Copo-Rat
Well I calculated some numbers in the DeuceCoupe Gonkulator, I think it could be done. It is NOT going to run like your Copo-Rat (unless you pulled about 4 plug wires off....) but it can be done.
Here is how I got there.
The times on my 292 Nova Powerglide 3.08 come in at
2.49 60ft
10.88 at 63.5 1/8 mile
17.07 at 79.2 1/4 mile
9.7 0-60mph
The computer matches the real test data almost exactly after a few tweaks, so that will be the starting point. This is a stock 8.3cr 296cid "292", just well tuned with a tall air filter. I calculate it at 164hp gross.
The car is not "fast", but it holds its own on the road.
Now add about 1100 lb, bigger tires, and some drag so your Bel Air, computes to
2.82
12.11 at 57.8
18.96 at 71.5
13.0 0-60mph
That is almost 2 seconds slower in the 1/4 just due to that weight. The stock Nova 194-3spd's ran about like this. I think it's too slow for today's crazy traffic.
Now add a 200-4r and 3.73 gears to your wagon.
2.40
11.24 at 59.5
17.89 at 73.1
11.4 0-60mph
This is about how the stock Nova 283-2bbl powerglide cars ran, and when that "hot 283" came out in the Nova everybody raved about it. Not really fast, but way faster than the Nova 6. To me, this is liveable. I've had a lot of cars/trucks run in this range, I always wish they were faster but they do ok.
As an aside, I then swapped in a stock 250-1bbl (which I also road tested in my Nova) instead of the 292. It computed to
2.50
11.66 at 57.2
18.59 at 70.6
12.9 0-60mph
That is feeling more like a Nova 194-3spd again, quite a bit slower than the 292. You can't beat cubic inches, the saying goes.
Now, so far, this is all with a pretty bone stock 292.
If you then built your 292 the way I plan to (4bbl, headers, lump-port 1.84 x 1.60 valves, mild cam that idles grocery-store smooth), your wagon computes to
2.31
10.34 at 65.9
16.38 at 80.7
8.4 0-60mph
You could catch some 283 Chev or 302 Ford owners by surprise with this one and it is still a "family cruiser" build.
It is not going to run 12's like your Copo-Rat but it looks like a six (292 especially) COULD make a good cruiser in your wagon.
My wife (and our cat) enjoy my six-powered cars much more than that "other stuff".
Just to make your 292 wagon seem fast, here is my calculation of the base-engine stock Bel Air wagon, with its 230cid "140hp" powerglide, 3.36 gear:
3.24 (yup, 60ft, you could almost walk faster than that)
13.65 at 53.2
21.20 at 64.4
18.0 0-60mph
What a dog they must have been stock.
Even worse, Car Life's actual road test of the base engine Chevy II, 153-4cyl, powerglide gave
21.7 at 62.0 1/4 mile
20.0 0-60mph
Makes the stock 230cid Bel Air seem fast.
Hope that was helpful, some of the numbers surprised me, a liveable six in a big Bel Air wagon.
