Smallest V8?

[ArmchairRacer]

Been a while since I posted, I usually lurk and Google answers to my questions, but Google has failed me. I'm planning on building something similar to this build: http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30220 but I'd like to build it such that I don't need the bump out in the hood to fit the air cleaner. I want to have the option of leaving all the sheet metal factory so that nobody will suspect a thing until I fire it up and they hear a v8 instead of an aircooled vw engine. So what's the smallest, height and length wise, common v8? Mopar 318? Ford 302? Chevy 350? Chevy 5.3? Ford 4.6? I'm not opposed to running fuel injection since this will be covered up, so if I can shave an inch or two that way I'm all for it. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Whyworry]

A few years back I saw a bug with a chevy 350 front mounted ..ya couldn't tell until you got up close the hood had the indented areas cut out with a mesh covering the areas ...that and the tires were a dead give away . guy opens the hood & man it was a tight fit but was a real cool car ,,,only saw it one time... wished I had taken some pics. good luck on your project .

 

[Bamamav]

Look into a 60's Buick 215 alumimun v8.

 

[Tripper]

Look into a 60's Buick 215 alumimun v8.

Buick sold that motor to Triumph back in the day & it can also be found in some Rovers! From my memory they had problems with those alum blocks though.

BoB

 

[Old Iron]

The answer to your dilemma is, SBC, tarantula intake and dry sump.
Also use a Moroso drop base filter with a 2" in tall element not the 3" element.

 

[Torchie]

Look into a 60's Buick 215 alumimun v8.

They sold them to British Leland which owned Triumph and Range rovers by that time.
Rovers still use a variation on this engine I believe.
Back in 1975 I helped my brother put one into his 73 Vega station wagon.
Talk about a runner! 3 speeding tickets in one day. LOL And being that we lived in a small town they printed it in the weekly paper under the police reports section.
Our mom had a fit.
Torchie.

 

[Sam_Fear]

How's the LS1 compare to a carb'd 350?

 

[Tripper]

How's the LS1 compare to a carb'd 350?

LS motors are aprox the same size as a 350!

BoB

 

[Sam_Fear]

I figured the fuel injection sat lower than a air cleaner.

 

[maverickmk]

What about something like this?

 

[ArmchairRacer]

The answer to your dilemma is, SBC, tarantula intake and dry sump.
Also use a Moroso drop base filter with a 2" in tall element not the 3" element.

What little I've found about the tarantula intake is that it doesn't do well under 3500 rpm. I want this to be a street driven vehicle which means it'll spend most of it's time under that number. As long as I'm not looking to build crazy insane amounts of power should I me ok with it?

 

[Old Iron]

A short Edelbrock 2101 Performer dual plane intake would answer the lower rpm torque and HP needed.
A dry sump oiling system will let you install the engine a lot lower in the chassis.

 

[Ricks Garage]

LS motors are considered a big block. They are bigger than a small block, but lighter. I put one in a 68 Camaro and it just fit (with a little transmission tunnel massage.
The reason GM dropped the 215 was due to too many casting problems, approx 2 throwaways to every good one. One engineer told me it was closer to 3 to 1. A 63 Buick special (215, 4spd) did the best burnouts in High School (four story building tall!)

 

[Flipper_1938]

The smallest north south motor that I can think of is a GM 60 degree V6. I know it is not a V8, but it is small.

 

[440shorty]

short V8

How about an Olds 307 or 350 out of a FWD Riviera/Toronado? They were mounted high in the chassis and so have very low intake manifolds.They were mounted North/South and will take regular RWD transmissions. Use a stock rwd oil pan and pickup. good torquey street engine.

440shorty.