The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop inline six

the s10 t5 will fit a 283.but its geared low and is weak.most people use a camaro t5 with a s10 tailshaft.

Andre,
you had a virtual I6 vs V8 war going on there for a while! This is a very active site.

For my own two cents worth, I have found that undoctored V8s tolerate higher rpms a way better than an undoctored I6. The firing order of the I6 is easier to remember for the older memories like my own!

Fred

Yeah, you diehard I6 guys really hate the hotrodder crowd, don't you?

If I wasn't planning on using my truck for towing, I'd bring an inline 6 up to date and run that. But since I'm going to be towing things around the mountains, I think I need more grunt than my trusty 235 can provide.

One comment, 53Moneypit:
You mentioned you have a friend that runs high 8's with an inline 6 and challenged any hotrodders running V8's to match that.
But what I can't figure out is, what's the difference between so heavily modifying a Stovebolt I6 so that it runs 8.97 and bolting in a V8 truck motor? You're still MODIFYING the truck!!! See my point??? It is no longer original.

The point of hotrodding is not necessarily to be the baddest, quickest truck...Model A...T-bucket...Willies...etc. on the planet. The point is customizing a vehicle to your dreams, with as much or as little chrome and leather as you want. If you hate hotrodders, you're really barking up a big tree. That's like going to a Goodguys car meet and picketting with a sign.
What's the big deal???
You drive your truck and we'll drive ours.

...There, I'm off my soap box.

If we all lived in the same color house, on the same street, with the same pickett fence around the same sized yard, we wouldn't have much to talk about would we ?
I just love old trucks; 6 or 8.

are we havin fun yet? well I just brought home my other truck ( finally paid off the remaining amount) ( see pics on page 4-5 on the webshot below,it a nightmare,the guy who attempted to hotrod it ,molested it!more putty than metal and has officially become the parts truck .any body need any parts?
i'm stickin with the six on ol black jack

Hot Rod Dad:
You hit the nail right on the head!

Someone told me that when you have a project truck, you need at least one other truck to complete the parts collection. Now I can't do this because I don't have the space, but it sounds like a great idea.

Actually, I have nothing against rodded trucks. I don't think most of the people here that prefer the I6 to the V8 are anti-rod, but like something that is a bit more unique than a cookie-cutter 350. I don't recall ANYONE saying that it's evil to have anything other than a bone-stock 216...but a vehicle can be a hot rod without a 350, no matter what Summit and Jeg's might try to say about it...

Check out the gallery at inliners.org - those guys have some very cool I6-powered rods. My '54 panel will be a "resto-rod" type of truck - mostly stock exterior, some interior changes, but nothing drastic, and a later model 250 with TBI injection under the hood. Plenty of performance parts are available for both older and newer I6s.

My 'Vette has a 350...when I get around to it, I'm going to build a fuel-injected small block for it - probably a 383 stroker.

If anyone wants to drop a V8 into their truck, go for it! Do what will make you happy with your truck! Just don't be surprised if I spend more time looking at the truck next to you with a tricked-out 302 GMC...

Hot Rod and 66 - I think you got the wrong message. I don't recall any posts in this thread saying that anyone is going to hell for not keeping their truck factory stock...

It's a long-running issue, not just on this thread. Here is another example from 53moneypit:

"Now I know this will upset a bunch of you but that frankly is your problem. Heres mine. This place is about STOVEBOLTS....you know, the SIX CYLINDER INLINE engines made by GM for about 70 years. So why are so many of the things I read in here about V8's????

Duh....?

...just too darn many underage kids with cars comin' in here I guess. "

>>>>>>>>>>>That was nice and rude, wasn't it.
Granted, that's another thread, but it seems to be all that this guy bitches about.
I guess I'm getting tired of that kind of arrogance.

Hello Hotrod Dad
Sorry if you mistake my fondness for Inline engines and support for my argument as arrogance. I assure you it isn't, anymore than I would accuse your misinformation about 6 bangers as being narrowminded. But about your statement that being modified somehow makes your belief correct, all I can say is that tact takes you very wide of the question. Nearly everyone of we Inline guys has V8's in other vehicles, I myself have several and I've absolutely nothing against "hotrodders" and even enjoy being one. But please do not mistake my suppot of inlines as something it isn't. Believe me I learn from everyone, probably even you.

My whole point is that this is a place for Inline engines. Help, discussions, sharing information, and just hanging with others who enjoy them is why I come here. There are so many, many other places I can go for that sort of thing about hotrods, V8's of all sort, etc. that is seems out of place in here. That is my opinion. Whether anyone else shares it or not I cannot say nor have I. Everyone is certainly welcome here I'm sure but it would seem appropriate if they would at least stick to the subject matter w/o making personal attacks on those who do. So if you hotrod V8's that is fine with me 'cause so do I but I brought a 6 cylinder to this shindig and I'm going to dance with her.

