Hot Rods Why do many still build Fords & use Chevy eng./trans.?

People build what they like,
and what they are comfortable with.

SBC's are the easy way out for everyone from hard core paint & body guys looking for a simple answer,
to motor guys who just want to pick up a catalog to order an adapter & motor mounts,
or die hard Chevy guys who will have it in their will for their corpse to be hauled to the cemetery in an ElCamino instead of a Caddy.

I'm an engine guy,
nothing like seeing an old rod with a 3x2 Olds, Max Wedge, big Caddy, industrial Hemi, first gen AMC 327, flathead Mopar 6, FE Ford, or a 409.
I don't know if SBC's are boring,

but just about anything else is more interesting.

 

I don't think boring is the right word.
A SBC tuned well and running hard certainly isn't boring.
Getting planted into the back of the seat certainly isn't boring.
Being able the to reach 325 hp from cast offs, and well under the 1000 mark certainly isn't boring.

They are everyplace and present a common visual image that most guys have seen so many times its been burned into the memory and etched onto the retinas. So much so that they can close the eyes and still see them. Spot Sbc parts from 50 feet in the dirt, on tables, hidden under junk.

 

My 2 cents worth. in aust we have Ford and holden(same shit) age old argument and it starts in the play ground as kids and never goes away.
Im a ford bloke always have been but unlike most ive owned the other as well i prefer the blue ones.. I cant say chevs inford doesnt annoy .it does.but not to the point that i want to make an ass of my self over it.This sports all about self expression so hay go for it. Use wot you got hay.
I have to agree though with putting in a sbc does seem like the easy way out ford rods with chevs look great with bonnet and side on. this sbc in ford has become boring i agree not because i prefer fords us guys have options these days yes sbc used to have so much more gear avail but now all the common place go gears available for most the kool V8s nower days. Olds Rockets, Hemis,Nailheads,Yblocks,Flatheads.Caddys,Ponchos All of these old engines look great and sound awesome yeah in some cases a little harder to fit but hell its all about the end result hay.I dont mind people fitting sbc in fords i just think its a well walked path is all.My 2 cents spent

 

It is a historical fact that Chevrolet has always made old Fords faster. From Frontenac heads until the present day, if you want an edge use a Chebby. Chevrolet Brothers were putting Fords fitted with their heads ahead of the pack from the beginning. Those of us who know better do better. A Chevrolet in a Ford is as traditional as apple pie and a slice of cheese. Next.

 

Hey MATACONCEPTS,
You couldn't be more wrong in ALL of your ASSumptions. I've never worn all black, listened to only one type of music, or claimed to be anything more than I am. That would make me as big of a stereotyping, closed minded, dumbass as you are. I've tried to stay very respectful throughout this thread toward everyone's opinions. However, when you go making some of the ignorant personally directed comments you have, it makes a side of me come out that I try to keep caged.
My Model A is actually a 29, but I don't expect someone like you to be able to read the title. The wheels are red because that's the color they were when I bought them. My top isn't going to be chopped, it will stay stock height. As for satin black paint jobs, I don't have a problem with them, but my car won't be that color.
As for the drilled grenade, pack it with gun powder & shove it in your ass! I'm sure someone on here will give you the match to light it! ENJOY & Have a nice day!

 

So how do you really feel Mr. Elite ?

 

^^^^ Craaaap ^^^^^ Chill out Mr. Elite, it's ok, you can have a SBF, really, it's ok.

 

A SBC is cheap and easy, but a BBC in a Ford is fun! Not a easy install, but more fun than a SBC or a SBF!

 

What??? Who me??? Was it something I said?? I'm all good!

 

They used to make Ford valve covers for chevys but never seen chevy covers for fords. You can even get flathead valve covers for chevys, not fords thou. They been trying to hide chevys for years. I guess it's the old lipstick thing

 

I would never do it.

 

Hey Brian,
I have to say that your green '36 Ford Tudor Touring Sedan is one of the coolest uses of an ugly trunk back sedan ever! Nicely done!

 

Forget SBC's......
What about all the T-5's being used these days?? In "traditional" cars even?...oh the horror.....

 

Okay, I'll be serious before this gets closed. My dad was a Chevy guy. So was my brother. In fact... all my friends are. But when it came time to plan my car, I shopped around. The Ford engines, 302 and a couple 351's, were ALL higher priced than the SEVERAL SBC's I had found. I was on a budget and would have taken anything cheap. Then, I looked at the cost of speed equipment and upgrades. Chevy won again. So, for me, it was family tradition and money.

I like all kinds of engines. I have respect for them all, but damn it, the SBC has been kicking ass and saving guys like me money for almost 60 years. It's like I would have been stupid for choosing something else.

Now...... close this crap. It's an old argument and will prove nothing.

 

Chevys are cheaper and easier to find correct parts needed,as adaptors,transmissions,I have a high output lincoln engine 1989 ,that I changed over to a holley four barrel carb,I wanted to adapt this eng to a mercury three speed and coundn,t find an adaptor for (302) to old 1950 Mercury trans.I finally installed a 289 ford engine with the adaptor to the 3 speed Mercury. If some one would make an adaptor for the 302 ford engine to the older models Ford and Mercury transmissions,I believe more people would start using the Ford engines. Veeee8

 

350's are cheap and easy ------ like a toothless cigarette smoking prostitute.

