[joe210]

My memories are a tad clearer then yours I suspect. Spending hundreds of hours at junk yards and swap meets was the only supply line available to most of us. The aftermarket was so small that a 900 Square foot speed shop in town stocked EVERY single aftermarket hot rod part for sale on the planet. If you did not have a machine shop at your disposal it was bleak. I scoured the classifieds in the back of the newspapers for those rare hidden treasures.

I have fond but effectively edited memories of cruising and street racing 50 years ago. Time has erased many of the frustrating and nightmarish memories of blown engines, broken drive trains, failed brakes, electrical fires and thousands of other character forming incidents. Now I think back with a warm fuzzy nostalgic buzz much like you do.

Exactly, before EPA got involved in junkyards in our area, there were several small family junkyards in the surrounding counties. Pair that with a local dragstrip and a round track, and you had several sources for "factory" parts. Then of course, progress and time took it's toll and now we are forced to work with stashed parts and cheap aftermarket support . I miss the good old days. I kept a few engines and parts through the years.

 

[DZAUTO]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Then of course, progress and time took it's toll and now we are forced to work with stashed parts and cheap aftermarket support . I miss the good old days. I kept a few engines and parts through the years.

I still keep parts and stashes.
And these are only a few examples.
What's going to happen to the when we are gone. FORTUNATELY, my boys have some concept of the value of some of my collection.

 

[Dragsix]

327 Chevy and a offy mid rise dual quad was the dream for a lot of the guys I grew up with.

 

[1971BB427]

Not much earlier, maybe 1972 I built my '55 150 Business coupe as a 1/4 mile gasser. I had a 1967 Chevelle 283 I had bought back from the insurance company after it got totaled by some clown who turned left in front of me.
With the help of an experienced engine builder we went through the 283 to make it as fast and healthy as a 283 could be, but not bore or stroke it. Started out with a 4 bolt main cap assembly to convert the lower end. Put a set of H beam rods and a set of Jahns 12:1 pistons on the rods. Then my friend who was one of the finest engine builders I ever knew took a pair of 59cc camel hump 1.94 heads and worked over the runners, and combustion chambers to make them flow great.
I originally put on an old corvette dual quad intake with AFB carbs, but the car never ran at it's full potential. He suggested I switch to a Weiand single carb hi rise, and install a 750 Holley double pumper on it.
The '55's best time in the 1/4 mile was a high 11.90's time, and I shifted it at 7500 rpm's. I ended up replacing the rear gears that were 3.90's with 4.56 gears to eventually get it down to low 11.90's. Best SBC engine I ever owned. It was a fun car until it got stolen, and never found.

 

[Shadetree55]

I've had 3 big blocks in my life--68 Chevelle with a 396 and Ford with a 428 and a Ford with a 390. Prefer small blocks

 

[56WagonJrStocker]

GM crate 350 LT1. I presume they were still available at that time.

 

[manicmechanic007]

If u was building a hot rod 57 in 1974 what motor would have been your pick

1969 427 motor 2 bolt main, non Corvette motor would be fine

 

[56ls408]

Those 390hp or 400hp with tri power 427s ran really good with the addition of the solid lifter 435 hp cam. Had a couple back in late 60s early 70s.

 

[mr55/56]

Those 390hp or 400hp with tri power 427s ran really good with the addition of the solid lifter 435 hp cam. Had a couple back in late 60s early 70s.

My 65 396 in my 55 has been punched .060 had forged pistons and stainless steel undercut valves added with that cam and two 600 Holleys on a Wieand tunnel ram. I like it.

 

[jim_]

I know it's blasphemous; but a dual plug super stock hemi stuffed into a 57 would be awesome.

A blown 409 would work too though.

 

[manicmechanic007]

I do like the Blasphemi owned and built by MIke Finnigan
You can put a hemi in anything and be okay in my book

 

[twin engines]

I do like the Blasphemi owned and built by MIke Finnigan
You can put a hemi in anything and be okay in my book

That poor car is cursed with being perpetually broke. Still love it though.

Dave Newburn has some cool Tri Fives on his channel.

 

[twin engines]

I still keep parts and stashes.
And these are only a few examples.
What's going to happen to the when we are gone. FORTUNATELY, my boys have some concept of the value of some of my collection.
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You're my freaking hero...that stuff is amazing.

 

[pdc55409]

409

 

[Postman57]

The advent of good aftermarket cylinder heads really changed the landscape on things, I think.
I remember in the early 80s searching high and low for the right castings. Then trying to decide on the right head porter to do them up for you.
Then Dart came out with the Sportsman 200cc heads (they were among the first that I remember. Certainly the first I ever played with). Game changer.

 

[douglas_5632]

well it kinda depends on what your intention is or was, if it was all out domination of the street in 1974, the only motor to put in a 55-57 was the over the counter straight from your local gm dealer LS-6 or LS-7 450-550HP big block Chevrolet! undeniable king of the hp street engines! now if you want to cruise and have some good spirted performance, the late LT-1 motors or built 327s, lots of choices back then and yards still had performance motors and cars being scavenged for drive trains. but if you heading out to do battle.......LS-7, you could still buy them brand new from gm

 

[jim_]

I remember people yelling, “ I found a posi!” while others were stuffing aftermarket aluminum intakes inside car doors because they could get the door for five bucks. Those were the days.

 

[abdiver7777]

327 L79

 

[55 Tony]

I may have been winding the crap out of the 283 it had when I bought it. Or maybe I'd have the BBC 454 I have now? I didn't know anything about engines then and didn't even know there was such a thing as a SBC and a BBC until I told my friend, a mechanic,that I wanted to be going 20 mph, floor it, and it smokes the tires. I've exceeded that goal now.