Hey all, Been doing some work to the engine to try to clean it up a little and thought Id post a few pics. I bought my 51 Chevy about 2-1/2 years ago, the previous owner started on it but never finished it. When I got the car it, it needed A LOT of work. The engine was in the car when I got it. It did run, but also needed work. Here is what the engine looked like when I got the car 2-1/2 years ago:
Then, last year, I had the car far enough where I could really drive it around. This is what the engine looked like last year. I cleaned it up, replaced the ****ty Edelbrock carb with a Holley, and added the Caddy air cleaner.
Then last week, this is what it looks like. Engine has been cleaned, and givin a spray can rebuild and the whole engine compartment has been cleaned up. I added an old Holley intake, Weiand valve covers, and a new air cleaner. Its hard to tell in the pics, but the intake, vcs, and a/c have been blasted and then cleared over, so they have a flat gray finish. Oh, and the air cleaner is an Offy hood scoop that I got from a fellow HAMBer. I made a bottom plate for it and found a K&N filter that fit inside. I will post a tech on this later. This fall I will pull the engine and give it a real rebuild.
HaaaHa, I knew you would give me **** about turning it in to a g***er, you *******! Ya know, the way the engine turned out, it would look pretty good if I made the car in to a g***er now! I think your subliminal comments about "straight axle" - "fender well headers" - "g***er" are starting to take effect!
LOOOOOOOOKS GOOOOOOOOOD! MMMMMMmmmmmm BiG orange engine. not a g***er shes a sleeper. bye bye hondas & mitsubishis gonna put the hurt on em with an old chev!
. I noticed you replaced the radiator... how bad was it with the stock radiator? The reason I want to know is I have a '50 that now has a 350 in it, and I'm planning on using the stock radiator. Thanks, .
It would get a little warm with the stock radiator. But at that time I didnt have a shroud on it either, I think if I had a fan shroud it may have been ok. I know a lot of people that run the stock radiator with no problems. I was kinda looking ahead when I replaced it. I plan on rebuilding the engine and I wasnt sure if it would work too well with a hot-rodded big block. FYI, I got the radiator new off e-gay. It is for a Jeep CJ with a Chevy V8 conversion, the overall size was almost perfect (it is mounted in front of the cowl because Im running the long water pump).
Thanks! I thought those valve covers were rather large. I'm running a small block, so I should be fine if I fab a shroud. I have had a lot guys tell me "No way, man, you're gonna burn up ! What's your flow rate? Is it a cross flow radiator?!? blah blah blah! Your volume is different between the two engines! I'm a big fat expert! Blah blah blah" I thought the radiator was about the right size... so I'm gonna use it. I appreciate the reply. Thanks very much for the CJ radiator tip, I'm going to file that one away for future reference, incase I'm wrong One more question: Why do guys like the long water pump? It's the same as the short, just for different body style cars like Chevelles or whatever, right? Or is there a performance benefit? Not a Big Block guy, don't know, just curious. Thanks again!
If you want to go to the next level, bead blast that clear off those covers and that scoop and I'll polish them for you. I'll do it cheap and fast and it will make a damn clean engine compartment RULE even more than it already does.
Yea, it is pretty cool, and it took me a while to find it, but it really didnt go with the style/look of the car. Plus that thing is really restrictive, the idle would actually drop about 300 rpm when I would put it on!
Man, I saw the second picture and that looked good, then I saw the third picture and wow...Nice engine!!
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