so i came across a rebuilt 292 out of a '76 p/u. its a pretty good deal on the engine. but my question is....i'm planning on putting this into my '53 chevy 210. i'm NOT looking to build a "race" care....just a good cruiser with some "go" off the light and reasonable highway speeds. maybe put a little smoke out from the tires...hehe. but, before i jump at this engine i wanted some advice/suggestions on things i could do the the engine without taking it all the way down seeing as its a fresh engine to begin with. i'm planning on headers, split manifold, ect. (the normal "bolt on" stuff) just wondered if any has any good experience with the engines and what they are capable of without taking down re-re-building it. and i do understand some of it will depend on my ******/rear end set up too...suggestions welcome on that too! thanks. Chris
I've got one in my 46 Chevy. I followed Tom Langdon's suggestions as to the build-up of the engine. Pretty much stock, except for using LPG pistons (higher compression) a cam, Stovebolt Eng. split cast iron headers, and a Clifford (water heated) 2 x 4 intake, iwth adapters to run 2 Holley-Weber 2 bbl's. It's only been running in and out of the shop so far, but it runs great, and sounds even better! You can't go wrong following Tom's advice...Stovebolt Engine Co. Oh, yeah, as for driveline, I also followed his suggestions, and am running an S-10 5 speed (overdrive) with a Monte Carlo SS rear, 3.73 Posi. best of both worlds, great acceleration, and decent highway running.
yea, i've been doing alot a reading between Langdon's and Clifford...they've got TONS of suff for these engines. i know the 292s are torque monsters, which i like...i just afraid the stock lower rpms wouldn't have enough "go" for what i want. thanks for the input.
The 292 has plenty of power, esp. with a cam, pistons, and more carb. In stock form I've seen them haul 8,000lb trailers around at 75+mph in a 5500lb pickup, so pushing an old Chev around is easy. They are a 7 main bearing engine, so they will take lots of abuse. the Inliners International website should have more info.
I put a 292 in my '37 Chey truck. .060 bored o/s, .100 off the head, lump ported, homade split manifold, Holly 390 on an Offy manifold,RV cam. Runs great. Lays rubber, and ****s gas 'cause Ive always got my foot in the carb. My ****** is a tricked th350. can't rmember what the rear ratio is, probably high. I got about 20K on it and I'm yanking it to put in a 350. I think I overreved it cause it's got a rattle in a rod, and oil pressure has fallen a bit. It was cool for a while; at least I thought so. PanheadGuy
I've got one in my Hup, Clifford intake, Stovebolt headers, Hei & Holley 390. It pushes a TH200R4 trans & 3.73 rear. Sounds great and will leave everything at a light.
What they all said! That engine is about 1.5 inches longer than stock, so you'll need to move the radiator forward some. I had mine custom made new based on a Jeep core, used a short waterpump. Looks and runs real good!
Yeah it's tight in there cause the engine is longer. I can just get a pinky between the head and firewall. Got an electric pusher fan in front of the radiator. No room for an engine fan. Radiator is in the stock position. If you do this.....hang nice short cherry bombs as far front as possible and get the tail pipes as long as possible. When you lift coming to a stop it sounds awesome. PanheadGuy
yeah, and i plan on ordering some engine mounts from langdons... i've been told they're good, any experience with these?
No, I made mine. By the way I am using the stock radiator, cleaned and fitted with a 7lb. cap. It runs cool for the most part. Gets up to 200 when I push it hard in hot weather. If you don't bump the CR it will probably work better.
