The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Too Many Underage Questions

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.

53,

You might want to read this FAQ .

Key words being "Purely for the purposes of this website ..."

We are having fun and helping folks with their old iron. How about you?


Peggy

I suppose all of the 6 cylinders built before 1973 were known as "Stovebolts" too. If you want to be exclusively Stovebolt, you'll have to find a site that deals solely in pre-war Chevy trucks,
Scott

The Chevy "stovebolt" 6 was built until the early '60s ('61 or '62), and was then replaced by the L22 series I6, which was used until the mid '80s. GMCs used different (often superior :p ) engines until the late '60s.

Instead of being an [censored], you should make an effort to coach youner people.

I learned a lot in my life, most of it the hard way. There's too many stubborn old codgers out there that won't take the effort to be friendly to younger, up and coming, enthusiests.

Some days the old guys will be dead. If the younger ones aren't brought into the fold, the hobby will die off completely.

Don't tell anybody but I'm negotiating to buy a Ford flathead along with a Chevy 327 and a 292 I6. Variety is the spice of life.

Ohhh...and I'm 57 goin on 19.

to each his own, i'm undecided what to put in my 53 3100 this summer have a choice of cad. 500.. a buick turbo v6, chev 350,366,396,or 454, by the way the 216 runs, the 292 needs work, but like any thing else its a matter of choice and how fast i want to get their.. injoy life your way

53

I think the guys have said it all. I have a great time in my 41. The 216 is a terrific little motor. But each to their own. The most important thing is that these trucks are being used and enjoyed. The best thing I've found to lower my blood pressure is to drive the Chev. Jump in the 53 and go for a cruise.

All the best

Bob

UNDERAGE.....?
I didn,t know there was and age limit on liking old vehicles.

I will not stir this pot!!! But thank God I had a dad and older gentlemen in the neighborhood that did their own work. Growing up on a farm it was all hands on by the time i was 16 I could rebuild, time & set a tractor and motor. When I was 17 I could overhaul a 235 in my sleep, When I was 20 I was drag racing a 307 Chevelle.

Why because the "old ones" took time and helped me. And anybody that knows Ben knows Kids come first to me.

popcorn The Truth is Out There (Youg uns keep asking and we will keep helping)Ben

I have both a 235 and a 350 in pre-73 Chevy pickups. So what does that make me? A cross-bolter?

Steady, Men!! It's a legitimate question.

53MoneyPit, you are correct -- the nickname "Stovebolt" loosely applies to the 6-cylinder Chevy engines. I took a little (lot) liberty with the nickname when I started this web site 10 years ago and applied it to the trucks, rather than the motors that were in them.

In the intended spirit of the Stovebolt Page then, asking "What is a Stovebolt?" is sortta like asking Jimmy Buffet where Margaritaville is -- It's anywhere you want it to be.

Thus, we've thrown open the doors and welcomed in any pre-'73 Chevy or GMC truck, regardless of what motor is in them. From babbitted Stovebolt sixes to Mr. Fusions, come on in and tell us about 'em!

Heck, every now and then some lost soul wanders in here with a Z71 or an S-10 and we bend the rules a little and the great crew of old truck crazies and wrenchbenders in here takes care of them, too.

That's the spirit of the Stovebolt Page. And thanks for giving me an opportunity to brag on these guys a little.

Keep smiling, Boys! We're all in this together!
Please pass the duct tape, will ya?


John

To Fred T , FINALLY someone who both understands and has a sense of humor, AMEN Bro. Your my kind of guy.

FredT, it means you're a bi-bolter.
What's all the fuss! This place is like the corner gas station where guys (and gals) can come in and gain knowledge and/or give it. For me it would have been darn near impossible to get my '69 c-10 with the 250 l-6 going, but its going and I now know more than I knew at the beginning. Hell, I've even given some advice on this board and others. Glad to help out.
My $0.02
Dano
Rules are rules, but more importantly people are people. Someone wants to drop a LS-1 or chevy 502 in a '46, cool!

There is no such thing as a stupid question,only stupid answers.

Hey 53moneypit,
Why worry about what others think? This is why we live in America. Freedom of Speech.
I myself am probably a young whipper snapper to some. As for myself I have only been around this website for just a little while and already learned much from you guys.
I enjoy the old pickups (even a few Fords as well! yikes!), slamming them on the ground, or modifying the entire pickup isn't my liking but to each their own.
As for myself the 6 banger in my pickup was shot, I pull trailers quite a bit and am looking for a V-8 for some extra get up & go on hills.
I respect what you had to say in your post, but I really appreciate all the help I have recieved in the past. Like others have said the younger guys may need a boost to help get them going....we all have a brain fart now & then. But I just hope that we can work together, if you help someone get an old piece of iron going down the road it's all worthwhile.
I'd just like to thank ya'all for the help.
I hope I didn't ruffle anyones feathers, just had to put in my advice.
Thanks again, great website!

I'm old school, I hate bling and billet, and I think putting a V8 in a pre 1955 truck or any newer truck that came with a six ought to be a hangin' offense, but that's me. I knew a lot about old chevies when I got here, but I know more now, and that's because this forum gives me access to a huge amount of other poeples know-how. To me that's what this forum is all about; people helping people.

