8 swaps on Pre-55 Chevys are half ***ed. They really require new rear springs….. This gets into mission creep. The E-brake stuff. It’s totally new project requiring new project time and money. Then the steering exhaust clearance issues. These are not easy cars to re-power. If it was me, I would finish it up, put on my fedora, get in it and put that joker in D. Here’s an idea, tune ‘it up, get it right, enjoy it. Take the highway and the back roads. Just love the car. If you want that “seat of the pants” white knuckle hot rod experience. Build a real hot rod. I suggest starting with a Model A ch***is. Put the new project in garage jail, not your runner. Use what sounds like a nice Chevy to cruise around and get parts.
I'm with @F-ONE . Optimize what you have, and enjoy it. We have a young feller here locally with a '61 Biscayne, 235 with a 'glide. He keeps 'er going any way he can. It's still a cool ride. As for me, I'm way past the need to have (what little I have) my hair getting blown back. I kept the inline in my truck. In fact my rear license plate frame says... "I may be old. But at least I'm slow." So I say piddle with it, get 'er running as good as she can, and drive the hell out of 'er!
I appreciate everyone’s input, I’m planning on running as is this year, if it needs a little more I’ll look at it next winter and go from there
I'm thinkin a dual carb intake, a set of fenton cast iron headers and a dual point ignition will make it a little peppier. It already has 3.55 rear gears so there should be no problem on the freeway
As noted the Powerglide cars have the higher geared 3.55 rear gear so will highway drive fine. Is it going to perform well in modern traffic? Probably not, every housewife in a new Toyota will be able to blow your doors off, but having a nice Sunday cruiser with some dual carbs and twice pipes is as traditional as it gets on those Chevys. I had several early ‘50s Chevys and the original hand brake and firewall struts are really the only big concerns in a V8 swap. The rear springs can be used by offsetting the spring bolt hole in the axle mounts to allow for the proper wheel centering. I did one with a 283, powerglide, ‘57 rear end and used the factory P/G column shift. Seems like a lot of time, effort and money has been spent on the ‘54 with paint, interior, etc., before knowing how well it performs. Maybe drive it for a while and see what it does before getting into a complete drivetrain swap. Life is too short for endless projects to me.
Under the hood of my friend's full custom 51 Chev rag top that is chopped and sectioned making the engine look even taller than it is. A full boogie 292 straight six that can and will lead those who think they are the big dogs down the long roads. This car just came out of it's third redo having been pretty well worn down twice because he drives it a bunch and drove it to work every day the roads were good for years .
You wouldn’t happen to have some more pictures of that setup would ya? Or any links to a build thread on it?
I would just rebuild or have someone rebuild the PG trans, it can't get better than that, with what you got. But do it after you get some miles under your belt. Oh yea, from experience, don't be under it when you pull it out of the back of the engine.
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