I don't get it, I grew up in the 70's, and inline 6's were pretty popular due to the gas crunch. since I was a kid I hated the sound of an inline 6, It always makes me think of a slant 6 duster, ford maverick, or other econobox or 2WD pickup from that era. I understand that back when you built what you had, but flathead fords have been around forever (32?), small block Chevy since 55, Y block Fords since 54 (?) So flash forward to now and lots are into building traditional cars. Seems that if your era was anything newer than the 40's your build is aiming for, a V8 would be appropriate. It costs nearly twice as much to build a straight 6 these days, you get WAY less performance, and if they are a 216 or 235 parts on the road are near impossible these days. So help me out guys, why the attraction to an underpowered, heavy, outdated beast? :O Scot
to be different, plus it's just cool to some people. Most old cars are heavy, underpowered, and outdated, but there's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes that's what we like about them.
I dont think a small block looks better than this. Once its all painted and purtied up, I think it will be art. Much more interesting to look at than a V8.
Because it came with a flathead six that worked just fine so why change it? And it sounds pretty good with Langdon headers.
because my Tri-Power 200 straight 6 powered Falcon beat a smallblock powered 67 Camaro by about 2 car lengths at the local strip!
Dunno, why put a SBC in a '46 PU?? Because you wanted to of course!! Me, got an Nova with an inline, a '45 Ford PU w/SBC and a '47 PU with a flatmotor and some other projects that I haven't decided on power yet.
All good opinions, not my opinion, but all good none the less I guess I have always been into performance since i could drive, so just never been my thing. I know you can build a straight 6 to be fairly quick, but dollar for dollar, pound for pound, you cant beat a V8. Take a 2,000.00 budget and build a 6 and a small block, which is quicker by a long shot, double the horsepower would be my guess? Hope I'm not pissing anyone off, it's not my intention, I just felt like being really blunt today LOL. Scot **Edit I'm not just talking small block Chevs, although I did in this post, but Y blocks are bad ass, Olds V8, Early Hemi, Hell, Even studebaker 289's were prety cool. **
because for most of us, its about the building experience. building a small block would be the easy way out. and agreed on the look. you open the hood to a small block and you say "neat" but when you open the hood to a built up straight six, you say "dang that's awesome! someone did their work on this one, it looks sweet!" here is mine that I'm finishing up right now. took me six months to get all the parts I needed.
Some of the fellas like a 6 for whatever reason, some think it is traditional and others just don't have the talent to do an engine swap. Actually for the early '50 Chevies and AD trucks it was pretty popular way back when to leave the 6 in there. They were a bitch to get the exhaust to clear and no one built off the shelf engine swap headers for them.
I've noticed over the last few years a resurgence of the 6 cylinders. When I was in High School, you couldn't get that "6'' swapped out fast enough for a V8. But obviously, if they weren't popular, companies like Clifford Research and Fenton, to name a couple, wouldn't have gotten into the 6 cylinder performance market. An example for me is an AD series p/u, a lot more appealing to me with a V8 than a six (and I've had several with a "6" in them). But that's what makes us all different..right?
Its not cheap to build a flathead Ford either, not to mention, plenty of those inliners were 'taking the flathead Fords' to task in their day.
