I think YES! Afterall, "back in the day" 216s and 235s used to compete with Ford Flat 6s and 8s and win at least as much as they lost, right?
Here's why I ask. I'm building a 48 Chevy coupe and my friend is building a 50 Ford 2 door sedan, so partly to thump the gospel of the Inliner and partly to motivate my friend to get off his butt and work on his car, I challenged him to a race. So far all that's accomplished was make him change his mind from running a double deuce intake to running 6 Strombergs... which means it will be a few years before he has enough parts!
Anyway, I really want to show people that an I6 is nothing to be scoffed at, especially all the flatheaders out there. Here's what I have. 1960 235 bored .06 over with split exhaust manifold, a dual Tattersfield intake with Carter W-1s, and a vintage Mallory dual point dizzy. The car will have 54 Chevy drums up front and either an S10, Nova, or tri-5 Chevy rear (basically whatever I find first; i was thinking around 3,5-3.7:1 gears) and the stock '60 3 on the tree tranny. Since the cars and drivers are roughly the same weight (except flatties weigh more), and both will be lowered and on bias plys, then the competition should really be all about the engines.
I want to make sure I win and I want a tire-smoking, yet street legal/driveable car. It won't be a daily driver or anything, but it must be capable of making long, long trips to shows. The other rule is we must build the cars as they would've been built back in the 50s or early 60s, so no HEI, fuel injection, etc.
Don't you love how it takes me forever to get to the question? So, what do I need to do next? I've read Roger Huntington, California Bill, and Santucci's books. Santucci seems to really focus on 292s and cars built for the strip, but still some great info. I plan on buying a new cam and installing it this winter while the engine is out of the car. I was thinking of a 3/4 Howard cam, but would I be better with something else? what degrees? It seems as though porting the heads gives little gain for the money, and I'm on a tight budget. Tubular push rods? Dump the 3spd and go for a T5? How should I be steering this project?
I'm thinking I can write an article for the 12 Port News about this when it actually happens!
Joe
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'50 Chevy Fleetline DeLuxe ('55 235)
'48 Chevy Fleetmaster coupe ('60 235)
Chicago
http://www.geocities.com/hellfish122
