History Happy 70th Birthday To The Small Block Chevy!

Cool stuff
Dan

 

A couple years into the so-called OT zone for many in this joint but the Traco 302's that were used for Trans-Am racing still just make me weak every time I see photos of them........legendary.
Can't say I'm too pumped about that Non-Chevy orange color!



Tra-co Jim Travers Frank Coon.

 

My old little 327.If ya zoom in u can see it better. I know that's what she said

 

Lumpy, I love the chrome script valve covers!! Were they ever used on a production engine?

 

Andy , those are 55- 67 sbc covers. they came in two flavors, staggered bolt and straight bolt. I believe 67 Z28s and L79s had chrome versions.

 

Yup!

 

3 maids in a row. Consider this. When Chevrolet produced the sbc it was for a production cost of around 55$ a unit. The fact that it made good power and lived was a happy accident.

 

70 years of infuriating oil leaks… Maybe we will have them sorted in the next 70 years.

I will never not have one however. I even have spares. Though not exciting or exotic, I think that it is the best looking OHV V8 around. So many are hideous and busy yet the simplicity of the SBC is pleasing without being distracting.

 

Showed it before, however here's a repeat for the valve covers. Stagger bolt Chevrolet script. That one dent dead center over the headers is the only damage.

I don't know what it is, but I seem to always have old mangy looking engines! Here's the 327 that was the 1st old mangy. It's at the engine shop, so hopefully it'll look good on the return trip!

One of them is getting a 3 deuce setup. Maybe one will get this:

 

Dave G I love the way your stacks have the ring flange . Most are just welded bolt bosses .That super speedway cover for the qc is cute also.

 

is that supposed to be a sump??

 

Extra volume for more oil / on super speedways

 

looked like that!

 

Yes, extra capacity. That much more HOT gear oil draining down your sleeves when you are changing gears between the heats and the feature, and short on time!

Thanks for the design compliment. I made those tubes last year to replace the originals that I beveled for clearance for filters on the modified. I was having trouble making bolt bosses on the tubes like the originals, but then looking at a Hilborn catalog fro 1975, I noticed that the then concept of 4 bolts per tube looked like they used a doubler. So as long as I was making new, why not change the design and make it easier to make. I detailed the process in the Whatever project thread.

 

I think they finally solved the leaks when Chevy changed to the one piece rear main seal engines in the late 1980's. Never owned one until I bought the 1990 SBC I built for my '39 Chev, but it sure seems to be working great. Not a drop of oil, or even any slight dampness anywhere under my engine. I only have about 11,000 miles in the two years since I built it, and I also used a one piece pan gasket, but between the pan gasket, and one piece main seal it seems to be sealing better than any SBC I've owned before.

 

But the oil leaks were Chevrolet's way to rust proof the stuff in the path of the escaping oil.

 

I've said this before Dave........I'd rather push my Chevrolet than drive a Ford!

 

Hello,

We started off with a 283 SBC motor for our first official build. My brother was full of knowledge and he wanted a specific 283 with dual quads and a custom Paxton centrifugal supercharger to top it off. It was going to go in a Model A coupe we had bought from a Westside of Long Beach neighbor. As his ideas were put on paper, we were getting the Model A running, so we could get some money on a running 4 cylinder motor for sale.

It was a bright beginning, but got side tracked due to his impatience of the right 283 block and parts available. So, the summer of 1957 and the Model A got sold and so did his 51 Oldsmobile cruiser. Now, for the next 3 years, we were involved in drag racing the high powered 58 Impala at Lion’s Dragstrip. after a lot of losses and wins resulting in trophies for the class, his mind began to wander again.

Now, he had learned the drag racing starts and consistency for wins. So, he felt he had enough knowledge to start building a 283 project for a new coupe. We built a fairly powerful 283 from a long block and added Chevy truck heads, ported and polished and 6 Stromberg carbs. It got us close to winning the B/gas class eliminations, but that was probably the most competitive class with some old timers running at the top of their game at the drags.

After the initial 283 motor, he now had visions of his original centrifugal Paxton supercharger for power. So, another 283 was the next choice with blower spec parts selected. But, in his exploration for parts, he was told a new 671 supercharger kit was coming to the 283 motor. The 671 was on many hemi blocks for the top drag racing FED racers. But not for a small 283 motor.

Jnaki

This new information started a whole new ball game for us. Our friend in Los Angeles was able to inquire and got us a new Isky Gilmer Belt Drive Kit and Edlebrock manifold for a 671 supercharger. Our friend had connections to Vic Edlebrock from the old days and we now had a new system. So, all we had to do was to build a blower spec motor to run the new kit.

Since we inquired, Reath Automotive was able to lead us to the blower spec parts, pistons, crank, rods and Howard Cam and kit. All we had to do was put the new stuff together. The puzzle was the same, but the parts now had more power coming to them and we had to make sure they were going to last. We had everything ready and did not have the new two port Hilborn Injection money ready, so we stuck with the 6 Strombergs.

Note:

This build took longer and we spent many a late night in our backyard garage. But, the final results were good enough for a fast 12:60 e.t and 110 mph run.

similar motor with the new Isky-Gilmer Belt Drive and 6 Strombergs in 1960.

Note 2:

So, it was a surprise when I took the photo and started to enlarge it. Not a 327, but a custom 350, instead.

Since our own 327 powered 65 El Camino, it has been he SBC motor for us in all hot rods. They are simple to keep running great and there were plenty of them to build up a motor if necessary.

But, as nice as a bright colored El Camino is, “who doesn’t like a nice rear end?”


Even though it has he most unusual stock emblem on the fender: YRMV
only in an OT El Camino...

 

Denny, I wholeheartedly agree, but I’ve made a good living over the last 34 years fixing Ford Trucks!!

 

I worked in a Ford dealership once but I'm better now!

 

I drove a Ford, well more than one, but I've also recovered .

Well there was that time with the lady truck driver, the Subaru, and the bowl of mashed potatoes. But I'm much better now

 

I drove a ford once, but I recovered.

That reminds me of the time with the lady truck driver, the Subaru, and a bowl of mashed potatoes. But I'm much better now...

 

Oops, still don't like computers

 

I didn't say I got over it completely!

 

You all know, we're all a bunch of twisted minds. And I am proud of it, personally

 

You’re not fully twisted until you become a Mopar freak lol let the flaming begin he he
Dan

 

There's a running joke among my "Ford buddies"

What's the difference between a small block Chevy, and a bucket full of shit?......the bucket. Bawhahaha.

 

What is the difference between a Ford engine and a bucket full of oil?
The oil stays in the bucket............