Guys, In my search for an inline 6 car, I stubbed my toe on a 62 nova 4 door with a 3 speed stick and a 4 banger. 1. Is this a decent motor to just leave in there for a daily commute? 2. How hard would it be to drop in a 250 I6 in it's place? Thanks in advance, John
One of my friends had a '62 153/3 speed Chevy II in college. It topped out at 73mph! Clifford Research made intakes, cams and headers for them, but they're few and far between; in all the years I've been buying and selling speed equipment, all I've ever found for them was a couple Mallory dual point distributors. Since they came with 194 six cylinder engines as well, it would be no problem to drop a 230 or 250 in one, although I believe that, like the early V8 cars, they require a unique oil pan and pickup tube.
The 153 four banger is really just a 194 six with a couple cylinders cut off, so putting a straight six in it's place isn't a big deal at all. As Heathen stated, those cars came with 194 sixes, so factory motor mounts, hoses, belts, etc all work. The motor itself isn't bad, but it's no powerhouse, either! It IS every bit as reliable as the trusty 194, 230 and 250 six bangers were, though...so if you're just looking to drive the car as a beater, it'd be kinda cool to leave that old four popper in tact if it runs decent!!
90 hp @ 4K, 152 LBFT@2600. 8.5 TO 1 CR. I had a friend in HS who draged his in N/stock, got a lot of lights, beat a lot of cars.
Thanks guys. I'm still on the fence since I'd realy just rather get an I6 car that would be turnkey for me. It's great to know that I could get all the parts I'd need and make them work OTC and not need a engineering anf fabrication degree. Not that I couldn't do it, but my garage time is precious and scarce. I miss my old I6 car and had another sell from under my nose last month. I guess I'll have to try to be a little more patient and not force the issue, unless I can steal that one. And in case it matters, I'm looking for a cheap old I6 car. Dont care what year or flavor or how many doors it has really, as long as it at least has potential to be cool. Jeff YOU ARE ON for that drag race, but I think we should run our caprices too while we're at it. Thanks again for the great info, John
Clifford 4BBL manifold on ebay now for the 153 motor. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Clifford-Aluminum-4-bbl-Intake-Chevy-153_W0QQitemZ190040403510QQihZ009QQcategoryZ36474QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Maybe you should sell me the 4 banger and I'll drop it into one of my Model A's...that way I can stay 4 banger powered and yet tell 'da guys..."yeah, it's got a Chevy mill." Right now, I run a Ford Pinto 2.0 liter 1971 mill....gets me down the road.... Seriously, my cousin Tommy John had one in a US Post Office DJ-5 "Dispatcher" Jeep..with a 2 speed powerglide and a posi rear end. He got thru everything that he wanted to get thru...except for one time when he was beyond where a 4 wheel Jeep should have been...and had to get a wrecker to pull him out....In the middle of a snowstorm in the Allegan Woods.... A six will drop right in....any of the 194's-235's-250's....and bolt right up to that three speed trans too. I think that the oil pan was just a problem with the SBC V8.
Correction...I meant 230, not the earlier 235 that they used up to what, 1962-63?..my old memory is a little fuzzy this early in the am.
These are neat little engines I've got a couple. I'm planin on puttin one in my '27 rpu. Chevy made engines for Mercruiser also. The boat engines are rated at 120 and 140 hp. The extra hp is developed in the head with bigger valves and better flow. If you can find an old boat engine that has frozen and cracked the block you can use the head on your engine. I've read of these engines puttin out up to 250 hp. Along with a Mercruiser head I've bored mine .o6o over useing flat top pistons, zero decked the block to bump the compression a little, and I am installing an aftermarket cam. Cams ar available from Comp Cams, Clifford still has the intakes and headers available on their wep site. Pertronix has conversions for electronic ignition. Check this one out to see just how cool these little bangers can be.
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