 

Maybe I'm missing something. Everyone seems to be focused on SBC in a Ford. My thought is.....Why not make the motor interesting and different? Like a Hemi in a Ford? A Lincoln or Caddy in your Streetrod? A V-6 Buick in your Model A? I thought Hot Rodding was about being different....not doing what everyone else does!

 

Until someone takes aim and purposefully dethrones the Sbc it will remain there.

Basically they need to establish the old bellybutton obsolete and create a new belly button .
Ford held the belly button thrown from 32-55ish. Chevy did this to ford & ford played catchup by reinventing the wheel every year, something new , something different, some stuff that doesn't fit.

The first thing they need to do is design an engine that can be produced as long (1955-2000) with out much change. This gives a giant pool of common usage and fittment for aftermarket parts. Damn near everything will swap on a sbc and what won't needs to be swapped as a system then it will fit. Looks like the current contender is the LS based platform 1997-2013 & counting.

Is Chevy the best in every category? I don't think so but it's got the best overall average of all things that need to be considered. It's old technology from the 50s that was good enough to still be installed in production thru 2000 maybe 2001.

 

The answer is that it goes back to the 1950's. The expression was a mouse motor in a Ford. Small and powerful pound for pound, eg Mighty Mouse. My .02

 

My reason is simple. Already had my chevy motor from another build and got a good deal on my ford cab. Next one will have a chevy motor too because we have several of them sitting around.

 

The SBC is a great engine. probably the best ever. Due to the marketting of crate engines they are easier and cheaper than ever to drop into your hot rod.
Having said all that, it really is pretty boring to see all those 350/350 rods. Why not use some of that rod building skill and go for the challenge of a 50s or 60s non Chevy engine?? It's almost like saying " I'm cheap and lazy". get a 2nd job, save those bucks and put an Olds or Caddy in there. Use some ingenuity and figure out how to get around that oil pan or steering box.
I attend a few shows each year. The guys are going down the row saying "Yep, 350/350, This one too , yep another one.............

Ain't this horse dead yet??????

 

Best of both worlds!-thats why!

 

Yeah, I am starting to think all you SBC haters are right, Maybe you could give Mr bass a call and let him know that SBC motors suck!....Maybe Some of you can teach him the correct way to build a traditional hot rod, As clearly from the looks of this roadster he has no F**king idea of what he is doing.......LOL. I think he must of cheaped out and went with a small block chevy because he ran out of money having all the chrome he has on this car done.

P.S Brian, If you happen to see this, I am just being a smartass As I love your roadster, The only thing I would change is Your name on the "registration" to mine...LOL

 

Cost is not a good reason. We all don't buy from the same place, so how is cost a comparison. If someone gives me a free SBF, isn't that a better deal than a $2000.00 Chevy crate motor? This is the great ole USA, and you are still free to shop around. I seem to find smokin deals on Ford parts without even trying, and have amassed lots of Ford parts and engines to continue building my cars. I know plenty of Chevy people who have to buy all of their parts, so who is spending more money now? If we are building credit card hot rods, then the Chevy might have the advantage, but I don't build those.

 

I've got an old Fuelie327 (now with 2x4's) in my 29 roadster. It was a free motor from my dad years ago. Best machine work and parts I could buy. I spent freely and equipped as I wanted. Probably makes either side of 400hp and looks great with brand new carbs, Edelbrock 2x4 intake, vintage Corvette covers, cool exaust manifolds, chrome timing cover, and chrome oil pan. Probably have $2,500-3,000 in the motor not including the free motor it's self.

A friend just GAVE me a 57 Caddy 390 that should run. I'll have $3,000 in just pretty in this rig before even considering the machine shop. I've had early Olds stuff as well. It's in no way cheap. I'm as good a bargain hunter as anyone on here. Olds/Caddy stuff is just more expensive. Period.

 

I've been thinking about this thread and this is what really matters to me. I really don't care what engine you run in your ride, what really matters is the over all design and engineering of your ride.
How well you design your ride, it's overall look is more important then what engine you choose to use.
Engines are just the power to move the the ride and not the final make or brake of the over design of the car.

CRUISER

 

Ghost28 and EliteS&C, Great Posts Guys !!! Putting together Old Chevys and dealing with the wood has always been a challenge. I am "Brand Loyal" and always will be but in the years that I have devoted to cars and to the many friends I have at some time helped. I can appreciate people having their own Loyalties and pursuing their Dreams.
I had a Guy Cuss me up one side and down the other because I simply asked, "Does your 33 Ford have a SBC and Turbo" He informed me that "It took a real man to put a Ford in a Ford. I totally agreed with him and stated, "I think Henry did that back in 1932" I really ticked him good when a week later when he found out that I was the upholstery guy that had been recommended by his friends. After he whined and cried through his apology I simply smiled and told him, "Son You and Your Daddy don't have enough money to get me to work on your projects !!!" People need to lighten up as it always comes back around.
Bryan G, My Dad owned a 1963 GMC Pick-up with the 305 V-6 (I was 16 at the time).
It was sorta low on HP and Speed but One Hell of a Torque Monster. On flat ground it hardly ever got out of third gear. Carry on and enjoy......... Jeff

 

Hey Cruiser, Great Post !!! Hot Rodding used to be what you could afford and what was available at the junkyard or in your Buddy's garage. I get a lot of pleasure out of the different cars and the quality of the build. I don't really give a S#!T what powers them. If I want to see power I can go to the Drag Races.........Jeff

 

I'm not sure the flathead V8 "held the throne" from 32-54...most of the prewar racers were still running & setting records with the A & B motors - that's where most of the aftermarket support was at the time.