I'm still pretty new to the world of hot rods, I have always loved them just never seemed to land in one place long enough to get into the hobby. I recently posted a thread asking for advice on how to proceed with my 36 Chevy pickup project and got a ton of good advice. Now I am coming to ask for help again. I would like any ideas on how to make my 1975 383 stroker look like and early 283 or 327. My big challenges seem to be replacing the valve covers with an older pair and dealing with oil filler and PVC. The other is the MSD electronic distributor. All advice, good, bad or ugly is gratefully accepted.
There’s an old thread that popped up recently about this exact thing. Its gotta be in the first 5 pages scroll and you should find it
There are script valve covers that are not the staggered bolt pattern. My 65 El Camino has them. Edelbrock makes a 4 barrel intake with a knock out to install an oil fill tube. I have seen posts here by others on how to vent the crankcase and not cut up the valve covers. You may find those if you try a search for it. Good luck. I saw your previous thread about replacing the 383. I think this path is better in the long run.
if you try, you can turn this into a huge job. Put your hood on .........Problem solved. Yes !!!! get rid of the MSD distributor. Your PVC is not that big of a deal. I don't remember what your valve covers look like but that is easy to change. On my coupe, I added the PCV to the valve cover breathers. Simple and easy. the little black hose running from the breather into the intake manifold. We closed off the open part of the breather on this side. The other side is open for the air intake. Keep in mind, 95% of the people who look at your car have no idea what they are looking at. The guys on the HAMB will know but for the most part, that is it.
A couple cans of Chevy Orange and Black engine paint, an air cleaner, and valve covers will go a long way. Google images is your friend. Find a 265, 283, 327, etc. that you like the look of, and emulate it.
I made these adapters for my old Cal Custom staggered valve covers not to fool anyone but because I liked them. This is on a 1971 350.
I guess it depends on who you want to fool....yourself? me? some guy who doesn't know anything about old cars? The guys at cruise night? Dealing with crankcase ventilation on the 68ish and later blocks, that don't have the hole in the back for the road draft tube/PCV valve fitting, and doing it right, takes some effort. But it lets you run early valve covers and have the engine last a long time. To do that, I'd consider not worrying about it now, but keep an eye out for an early engine to build over time. Ignition--I'd find a used point distributor, and put it in. Exhaust--Hmmm...need more pics of what you have, but rams horns are pretty darn traditional The alternator--that sticks out like a sore thumb. Not the fact that it's an alternator, they had them in 62, but the location shows that it has the 69 and later style long water pump, instead of the early pump that had the generator or alternator on the driver side. Whether or not you change the location, I'd be highly temped to buy a stock rebuilt 1960s alternator, and hang an old mechanical voltage regulator for it proudly on the firewall. That's just the stuff I notice. But I'll probably never show up at the cruise nights you take it to, so you probably don't have to fool me. Worry about the other guys...
Find some old valve covers that can use a PCV. Why change the MSD distributor, they look just like a stock GM? Don't get too hung up on that "it is better to look good than to feel good" mentality.
I’m a big fan of not really giving a shit about what anyone else thinks. So no need to fool me either, I would do what makes you happy.
I took the easy way out and used vintage NOS parts, not the cheapest, or the more common "whatever is laying around" approach, though it did not happen overnight either. The key parts as people have pointed out are the intake manifold, carburetor, valve covers and oil fill (intake) to start, air cleaner choice too, kind of depends on what you mean by "vintage", as there are more than a couple eras to consider, assuming you want to follow HAMB law. It's also the peripheral bits that can send this plan sideways, things like PC valves, fittings, hoses, clamps, etc. My example.
I've investigated that idea at a much more radical level, e.g. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...s-for-late-model-engines.372446/#post-4036593 Or: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/modern-ohv-on-vintage-engines.1206711/#post-13842770 https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...itional-hot-rod-builds.1259839/#post-14431282
Type the following searches into Google: Make an SBC look old/vintage The Hamb Make an SBC look old/vintage Motor Trend Should give you hours of info/reading material.
Perfect? No. But close enough for me. And I've put 60k miles on it. Yes, I usually keep the hood closed, but am happy to open up if someone asks.
Picked these up for $30.00 at a swap meet last month. The vintage look, but suitable for the '69-'86 engines.
Yep, I like the way they look on this 70’s 350 along with a C3BX intake that we will put the oil fill tube in. I think we have about $80 in the valve covers and intake together.
