Lets talk Small block chevies! Some history from say 1955 to 1963

My 283's are 64 El Camino, 65 Chevelle Wagon & one unknown ( so they don't fit the " '55- '63"), I sure love hearing and seeing all this. I have pieces & parts everywhere. Can't wait to get to the Camino resto. If I were smart, I'd do the 65 - it had a much easier life, but it wasn't my first "purchased with my own hard earned money" in High School car...

 

I know its an old thread but lots of good SBC info here. Bass's motors are gorgeous.

 

Our 327 in the little Chevy II

 

Never heard it said better than that.

 

350....."disguised" as an earlier model...double hump 327 heads, old Weiand intake (1959?), Stromberg 97s, Jackson Roto-Faze (dated 1963), Cal Custom v/c's.........runs pretty damn good.....

 

Serious builders and people who really drive their hot rods know that SBC's produce more power per dollar, have more vintage speed equipment to choose from (see pic below) and better "Podunk" parts availability than any other motor. Only posers knock SBC's.

 

I used to like Chevy's only, just like my old man. But when I grew up, I realized that limiting ones self leads to stagnation and boredom. I have a nice SBC in my T Bucket, but if I had found a rubber band I could wind tight enough, I'd be running that.

Serious builders know they can squeeze power out of ANYTHING, given the time and money.

 

I'm going with an early Avanti II or a Checker.


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Probably one of the first:
Chevrolet Engineering photo of XPGM prototype 265
Notice the 2 bolt valve covers on one side like a Y-block Ford

 

Early SBCs are kool and I run 2 FHs and a Hemi. I cant figure out why everyone rags on em, they've proven themselves in just about every form of automotive endeavour that exists.

Nope, they're fine by me.....

 

Great thread Eric, deserves to be back in the mix. Always topical.

Love this, from hotrd32's album:

From Motor Life 1957:

 

It appears from the steering shaft placement to be a mock up configured for the Corvette.

 

Some years ago I bought a '55 210 4 door with a good running 265. The body was junk so I pulled the eng/trans out and scrapped the body. When I pulled the valve covers off, I found it had a set of shaft rockers. I had never seen this on a sbc before. While talking with a fellow Nomad owner in Illinois, I told him about the engine. He was up here within a couple of days and took it back with him.

It had an august of '54 casting date. I'm sure the shaft rockers were aftermarket, but who knows what GM did in the early Chev V8 days

 

Ummmmm, No. Up until 74', the Ventura shared the same exact subframe as the 1st gen F bodies. 67-9 Firebirds were running Pontiac motors. The corporate motors didn't arrive until the late 70's.

 

Old thread but cool stuff... Diggin the Snow White waterpump.

 

LOL I actually got some late model stamped steel rocker covers that look like those in the basement. I'll bet when they went to the center bolt rocker covers someone looked at that pic and said, "Oooohhhhh yea baby!!!!!"