Why an in-line? I started this in the Engines Forum, and would like to see some more discussion here. If we're really honest, it is a lot easier to go fast with a V-8. Some of the engines I've had in the past: 348 Chevy, 3x2 carbs; 394 Olds, Isky roller, 2x4AFB carbs, 'hydro' trans; 327 365hp Corvette, 427 400hp Corvette.
So why is there a 1949 Chevy Coupe sitting in my garage, 216 with 2x1 (soon to be 3X1) carbs, Fentons, mild cam, stock drive train..this to be replaced this winter (I hope!) with a 235/Saginaw 4sp and open driveline?
Why not stuff a small block Chevy in the thing??
Something different is my big motivation. Like some of the folks here, I remember the 'old days'; Buicks in Fords, Oldsmobiles in Chevys, Cadillacs in Fords, Chryslers (with 6-71 superchargers) in Willys Coupes, and tranmission/driveline combinations too numerous to mention.
So why not, let's say, a Buick nail-head in the '49 Chev (I always liked the 'look' of that engine)? Could you imagine FINDING one, then actually finding speed parts, not to mention getting a trans adapter (no, I'm not going to use a Dyanaflow)? I think you can see where I'm going with this. For some lucky reason there are enough of us interested in the old Chev 6 to keep the Stovebolt alive (and I know there are other engines represented here)
A modified 6 was a viable engine on the street until late 1954 when the Chevy V-8 arrived. It even survived for a while for those with a limited budget, not being able to afford a new car, and having to build their own. That was me, sitting in high school in the late '50s imagining my mom's 1951 Chevy 2door with dual exhausts, dual carbs, and me in the drivers seat!!
So here I am, still crawling around under a car, doing most of my own work, just for the fun of it. My Chev will never be a show car, but will give me hours of fun just working on it. I've got it to the point where I'm doing some minor body work - it only has 60,000 miles on it and has been stored in my barn for the last 18 years - but is running and licensed. I get the most fun from showing it to guys my age; when I open the hood (recently louvered!) they just laugh and say "I haven't seen one of those since..".
The neatest 6 combination I ever saw was a Jaguar XK 120 engine with a 4sp in a '48 Chevy Coupe; now there is a combination that would be something to see today!
So how about the rest of you? Why the inline?
