Confused about old fords

Gum6y · 10-10-2009, 02:17 PM

Am really confused I have a trade magazine in front of me. There are about 6 Ford Roadsters (1930-6) advertised and most of them have Chevy engines.

Why are they restored with Chev engines I don't understand??

:

This has been bugging me for a while now.

XW 393 · 10-10-2009, 02:19 PM

I think it has alot to do with ease of fitment and because of the popularity of it kits are easily found. My boss has a T Bucket with a 308 in it.

**Falcon Coupe** · 10-10-2009, 02:22 PM

Yep, plenty of Chevs around, cheap and easy to make power.
That said, i'd not have one without a Ford powering it.

Gum6y · 10-10-2009, 02:30 PM

Am sitting in Cleveland Ohio and there are some good deals compared to Aus prices. I am also in agreement no Ford would get in my shed with a Chevy engine.

1934 Ford Roadser 350 Chev $42k

1947 Ford 350 Chev $31,500

1930 Ford Model A 327 Chev $27,900

1923 Model T $12,500

1932 Roadster 348 Chev $25,000

1940 Street Rod 350 Chev $42,500

Majority are Chev powered how can Ford fans do this for the sake of a few bucks??

4VCLEVO · 10-10-2009, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gum6y

Am sitting in Cleveland Ohio and there are some good deals compared to Aus prices. I am also in agreement no Ford would get in my shed with a Chevy engine.

1934 Ford Roadser 350 Chev $42k

1947 Ford 350 Chev $31,500

1930 Ford Model A 327 Chev $27,900

1923 Model T $12,500

1932 Roadster 348 Chev $25,000

1940 Street Rod 350 Chev $42,500

Majority are Chev powered how can Ford fans do this for the sake of a few bucks??

They are not ford fans, they are hot rod fans. Compleatly different bunch of blokes.

CHEETR · 10-10-2009, 02:39 PM

well said clevo

Hardtopxb · 10-10-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gum6y

Am really confused I have a trade magazine in front of me. There are about 6 Ford Roadsters (1930-6) advertised and most of them have Chevy engines.

Why are they restored with Chev engines I don't understand??

:

This has been bugging me for a while now.

I think it has to do with the engine bay width etc,the old Fords were mainly I6's so didn't have a lot of room to fit V8's. Cheve's bieng not as wide were the simple solution. Also Hot Rodders put anything in their cars..

Qwik6 · 10-10-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hardtopxb

I think it has to do with the engine bay width etc,the old Fords were mainly I6's so didn't have a lot of room to fit V8's. Cheve's bieng not as wide were the simple solution. Also Hot Rodders put anything in their cars..

Believe they just had flathead 4's & 8's.

Hardtopxb · 10-10-2009, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trav 4.0

Believe they just had flathead 4's & 8's.

Yeah. you are right 32 to 53 were flatheads..Still think it was a width problem though..

Nikked · 10-10-2009, 03:24 PM

Chev engines were popular because of there size and aftermarket accessory's. I believe on major one was a shorter water pump. Now days with custom chassis and fiberglass bodies any engine is fair game.

Still, one of my favorite rods is a 34 coupe with a (Ford) 429 hemi, and its supercharged!

Franco Cozzo · 10-10-2009, 03:47 PM

I wonder if anyone uses 1UZFE's from Toyota, thats a good V8 with plenty of potential.

Bossxr8 · 10-10-2009, 06:55 PM

The status quo is definately changing, especially here in Oz. It used to be that nearly every hot rod had a Chevy in it, but I reckon now that your more likely to see a SBF than a Chebby.

It used to be that Chevs were dirt cheap to build and parts were easy to get, whereas the Fords part selections were minimal and more expensive. The wide availability of Ford parts has changed this, although Ford parts still generally cost a bit more.

**Elks** · 10-10-2009, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

The status quo is definately changing, especially here in Oz. It used to be that nearly every hot rod had a Chevy in it, but I reckon now that your more likely to see a SBF than a Chebby.

It used to be that Chevs were dirt cheap to build and parts were easy to get, whereas the Fords part selections were minimal and more expensive. The wide availability of Ford parts has changed this, although Ford parts still generally cost a bit more.

100% correct, then add in the fact that a small block chevy is actually quite small, smaller than a 308 holden or 302 windsor and way smaller than a cleveland made it easy to fit into the small engine bays of the early cars.

I'd never do it.

Pinkbits · 10-10-2009, 07:53 PM

I have a mate with a 2 'A' model ford hot rods.
The first one is a roadster pick- up running chev 350 & turbo 350. The second is an "improved" A tudor which is currently being built and will run either late model injected windsor & auto or 351W carb fed & C4 with stall convertor.

kircher · 10-10-2009, 08:07 PM

I really don't understand these hot rods. I think they look better as period hot rods with period correct colours, and the standard steel wheels with bias ply tires. Plus flat head V8s look and sound really good. I've never heard a v8 that sounds better. The edelbrock heads for them have been around since the 50s too I think, so it's correct for the classic look. Do you really need power in a car made in the 30s and 40s? You'd think 300+ horsepower and the torque of the modern engines couldn't be all that good for them.

