Oddball engines are "fun" sometimes.

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donsrods

donsrods

Well-known member
Joined
May 11, 2007
Messages
10,476
Location
fort myers florida
A lot of people consider the sbc engine overdone or boring, but there is a reason they are so popular. Parts fit from lots of different years, you can get them at any auto parts store, they are cheap to build, and also are very good engines. But some of us like to occasionally play with other, more obsolete engines to have that cool factor. Engines like Cadillac, Hemis, Oldsmobiles, etc are what I am talking about.

I'm putting a 64 394 Olds in my rpu project with a TH 35O trans behind it using a Bentsens adapter kit. Nice kit and it allows me to run a more modern transmission than the old Olds Jetaway. Today I needed to order a starter for it because I am using one of those bellhousings that move the starter to the right side for steering box clearance, and I called Ross Racing in Ohio.

When I told him what I needed he said "It won't work, you have a 166 tooth flywheel and you need a 176 tooth flywheel !" :eek: So I had to call Bentsens and they do make the 176 toother, at $185.00. So, to make this setup work I have $1000.00 in the bellhousing kit, $1000 in a TH 350, $185 in the flywheel, and $285 in a starter.

I know everyone who has played with one of these non mainstream engines has run into these things, like Gastrick , when he put the Hemi in his coupe, but sbc engines are looking better all the time. :D

Don
 
donsrods said:
A lot of people consider the sbc engine overdone or boring, but there is a reason they are so popular. Parts fit from lots of different years, you can get them at any auto parts store, they are cheap to build, and also are very good engines. But some of us like to occasionally play with other, more obsolete engines to have that cool factor. Engines like Cadillac, Hemis, Oldsmobiles, etc are what I am talking about.

I'm putting a 64 394 Olds in my rpu project with a TH 35O trans behind it using a Bentsens adapter kit. Nice kit and it allows me to run a more modern transmission than the old Olds Jetaway. Today I needed to order a starter for it because I am using one of those bellhousings that move the starter to the right side for steering box clearance, and I called Ross Racing in Ohio.

When I told him what I needed he said "It won't work, you have a 166 tooth flywheel and you need a 176 tooth flywheel !" :eek: So I had to call Bentsens and they do make the 176 toother, at $185.00. So, to make this setup work I have $1000.00 in the bellhousing kit, $1000 in a TH 350, $185 in the flywheel, and $285 in a starter.

I know everyone who has played with one of these non mainstream engines has run into these things, like Gastrick , when he put the Hemi in his coupe, but sbc engines are looking better all the time. :D

Don
Click to expand...
they are neat-n-funky
gawd they can cost a lot tho....
 
And sometimes finding those parts can be a real bear if you picked something that isn't as common to use.

Nothing beats the satisfaction of having a knowledgable car guy ask you what it is though.
 
Tell ya what- I dig lookin at a chromed out,acorned and dual carbed Caddy motor. And I would love to build one someday. But with my budget,its gonna have ta stay on my "bucket list"for awhile longer. As things are Im gonna have ta stick to runnin SBC's in all my trucks until I win the state lotto or somethin. I find it easier ta locate a part if I happen to "break" on the road. Just a creature of habit a-guess.:rolleyes:
 
You're right Don, there's nothing cheap about the other engines.
I'm doing a 66 GS 401 Nailhead with a 4 speed in my 33 build. I was lucky enough to have everything. It's at the machine shop and might be getting it back end of next week.
This engine is costing around 1 and 1/2 times the cost to do a SBC.
 
Yep, we sure pay for the pleasure of playing with these "off brands". I just wish I had stocked up on Olds parts when no one else wanted them in the 70's and 80's.

Don
 
I've always been a fan of olds motors. I just haven't had any odd balls yet.
I'm currently collecting parts for a turbo charged 455. Should be fun in a 2000lb car [ddd
 
I hope the ravages of age avoid all ya'll that have designs for the oddballs in your builds. One of my major requirements of my own build was to be as simple and easy as possible and in the end result have a vehicle that is really fun to keep. The older I get, the less I want to wait around for odd parts to show up, the less I want to have to go through all my money paying for those odd parts.
I haven't been in any big hurry. I don't have any special shows to make on a deadline. Every part I've put on was chosen because I could make it work easily and was placed in a way that it didn't cause grief somewhere else to do it. The older I get, the simpler I get and believe me, I started out pretty simple....:rolleyes:
 

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