There is an old motor racing saying "horses for courses," that basically
means more power is a good thing, everything else being equal. While this
also applies to street vehicles, the sticking point is everything else rarely
remains equal.
Some have suggested that a V-8 conversion would be the way to go rather
than putting money into an old six that can never be more than -- well, an
old six. There is certainly a lot to be said for the V-8 conversion and I
gave it some thought myself. The motor is compact and fits well into the
engine bay and parts and conversion bits are readily available.
The short stroke V-8 can also be built to spec, from mild to wild, and
they will probably run farther without mechanical work that the long stroke
six. Is a motor's sound important to you? I sure is to me! V-8 can be muffled
with a great variety of systems that allow some pretty impressive sounds,
mostly in the "grunt" or "roar" category.
These conversions require a few modifications, including, as I understand
it, moving or losing the stock steering column, new engine mounts, firewall
mods, linkage mods, radiator mods and probably more that don't tumble to mind
just now. Despite all the work, V-8 conversions have a lot going for them and
are very tempted.
I started this piece by quoting the old motor racing saying "horses for
courses." Well, what course do we want to steer, and how much power is
required to stay that course? Do you intend to tow heavy trailers? Are you a
participant in the stoplight grands prix? Is your motto "too much is never
enough?" If you answer yes to these questions, a V-8 is a sure bet.
What if these are not your requirements? What if you intend to putt
around town, or haul only light loads? A good case can be made for retaining
the old six. The sixes can be pretty economical and produce enough power for
many uses. They also are the engine the ADs were designed to have and require
few modifications to use them within the 235 - 261 family. While I suppose
that some sixes might roar, most "hum" and "sing" and I like those sounds a
lot.
In my own case, I'm looking for an AD 3600 with a 65 - 70 mph cruise with
the A/C on and enough power to climb Cajon Pass (a locally famous landmark
enroute from L.A. to Las Vegas) at not less than 45 mph also with the A/C on
and a couple of old motorcycles in the bed. Would anybody care to hazard a
guess as to whether or not a stock 235 will have enough horses for that
course?
Paul O'Neil, Hudson29@aol.com
1951 Chevrolet 3600 Pickup Project, See it at:
The Poor Man's Advanced Design Tech Tips Page
http://home.earthlink.net/~conntest47/
Fullerton, California USA
AEROMARK - Need Rubber Stamps or Signs? See:
http://hometown.aol.com/hudson29/myhomepage/index.html
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