I guess it all boils down to personal preference, but everyone else seems to want sickly colours and mag wheels, and the more unique way would be to leave them alone, or go for the classic look, or even the rat look.

China · 10-10-2009, 11:37 PM

As clevo said hot rodders are different if you look at some of their cars you will see they can me built up from 3 or 4 different makes, jag rear ends, holden frnont ends, chev engine, ford body, chrysler radiators all in the one car, personaly I would keep it all one (Ford) and have done to several cars but I am not a hot rodder I am a enthusiast.

ford man xf · 10-10-2009, 11:46 PM

exactly what a hot rod is modified street car exactly what they were doing in the 50's & 60's.

ford man xf · 10-10-2009, 11:48 PM

also is it easier to supercharge the chevy blocks with the distributor at the back of the block I remember someone mentioning that in the hot rods if you want to run a supercharged setup the chevy engines makes it a whole lot easier having the distributor at back of block?

dave351cid · 11-10-2009, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XCPWSF

I wonder if anyone uses 1UZFE's from Toyota, thats a good V8 with plenty of potential.

i`m not sure of the toyota model codes etc but this nice rod has some kind of toyota V8 under the bonnet.
i thought i had a pic of the engine but appearently not

ZDI-970 · 11-10-2009, 09:51 PM

id say they have chevs in them because hotrodders use what they have laying around like old holden utes with v8s etc because who'd leave a ford with a v8 laying around?

falzoony · 11-10-2009, 10:00 PM

[QUOTE=dave351cid]i`m not sure of the toyota model codes etc but this nice rod has some kind of toyota V8 under the bonnet.
i thought i had a pic of the engine but appearently not

A toyota motor in a hot rod?

homegrown · 11-10-2009, 10:10 PM

I think another reason is because the distributor is at the back and looks neater. Especially with so much engine showing. but main reason would be so much chev parts available. you look at a mag and there'll 5 times as many chev motors than fords.

Chilliman · 11-10-2009, 10:18 PM

A few years back, when I holidayed in San Diego, I saw quite a few Hot Rod's with 'period' Flathead V8's. For a lot of hardcore hotrodders over there its more about the Flathead V8 - those guys wouldn't even consider swapping in a OHV V8, Ford, Chev or otherwise. They even have a special class of drag racing restricted to Flathead V8's!

Afterall, this is the engine that started it all - the custom car scene, street machines, the aftermarket industry, muscle cars, drag racing, etc, etc ,etc...................................

kircher · 12-10-2009, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chilliman

A few years back, when I holidayed in San Diego, I saw quite a few Hot Rod's with 'period' Flathead V8's. For a lot of hardcore hotrodders over there its more about the Flathead V8 - those guys wouldn't even consider swapping in a OHV V8, Ford, Chev or otherwise. They even have a special class of drag racing restricted to Flathead V8's!

Afterall, this is the engine that started it all - the custom car scene, street machines, the aftermarket industry, muscle cars, drag racing, etc, etc ,etc...................................

It's the same with the rat rods. The flat head is a great looking engine, and they sound excellent. And for nostalgia, you can't compare them to anything else

Airmon · 12-10-2009, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XCPWSF

I wonder if anyone uses 1UZFE's from Toyota, thats a good V8 with plenty of potential.

I've seen it in a few rods. Can't speak for everyone, but I think its more about the presence, image and sound of a Ford or Chev V8 that you can't quite get with a Toyota V8.

Ando_Leigh · 12-10-2009, 05:25 PM

Most of the time it just comes down to the Taste. If you’re a blue army or red army.

Most of the Chevs made before 1948. Don't have the same hot rod look to them as a ford. Also the availability of the ford body’s is very easy. There are now a handful of companies making fiber glass body’s some are even now doing steel.

So Most Chevy fans buy Ford bodies and put a Chevy motor in it.
But there are still allot out there with a Windsor or Clevo in them.

Also in regards to the Lexus V8s. These are starting to become a very popular thing as they seem to be bullet proof and produce a good amount of HP

burnz · 17-10-2009, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gum6y

Am sitting in Cleveland Ohio and there are some good deals compared to Aus prices. I am also in agreement no Ford would get in my shed with a Chevy engine.

1934 Ford Roadser 350 Chev $42k

1947 Ford 350 Chev $31,500

1930 Ford Model A 327 Chev $27,900

1923 Model T $12,500

1932 Roadster 348 Chev $25,000

1940 Street Rod 350 Chev $42,500

Majority are Chev powered how can Ford fans do this for the sake of a few bucks??

you shure it had that motor in it, thats a big block..

as for why they have SBC's, is because a 350 sbc cost $250+ rebuild..

**Elks** · 18-10-2009, 12:27 AM

It's no hot rod, but it;s a classic, and it used to be mine. The new owner has made a host of improvements, and it's now fast, but it's powered by a nissan twin turbo v8.

Lots of dollars, lots of engineering, It's their car, but I think they are missing the point.

burnz · 18-10-2009, 12:42 AM

is it me, is that motor east/west??

edit: nevermind black rockers show otherwise.

CHEETR · 18-10-2009, 12:44 AM

nissan made a v8? what car was that in?