Sixes were popular 'in the day' with a limited number of serious rodders. Frank McGurk was a GMC 6 guru, made aluminum pistons, billet and regrind cams, valve train parts, aluminum side-and-rocker covers, and adaptors to fit 270 and 302 GMC truck engines to '39 Ford boxes! California Bill Fisher printed Chevy and GMC 'how-to hop up your Chev/GMC' manuals, (as well as for Ford/Merc V8s) and worked tirelessly with the famous Wayne Horning, mfr. of Wayne heads of GMC and Chevrolet. Chet Herbert also performed record-breaking feats at Bonneville, Dry Lakes, and early drags. Frank Iacono held a 1/4 mile track record with a '34 Ford powered by a 302 GMC 6, with Hilborn injectors: 121 MPH at Santa Ana, 1954. (Engine was on the cover of Hot Rod Magazine in 1954) I experienced some 'GMC shock' one night in San Jose, CA. (hometown Main drag) First Street, at a stop light...no traffic for 2 blocks up...I was in my '26 T sedan, with my 3/8 X 3/8 flathead...'37 Lincoln box, 4.44 rear end. Engine was a Merv Furtado short block, and was unbeatable for 100 yards. Period. Or so it had been, until this ugly '38 Chev Stovebolt pulls up on my left side (First St. was a 1-way 3-lane that went South) I look over, the car was 'shabby', and 'noisy'...I gave my spoon pedal a 'goose', and the 12 lb. Weber gave me a fast rev: "Wah-ba!" The guy in the Chevy goosed his: "Zoooh!" I laughed. Watched the lights, counted it down, revved it and popped the sticker for that instant torque jump. "Wahhhh..." Shift! Grab 2nd, and this big noise comes by... The ugly stove came past in a giant leap, scared the hell outa me! The sound it made was Signature GMC: "ZZZOOOOOOM! Grind...ZZZOOOM!" He passed me like a freight train passin' a tramp. I felt like someone had castrated my T, and me along with it! The guy was waiting at the next stoplight. We went slow when the light turned this time, and pulled over by Hambone's...I told him I'd NEVER been beat before, and he showed me his mill...Five (5!) Strombergs, all in a row...IT was a hopped up GMC 302, (I think he said 335 Cubes) and Weber cam and kit, Wayne head. (Intake on the left, exhaust header on the right) It was a 'lesson in Torque'. I hold these engines in great respect, as there were others I became 'aquainted with'. Easy to work on, not cheap to build; there are a few running right now that are tough. There's a gent that runs a '50 Chevy Coupe at Kingdon drags (Lodi) that eats V8s on a regular basis. (he's been running a long time) Don't think he'll be changing over to V8 power any time soon... Pat Ganahl now owns Frank Iacono's beautiful GMC Dragster. Find an article on it. Worth looking at!
So, you really into performance, eh? well, tell me what you are going to build, your idea of the ultimate, and I submit that somebody else has already built something faster.....in the same make/model of engine. A lot of guys got shot trying to be "The Fastest Gun in the West"...............pity, that So, if no matter what you do you are not King of the Hill, why not just face reality and build something that pleases YOU? Inline 6 engines are inherently the smoothest running engines of all the really popular configurations....they are sort of "naturally balanced". Typically an inline 6 will produce more torque for a given displacement, all other factors being equal....and it is TORQUE, not horsepower that moves your car with that satisfying sense of acceleration. Chalk it up to being contrary, more creative, marching to the tune of a different drummer, etc, I salute those past and present who still enjoy inline engines, 4, 6 or 8. Ray
I currently own a V8 but will admit that nothing sounds better than an inline 6 rapping the pipes. I drove behind Jack Rudy's ranfla once and I was almost shitting myself it sounded so good. If I had an ol' Chevy or something with a six I would never swap it. My favorite sound in the world is a straight six Chevy rapping the pipes on the boulevard!
I`ve walked by many a open hood with a sbc at shows but it`s always the inline that makes me stop to take a look. For me it`s not how fast per dollar any more, it`s about originality and an inline has that hands down over a sbc. (I have a 425 Nailhead in my Buick and I built a 283 for my last project but I love those sixes!)When I was a pup a six meant a lame car ...maybe I`ve learned a bit?
I have an inline 6 in my 53 Currently with a 3 speed on the column, ran straight pipes with a split exhaust, man i love the sound of the car, it has an old Bomber plane and Braps like crazy with backpressure when you let off the gas. And i have to say its not hopped up but it gets damn good gas mileage! haha I like the 6 cylinder, and its an experience learning about every engine, I've learned a lot about inlines. Still contemplating about hoppin' up my 6 with some dual carbs and performance parts, or dare i say it... going to the smallblock. haha
The little '38 Chevy pickup in the avatar with its GMC 270 knew about that feeling in the later '50's. It should be able to try it again this spring after 40+ years.
