Best all-around 1950's rod motor ?

If you keep it in town and keep the RPMs in check, a flatmotor is hard to beat. If you want to get it on the highway for a cross-country trip, a Red Ram 241 or 270 is hard to destroy.

 

Hemi...hands down...

For sheer intimidation.

 

nailhead if we're talking overhead. if not, merc flathead.

 

I dunno, it depends on the car. For a full fendered '50's ride, I like to see the motor and body match, particularly Ford motors in Ford cars. But I'm a Ford freak so you gotta expect me to say that.... That Straight 8 Poncho described would look so cool under the hood of a mild custom '54 Chieftain even if it wasn't very quick. Nothing looks sweeter in a '50 Olds 88 than a chromed up 394 or an early Hemi in a '55 Plymouth. A multi-carbbed FE in a '55 Crown Vic would be my ultimate dream for a '50s car. In traditional hoodless hot rods, anything vintage goes! But my favorite would have to be the flathead. Even though they're cantankerous ****ers, don't make as much power modified as most stock OHV's, nothing says HOT ROD like a Flatmotor...

 

I'm a fan of the Rocket as well......

 

If you want to drive your rod, go with a SBC with early speedparts, breather tube in the intake, because you can get a water pump in BFE( read Barstow CA ) Auto parts if you break down.



I own an early Hemi and think they look the most intimidating and most people can recognize a HEMI , whether it is a 241 or a 426. I would run it, but I would be concerned driving across the desert to VIVA.

 

Naturally Im a bit biased to the flathead but I pretty much love them all as long as there are 8 cylinders. Im currently building a 324 Olds for my 43 Ford 1/2 ton and hope to start later this winter on a 1958 Lincoln 430 MEL for a 49 F3 vintage wrecker.

Ive owned straight 8 Buicks, some with cams, multi carbs, headers. You really have to hear one going thru the gears!

Out in the barn is a 1956 374 Packard just waiting for something to put it in; still looking for a Hudson p/u.

And Im still looking for a 368 Lincoln Y so I can pull the 292 out of my 54 F350 and put it in the 31 roadster.

Thanks to companies like Wilcap, Flat-O-Matic, etc adapting a modern ****** is no longer an engineering problem. I used a C4 behind the flatty in the 26T. I'll probably use a C4 behind the Y Block going in the 31.

Im glad to see that at least one other person remembers the Rambler 327.

Altho a terror on the track I dont remember any 308 Hudson 6's in a street driven rod. I raced one in a 39 Hudson coupe.

Ive nothing against the SBC either, owned a bunch. Just tired of the belly ****on sameness. Too boring.

 

1 flathead
2 olds
3 hemi
4 nailhead/ poncho its a tie
5 chevy

 

IMO by far the most under-rated engine offered in a `50's production automobile is the MEL series Ford V8's. No one talks much about them but I consistently see in racing archives the big MEL's going head to head with hemis and Chevs in the gas cl***es and holding their own back in the day. For the MELs it came down to sturdy blocks, generous cubes and real decent cylinder heads. Unfortunately development was shelved by Ford in favor of the smaller FE series engine family.

 

Small Block Chevy is the best all around. Maybe not the best in any peticular aspect, but good in just about all aspects. I would agree with Bobleed that building a unique SBC is just as comendable as running a nailhead or rocket

 

y'alls full of ****!

king of the hill........without even pulling out the arden card......


chromed up, decked out or ratted out.........take your pick! hahaha, I said "ratted"

 

alright, you made me do it.......here's my hand!

you'd done made me bring out the BIG guns!

 

I think nailheads were very popular in the late fifties, they were everywhere.

there was a guy in the Twin cities Mn area that only use to put nailheads in 32's, all day long, tons and tons of em he said he did, if you were looking for flatty stuff his place was a place to get some, he had them lined up like cord wood, alot of em fully dressed! Man i would have loved to see that!

I still love a Chromed out nailhead, hands down.

but olds, cadis, studes, hemis, flatheads,and W's with speed goodies all get me hot and bothered too.

 

My favorite is the early Hemi. Don't expect I'll ever afford one, but its an impressive chunk of iron.

 

good point- I was combing the boneyard one day, and there was this Fomoco product all stripped, with the engine dis***embled and heads unbolted-removed- laying loose under the hood over the block- it was MEL and I had to tiptoe past it lest I fall inside the intake ports- they looked nearly as big as 454 Chevy rectangular ports

The nailhead is one attractive looking engine with the flat valve covers- something about flat valve covers makes a motor look good- kind of like a halter top on a well endowed woman. Gets your attention for sure.

 

And Mine LOL!!!

 

60's, do you need someone to clean out your shop?

 

I never had one, but I'm a fan of 348's

 

Lots of good choices already mentioned, but I'll rate the ones I have personally owned and driven.

My absolute favorite engine /trans combo of all time was in my 1955 Cadillac Series 62 sedan: 331 cube V8 with a 4-speed Hydro. The 1955 models were 250 HP, except for the Eldorado which was 270 HP.

When I stepped on the gas, the Hydramatic just punched through the gears and you could feel every change as that ****er moved out. I had lots of stoplight fun with the kids in Chevelles!

In later years, GM wanted to soften the changes and the hydros got a quieter, almost mushy feel. Not as much fun, but what most Caddy owners wanted.

I also had a '58 Chevy with a 348 4 barrel (4-jet, I think) backed by a 2-speed Powerglide. Great looks, but the P/G made acceleration lame. As a highway cruiser engine it was fine - big and lazy.

 

MEL.....

 

I'm partial the american motors stock 327 they put in the 1957 Rambler Rebel. Fastest production car from 0 to 60 in 1957, The Rebel was a real sleeper!

 

392 Hemi is my favorite

 

stude v8

 

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