GMCpanel:
I meant no disrespect to anyone. I just thought he had an intersting point that modifying a 6 banger is still not keeping it original, just like swapping motors isn't keeping it original.
I think we all should let this subject slide & find something else to talk about besides growling at each other.
I figure a person should do whatever tickles their pickle.
We all beat our brains & knuckles because its fun. Whether you got a 6 banger, V-8, slam it to the ground, jack it up, or keep it all original it really doesn't matter. I'm just glad there are alot of you out there to keep some of these older rigs on the road!

Sorry...I didn't mean to growl at anyone. Stock is good, hot rod is good, restomod is good...the important thing is to have fun with your truck!

GMCpanel:
No, no, no. I'm real sorry I kinda worded that wrong. I didn't mean that you were growling at anyone.
When I first came to this site I got lots of help (still am as a matter of fact). But all the sudden 1 note someone left has exploded into WW3. I am on neutral ground, I respect how anyone does things even if it's not how I'd do it. Heck if ya get a little greasy and get these older machines going the way you like to have them.....well that's the whole idea here.

Livin in a free country sure is nice isn't it?

What can I say???
I have 2 6's because thats just what they are....I have no idea what you can do to them. I have been told a few times for drivability sake to go to a v8 but not yet . Just curious, what would you guys consider the top three greatest inline 6's ever made (I don't care what how you come to the decision I just want an answer )???

It's really not V8's in old trucks that bothers me. My Dad and I put two in the same 53 burb! What bothers me is seeing the same 350 chev motor over and over and over and over AD NAUSEUM! I would absolutely not choose a 350 to put in an older chev truck. A 283, a 327, a 390 or 472 caddy, a nail head Buick in a 47-55 pick-up; but BETTER YET, a SCREAMIN! HOT!!! 270 jimmy in a 41 coupe!!! Just be creative and AVOID THE BOYD!!

Boo Radley

Yes, diversity is good.

If I had the experience and knowledge that most of you do, I'd love to build my '49 4400 back up with a Cummins (and it would still be an I6 ). A Detroit 671 with a blower and stacks would be really cool, too . Or maybe even a Maxidyne!!! (I'll wait until Peggy lets me get a B-61 for that one, I guess...) But I'll be sticking with the '57 235 that was in it when I bought it. Call me chicken, I guess.

Regards to all,
John

Okay, thanks for your kinder, smoother interpretation, 53MoneyPit. That's an attitude I can live with easier.

Don't get me wrong, I really love my Stovebolt. And I understand how some Stovebolts can be made really really powerful. I read about an early 50's Stovebolt pick up truck with a custom 6-71 supercharged 235 than ran 160-something mph at the Bonneville salt flats. WOW!

I started out with a Frankenstein truck. It's mostly 1952 GMC, but has the cab and gauges of a 1953 Chevy, and the drivetrain out of a 1956 Chevy. Absolutely nothing is original to this truck. It looks original, but really look and you'd see it isn't. I'm going to continue the tradition and bolt on the 4WD out of a 68 GMC under it, with an SM465 transmission...the only thing is, it has a V8 Chevy bellhousing pattern on it. I could either stick a 292 on it and leave it a straight six for awhile, or go ahead and modify it for a V8.

The thing about the venerable small block Chevy is the ease and low cost of building and modifying them. And they run very well.

I would not be the least offended if a Stovebolter took more time looking at the original resto truck beside mine...I'd be right there next to him. I really love the look of the Stovebolt engines, but a chromed out, supercharged 407 small block would probably make my dream truck.

As long as diversity is recognized and the harsh-worded attacks stop, I'll be happy.

I miss the pit crew truck a race team I worked with had back in the late 60's. It was a 55 1st. series, with a Ferarri engine, a Colotti 5-speed trans, and a Jag rear end. It ran like a Fzzzazz, and handled like a pickup! That's a combination that will give you a racing stripe in your BVD's!

Jerry

Jerry, now THAT is a truck that I'd like to drive!

Anyone who uses a SBC with a displacement other than 350 will at least get some style points :p I actually picked up a 4-bolt main 400 block for the 'Vette this weekend...dang swap meets...go looking for truck parts, buy engine block for car.

Different strokes for different folks, your truck your preference, it's for fun right, Zeke

I was going to put a 400 in my Vette too. But I changed my mind and stuck a 427 in it. Seemed like it cost about the same to build.

Good luck with that. I know what you mean. I always go to swap meets thinking I'll find one thing, and buy all kinds of other neat things.