Ray, I am not a big inline six fan, I have owned a couple and even had one or two that were pretty quick. I don't think that I would take on an inline 6 build if I didn't have access to speed parts cheap. I normally don't begrudge a fella for using one. It is a personal choice. I do have a tendency to try and discourage a new guy that thinks he is going to build a 400 HP 235 just because someone has to be the voice of reason. A fella that is realistic is not going to become discouraged as easily as one who has unrealistic goals. I will say that I do favor a high winding 4 cylinder in a light enough car. I probably shouldn't say that out loud because it could hurt my reputation but I said it and that's that. There is just something about that angry swarm of bees sound that a high winding banger makes when you wring it out, that really floats my boat. I said all that to say this an engine is a personal choice. It should always be a personal choice. And that whatever your choice may be you should be realistic about what you are building.
While I have a 396 in the garage with most of the pieces to finish it for the 48 I decided to go with a 292 because I enjoyed the truck so much with the 250 in it. And I like the sound of a six with a good pair of pipes on it.
I'm getting a kick out of all of this, you inliner fellas are pretty protective! All this talk of how much you like the sound of a 6, it is funny how much of a difference of opinion we all can have. The sound is one of the things that just grates on me to hear. Especially with split manifolds and glass packs, braaaap braaaap....all that noise and 90% of the time nothing to back it up! LOL Sorry inline guys but I just can't STAND the sound haha. On a slightly off topic note but not really I find it amusing Chevy went back to an inliner with the Trailblazer, a 5 cylinder if I have heard correctly Scot
LOVED the story Atwater Mike! ....fun stuff...... Thought I had sworn off inline sixes in 1960 when replacing the 216 with an Olds.....fast forward and today find myself with 2 inline sixes and 2 inline eights for some future projects...go figure..?!
Because they are easy to turbocharge, have a 7 bolt main, inline cylinders inherently balanced, different. Here is mine.
You might want to take this question up with Dale Lambrose or Ike Iacono, as they spent the better part of the late forties and early fifties kicking flathead tail with GMC powered cars! Back at a time when a poked and stroked flathead was just barely reaching 300 cubes, GMC sixes were aready 302, overhead, and easy to expand to even bigger! Sound is a super subjective thing too, but in my opinion, few things sound as bone crushingly weird/cool as a high compression six. My old falcon six (cam, carb, and about 10:1 compression) through a VW stinger with it's baffle in had a somewhat mellow, cackle to it, but pull the plug and suddenly you were followed by millions of Great Dane sized bumble bees! An evil window shaking racket that sticks in my mind to this day! Little wonder that the Falcon flock that is now congrigated at the house are all slated to get multi carbed staight sixes...
As you see with my Avatar I drive a Flathead powered 1950 Merc with 3-deuces, 3/4 race cam, Offenhauser heads, dual exhaust with steel packs but nothing in my opinion ever has or ever will sound like a hopped up 261-6 with 3 carbs, split exhaust manifold with Smitty's or straights which I have in my 1952 Chevy. And with the 3 speed and 3:55 rear end she ain't too shabby out of the starting gate. This is what I drove in HS and she has held her own for over 50 years.
See... That's where you got it wrong! You must have some lowrider types runnin' round your 'hood. They do the pointless splits and 12" glass packs TO GET that awful noise. Bumping the compression to the ceiling and running through a single 3" or even better 4" pipe gets you a roar that is deep, strong, and throaty! I bought a '48 Chevy two door a bunch of years ago that the P.O. was very proud of that exhaust system on. Drove it home, pulled in the back yard, cut it off and strung a 3" straight though with a baffle in the end. Problem solved!
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