The valve covers that work already as shown above are just fine. Small steps, somebody mentioned 60s rods didn't they?
At the end of the day a sbc is a sbc. To most they all look the same. Whether it's new or old. Even with some new off the shelf old style looking rocker covers and triple carbs. If you want an unmistakable old school cool look, get an olds, nailhead, y-block or something else from the era. You will loose nothing in dependability or drivability. But gain in style.
Listen to the guys from Oz. They really know their stuff down under. If happen yo find a Packard or Studabaker V8 you have hit the jackpot!
To you, maybe. It's sort of like saying that a '32 Ford is a '32 Ford. I'm sure that there are people walking around at car shows who can't tell the difference between a '32 Ford and a '32 Plymouth...what's the point? I, and many others, can both tell and appreciate the difference between a '57 283 and a '79 305. I appreciate the early OHV V8s myself, but really don't understand all of the pissing and moaning about those evil SBCs. Look at any HRM from say 1958 on, and see what the trend was; as soon as they'd been around for a few years and started becoming more available to the average hot rodder, it became the engine of choice. Small, light, and easily modified for more power. Some of you sound like a bitter woman who likes to make up shit about your ex's new girlfriend/wife in an attempt to discredit her. The early small block Chevrolet V8 is just as much a part of vintage hot rods as the beloved Ford flathead is, and if anyone thinks that it isn't, that's their OPINION, not a FACT. Like what you like, but don't condescend to others for liking something else.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. SAME "DNA" MADE THE SBC THE GO-TO. Zora championed the flathead, then he champed the SBC. As to nailhead, olds, caddy, you'll also gain swap meet and online search time, but lose weight in your wallet too. Hey, I love em all but "...FORD IN A FORD!" is a lame battle cry. Now we have a Chevy in a Chevy but...? Carry on, just being a dick
The small block Chevrolet engine has been a popular engine since DAY ONE, don't hold that against it, a good reputation is earned! I'm biased as I've been a small block Chevy guy since day two, my first car was a 61 Impala with a 348 engine, that was the only roadblock to the inevitable. I got nothing against the 348, you know what they say about your first, car and girlfriend.! Now I also broke some of my knuckles first on a friends' 66 Belvedere sedan, factory four speed, Dana 60, street hemi car, that he drag raced, the next was his high winding small block Ford in a Ford tube chassis drag car (can't say the body here), then my first "serious" racecar, a small block Chevy in a Ford tube chassis car, (also can't mention the car), built by him, I have extremely fond memories of all of them but I also drool everytime I see (and hear) a Boss 302 or SOHC, and anything hemi. I'm just weird that way!
OP: What is your budget for getting the looks right? Like others have said, are you trying to fool the die hard guys, or just have something pleasant and appropriate looking under the hood? I like the '50s look, Red, with dull gloss black for accessories, air cleaner etc. Just paint , valve covers, and big old style air cleaner would do a lot, without costing too much.
Pick a year and start to change your engine up to look like that. Imagine you pulled a stock 327 300 hp out of a wrecked car and dropped it in your truck. Look at stock restorations then add a couple of speed parts. You don't have to replace everything, make it look close-ish. Short water pump / pulleys / brackets would be a good move, but a lot of digging if you don't have any brackets now. Oil fill in the intake changes the look dramatically. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mo...ling-an-oil-fill-tube-in-a-modern-intake/amp/ Not everything came with chevy script or finned aluminum valve covers. A stockish looking air cleaner can be modified for better flow and covers whatever carb you have. A newer alum intake can have the logo ground off and painted orange. I'd keep the headers.
I've done several 350 motors made to look early. I use the repro early style finned Corvette valve covers with no filler or vent holes, the early style Edelbrock intake with the front oil filler tube with a vented cap. I machine the intake between the distributor and carb to take a grommet with pcv valve and a short hose that plugs into the back of the carb. I use a late distributor that looks like the old style. I did this on my deuce delivery, 5 window and roadster. Works good.
I don't hate the small block Chevy as much as I used to but what still gets me is when guys put different make of valve covers on who are they kidding if choose to put a sbc ln leave it all small block I have big money in my olds and I too could of took the easy path but didn't. I built this one 20 years ago and have plans to tear it down again before I put it in my 35 olds
I agree with you hot rod norskie. The small block Chevy is one of the best Motors ever made however no matter what you do to them they still look like the other 10,000 of them that you've seen. Here is what vintage looks like:
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