Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines HOT 4 BANGERS,..WHO'S RUNNING THEM?? Show of hands!!

I'd like to throw out a roll-call and see who's running 4 bangers here on the inliners?

I have been trying to generate more interest and awareness for the EARLY days of hot rodding, not street rodding,....pre-1950s era but more specifically and more, the pre-war days. 1941 and BACK.

Feel free to post your projects, current and past engine builds, period correct speedsters and pre-WWII soup-jobs! Share and describe your loves and lessons learned on your 4 banger projects. Speed equipment, tips and tricks, how long you've been at it, etc.

I'll start it out, right now I'm currently in the process of building and refining my period correct pre-WWII banger powered Hot Rod, not streetrod,...but a true pre-war hot rod. 1927 Roadster body on a 1930 Model A chassis. In the process of building a hot 4 banger mill to throw in.

Here's a shot of it at my buddie's place, we hooked up a 12V fuel pump and a beat up 4 banger mill just to get her up and running and to test the waters in a way, putting it back to 6V before its all said and done though....sadly the block was later found to be cracked!!

now dont everyone post at once!!... :-)

I just sold a Model A with a 181 Mercruiser 4-banger/4-spd. Not an oldtimer, like yours, but I had a blast with it.

I'd love to have a Model A, or B engine with an overhead conversion and a pair of Windfield carbs. Nothing sounds better than one of those big old bangers.....bet yours sounds good, too!

With a modern transmission and rear gears, that sucker would still be a lively performer.

Hope you opost some more photos of your car!

Like dennis did, I am building a 20s roadster with a 4 cyl in it. But using a newer engine it is a 120 cu. in. four out of a SRL 311.
Built a hot rod roadster for another fellow last year powered by a four cyl Ford Ranger engine.
We drive our cars long distances so take the cowards way out and use modern engines. also cheaper.
Your rod sounds like a fantastic project, it will be the star of the show where ever you take it.

guys thanks for the kind words,...yes i'm trying to do it right and honor those who paved the way before me,....that and i'm in a time warp anyways!! lol!

Darn guys,....modern engines?? Hmmm,....well as you may as well know, a well built ford four banger will be as reliable or more reliable than a modern banger engine. All depends on builder, parts, milage on engine.....sorry, its just me bein a fan of vintage iron..... :-)

sounds like some interesting speedsters though!!

In 1958, in Abilene, Texas, my friend Al--now retired in Georgetown, farming pecans--built a '29 Model A roadster, channeled seven inches, fenderless, with 7.00 x 16 tires on the rear, off my Lincoln Zephyr, and 4.50 x 21 on the front. The stock four=banger had a Burns manifold, a milled head, and an open exhaust. Although it was definitely constructed in the 1950s, i should say that it was fairly typical of the genre you are describing.

In 1959, in Arkansas, i bought a fenderless 1931 Model A pickup, with welled fenders sitting in the bed, for $40.00, drove it to work and to school, and managed to bring it back to Texas. We built an engine bored to four inches for it before i had to let it go.

i keep hoping that some day i'll have another four-cylinder. In a light chassis, there is nothing quite like it. Even without any increase in power, we are well-advised to find a later v-thing rear end, not only for the hydraulic brakes but also for the axle keys! (We haven't lived until we've sheared an axle key on a lonely dirt road in Arkansas, late into the night.)

God's Peace to you.

d
Inliner #1450

Hey thanks for posting that Don! Great story!!! There's just nothing like vintage iron!!

Hey guys you really touched a nerve. I've been wanting to build just what you guys are talking about. Just today I made a deal for a 1932 model "C" engine. Don't know much about them but am learning. Same guy is selling me a chassis and everything else to put one together. If any of you know about the C engine I'd love to know more.
Just finished the current project and am enjoying it now. '36 Chevy PU, 261 T5.

Plowboy2...Here's another group you should know about...
http://www.hotforhotfours.com/

I went to one of their hillclimb speed events... it was really interesting. There were almost stock "t"'s with about 25HP and very mofified "C"'s (like yours but with an overhead valve head) that must have close to 200HP. Both looked like big fun.

Leif

Yep, I'm a member of FAST,.....great guys!!!