i used to race a 292 powered altered i would recomend using a 194 chevy nova small chamber cyl head this will raise your compression about one point 8.5 to 9.5 so you wouldn't have to diss***emble motor and buy new pistons dual carb intake [prefferably 2x4 with 450 vacuum secondaries] or may be it would be the cheapest to use 2x1 with the large bore 292 rochester carbs a 290 duration cam with as much lift as you can get 500 or so a set of+ 050 retainers i ran a 306 dur 640 lift cam in my altered and it idled fine at 800 rpm a set off tube headers 1 3/4 or maybe 1 5/8 tube size 32 inch primaries 2 1/2 collectors if useing a automatic trans a slightly high stall speed converter will do wonders if you spend a few bucks on the 194 head you can gain some real power here install 1.94 intake valves and 1.60 exhausts [valves are same as chevy small block] remove center divider form intake ports use ****on head bolt for those head bolts and use pipe plugs to fill in the top off the port install a set of aluminium intake port floor plates available from precision engine service PES in either n or s carolina cost about a hundred bucks these plates achieve the same think as a $1,500 sissel [now mike kirby] comp head does this is one of the speed sercrets the inliners don't want spread around cause it would hurt kirby business he advertises in inliners international mag these plates redirect the air flow and wake up the other wise lazy intake ports thus increasing idle characteristics and performance these will produce about 40 more HP than the stock head configuration PES also offers a ram 4 bll intake to match the floor plates but it's kinda expensive when you install these plates [they bolt in only require drilling 1 hole per port to install] match the intake gasket to the plates by grinding the front of the lip of the plates down i have a good bare 194 head 60 bucks + shipping also have a 292 large bore 1 bbl carb 25 john just how fast are 292 street cars??? about 10 yrs back when goodguys had their street rod shoot out at indy they had two cl***es big block and small block 1/8 mile drags i forgot his name but he showed up with a turbocharged 292 in a 38 or 39 chevy coupe he completely dominated and won the small cl*** beating even 671 blown dual quaded sbc street rods for two years in a row!! not only that but he was turning faster times than the big block cl*** winners!!! my guess is that goodguys either changed the rules or asked him not to return again hey the V8 guys took a beating john
Dude, thanks alot! thats exactly the type of info i was wanting to find! i'm going to print this out and hang it up in the garage for inspiration! thanks again for all the great tips and info!!! take care!
yea, don't know if i trust my fab skills enough to make my own yet. as for the temp, i'd need to make sure it stays cool. here in houston around august it gets pretty damn hot out....thats the south for ya! hehe. thanks. take care
Were you running stock (.312 depression) pistons in your motor? Also, does anybody know where I can buy the LPG pistons? Langdon wants $60 per.
...thanks for all the good info here guys, I'm thinkin of runnin a 292 in my next project, a 48 Ford flatbed.
Expert? By no means, however; If you haven't purchased it yet, do a compression test. That can be done with it sitting on the ground. (of couse it has to have flywheel and starter) Whilest doing that hook up an oil pressure gauge. With the sparkplugs out, spinning with starter it should built up to around 20-40 pounds. Given that I would think you can run it without much problem. I f you already have it, can't hurt to just change the oil and run it to evaluate it. They are bullet proof, a lot of low end torque, you'll be able to tool uphill from a idling standing start by just letting out the clutch and no gas pedal. I love them L-6s ..
You can read up on info in regaurds to a bolt-in lump port Kit. www.T6Racing.org Lump port kits in stock NO mods needed to the Lump Or the intake. Uses stock gasket.Kit includes 3 New head bolts, 3 Pipe plugs for the head 3 lumps and screws.Installation available. Ps injoy the videos as well.
The 292s are great motors. I drive a rebuilt stock one every day. The only time I downshift is when i have to stop, other than that it just pulls in the tall gears. Check out Leo Santucci's book, the Chevy Inline Six-Cylinder Power Manual. There is a ton of good info in there.
Any 292 racing experts: Is it mandatory for engine survival to have aluminum rods and forged pistons in a drag race 292?
thanks alot for the input, granted this post is about a year old now. but i did get that 292 and put a cam, offy 4 bbl intake w/a 600cfm edle. and langdon's headers on it....boy does it move that '53 of mine! i love it, and it sounds pretty damn good for an inline, had many people(dump) ***ume that i'm running a SBC, boy are they surprised when i pop the hood
Where did you get the cam? I have the 292 in my Nash and 250 in truck, both have multicarbs to my liking, but my next move is to improve performance with/cam/valve work.
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