Ford "C" engines as many refer to them are just glorified "B" engines,...the one thing that they often have are counterweighted cranks,....they make for great cranks in both "B" engines and "A" engines however, you have to turn down the crank journals on the crank if placing it in an A block,..no big deal, doesnt harm anything. Getting an engine built right now and turning down a "C" crank to put it into an A block. Also, many guys tend to stay away from B engines and Cs due to the fact that the deck is much thinner on them than your run of the mill Model A blocks. What results oftentimes is a cracked valve seat area,...I have one B block with a cracked valve seat area,...not good.

Many guys in the 30s and 40s DID run A blocks and did VERY well with them,....Bs were favored more so because they were almost a full pressuredized oil system right from the factory,....BUT were not fully pressurized,...this is a misnomer!!!

I'd see if that engine you have has a counterweighted "C" crank, take it out, get it magnafluxed at a reputable shop, if its checks out good,....take the cam and flywheel from the 'C" engine out,...and sell it off,...keeping the cam, flywheel and crank.

THEN, get yourself a good solid A block/engine, take it to a GOOD reputable engine builder who knows Model A engines (NOT some goon who has a client base made up of muscle car customers,....you need someone with true knowledge and experience not a guy who's unfamiliar with early iron!!! ) Then get your engine built from then on it,..using the C crank, B flywheel, and (if the cam checks out to be good and the oil pump gearing is usable and not shot) then you might use the cam also,...might even want to get it reground,.....OR you can order a whole NEW cam from a guy like Bill Stipe. Though if getting a cam reground, go to Jim Brierly, or Bill Stipe,...they really know their stuff!!!!

Hope this has helped some!!?? I get my info from experience, and talking to thos who have actually DONE it, built the engines and run them HARD!!!!

Leif-

Look up Milt Uhler...you'll get a kick out of him if you find some history and then see the times he ran with his Model T engine! Of course it had a Frontenac overhead valve system on it but still it was quite the little roadster!

Not sure if Milt Uhler is still alive,..would be a cool guy to talk to though if he is!!!

Coaltown,
Thanks for the good info. My last couple of projects have been Chevy's, but this speedster-open wheeled fun car bug has bitten me bad. My original plan was a stock A drivetrain and some kind of a semi-homebuilt body, but the guy that sold me the C engine also mentioned he had a '29 roadster body he might part with. I visited the hot4hot4's site and enjoyed the pics and got some neat ideas too. You mentioned the journal on the C crank would have to be ground, are they a different diameter or is it for clearance? The deck issue, is it best to just start out with an A block or should I use the C if it checks out OK? Would like to mildly build the engine, but bangers are something I have no experience with. SOOO, stay tuned I'll probably have lots of questions.

plowboy,....email me by clicking on the little letter above my post,...we'll talk about your project....i'll help you all i can,...if i dont know the answer to a question, i'll get it for you or tell you someone who will have the answer!!

I found a '28 Chevrolet four engine at a swap meet. Does anyone know if it is supposed to have a big piece of oil-saturated felt over the rocker arms, under the valve cover? About 1/2 x 3 x 12 inches. This one does. Engine is complete with clutch.

Yes, the 28 Chevy had a thick felt pad over the rocker arms for lubrication. Squirt some oil on it occasionally. The Riley and many of the other OH conversions of the time used the same method.

FAST is a great source of information and you get a great magazine. I have belonged since the beginning.

I run A engines in my A's with welded on counter weights, full oil pressure oil system, Brierley regrind cams, Brumfield and Snyder flat heads, Weber carb, V8 clutch and Borg Warner overdrives.

We cruise all day at 60mph 400 miles a day or more.

The above mentioned 28 Chevy head has been a common conversion for both Model T and A since 1928. The hopped up Chevys use Model A or B cranks. Go Figure.

It's a great group and I highly recommend it. model A is my first love but I'm not neglecting my 51 Belair Chevy either.

Richard

Richard-
So you're running a Borg warner overdrive from,....the 1950s? Just wondering,...I know a few guys that really like them, i'm personally a traditionalist,..looking to put in a '39-40 Columbia 2speed rear in the modified,...or just regear the rear and throw in '39 trans gears in a "B" trans box,.....we'll see!!

You can actually make counterweights for the stock chevy cranks and they work just as well,..so i've been told by several 4 banger chevy guys,....I was just to one fellow's shop a few days ago and saw one he's going to be doing,...looks good.

so anyone know where I might score an old WICO "JEM" model magneto?? yeah there's one on ebay right now but the guy's reserve is insane! about $200 over a rebuilt one!