Boo Radley

I'm only 24... I have a '55 Willys CJ5 that I put a 283 in only because it was so far gone that it wasn't worth trying to make it stock again. Turned it into really nice driver though. I also had a '49 3600 fall into my lap. The 216 is dead (spun main bearing) and I wasn't sure what I was going to do about a motor. I wanted to do something different and I was considering a 348 W-Block. The more I thought about it though, I decided that I just couldn't stick a V8 in it. I ended up searching the junkyard and dragged home a '54 3100 with a 235 in it. The 235 is currently at the machine shop where it is going to be mildly hot-rodded. I figured a warmed up straight six should get some attention at the shows and cruise nights. Try not to generalize about us "youngins"

I started loving classics since I was building a go-cart when I was very little. I am now 53 years old and still think the same about classics.Everyone I ever built was built either stock or custom according to what ever my whim was "AT THE TIME".I built some so stock that I would not install fender skirts on a 55 Chev, because that option was not available in 55-57 from GM in those years. I would not install anything that was not a factory installed item ,such as a Fulton Visor.If the factory did not make it, it simply did not exist to me.However, I always loved straight axle Hiboys, and am presently building my 53 1/2 ton that way ,with a 500 HP 350 and a 442 rear end ,with flip front end and fenderwell headers. What ever you want , just do it, it's your vehicle. Just remember the more cars that get Rodded out ,the rarer the stocker will be.I prefer both,I simply can't decide, as far as ruining history goes ,I'm more concerned about ruining things that existed 5000 years ago than something a mere drop in time ago.

Truck building has come full circle. 6 cylinder guys complain when people put in 350's to motivate their trucks. That's what they did back in the 40's and 50's too. The 235 is the "350" of that era. If your 216 or babbet 235 died, which most did, then it got upgraded to a post 54 235. That's the most common engine swap that I read about. 350's are the same situation, they are cheap, plentiful, reliable engines to power our trucks and get them back into service. In this day in age, it's hard to find machine shops that will give your old inline the proper attention to build it, even if they know how to.
There are alot of trucks running the usual 350's but there are also as many running the 235, so who's being the run-of-the-mill trucker and who's being different? Looks like 6 of one and half a dozen of the other to me,
Scott

:rolleyes:

im 30 and i am puting my 18 yearold brothers 52 216/12 motor in my 42 he is gooing with a blown 454 in his 52 and we have the same mom and dad to boot.my truck is for fun his is to drag on the strip for tax write off for his body shop so we all have a deferent drmmer we bet to

I know this ain't a truck but...

Take a guess what engine powers this Chevy pulling the trailer to car shows every weekend?
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/Hotrod6/DSCF0127.jpg[/img]

That is a sweet 47!

I am young(29yo) and I have been facinated with 216's and 235's since I was knee high to a bull frog.Me and my father were figureing the other day that we have had over 40 cars/trucks with 235/216's with split manifolds.I am not one to be common.

My general rule of thumb is:
54 and down get an inline 6.
55 and up get a v-8(stock).

I think it is alot cooler/fun to get up at 4:00am to head to a swapmeet and look for some 6 cyl speed equipment than to call Jegs and ask for a Edelbrock intake,carb and headers so you can be like everybody else around town.

one of my pet peeves is a 4 barrel on a 6 cyl!Leave them for the v8's.They look stupid on there and multi 1 & 2 barrels kick [censored]!

Just my own opinions.

I'm converting my truck to a 4x4 even though it didn't come stock that way. I'll have the option of either using a 292 straight six or a V8. I am very tempted to continue running a straight six for awhile because they look so incredibly cool! And the I6 I'm looking at has a bellhousing that'll mount up to the 4WD transaxle.

It won't quite be a Napco 4x4, but it'll be really similar if I buy the 292 I'm looking at. The only real visible difference from my 235 is that there is a place for an oil filter. Otherwise they look the same at first glance.

My truck didn't come with a 235 either, that's a later engine. If I kept it, or if I went with the I6 for awhile longer, it'll definitely get a Clifford 4 bbl intake with a nice modern Holley on top, and Fenton headers with side exhaust!

But don't put it past me to snag a nice 5.7 liter tuned port motor out of a Camaro from a salvage yard or something.

...Oh, and I'm 44 years old, going on 20. I don't think I'll EVER grow up. Hate me if you want, but I don't cave to peer pressure.

Have a nice day, folks! I think I'll go out and wash my truck.

When I first got my big bolt I thought what I outta do is yank out the engine and trans and drop in a 350 and a 400TH, but I figured i'd give the old girl a chance and see what she could do.

Every day I spend scraping off crud or bustin' my knuckles I realise more that what I have sitting in my yard isn't some lumbering beast from a bygone era, but a testiment to american inginuity and engineering excellence.

With every turn of bolt I find myself more and more facinated with the simple elegance and practicality of this mighty trucks design, and with every sucessful step tward putting her back on the road, i'm more convinced bringing her back to life as stock is the most fitting tribute I can pay to her original builders.

Indeed, my big ole '46 is more than the sum of her parts, shes my time machine, my window to a simpler time when victory was fresh in the minds of a nation, and a bright future crested on the vast horizon of our great land.

It's easy to loose sight of that in todays society of fast food and video games, microwave meals and "reality" TV, but it only takes a minute with a wrench to find it again.

Thats what I love most about my truck, and why hell will freeze over before I put a 350 in it.

Oh.. and i'm 30.

First of all - Administrator Millman, you're right, it was a legitimate if cantankerous questions. Second, "Mr. Fusion" - very funny, and a "Back to the Future" reference is all too relevant on this website - who here hasn't set the dial back to 1955 in some respect? Finally, I know what 53 was saying, I kinda actually felt a little out of place on here posting questions about my 1968 C60 school bus with its bastard child rebuilt 305 V8 (that's right, a V8, not a GMC V-6), because it seems the newer the truck, the less romance (kind of the opposite off the marriage effect). But, most people have been helpful, if less than excited about the prospect of a full-length late 60s V8 schoolbus. Live and let live, and don't be jealous if the kids in their V8s can smoke your stovebolt 6.

PS i've got a Fiat that will only fire on 3 cylinders, anyone got any ideas?

As a former Fiat owner, I know the working answer to this one.....
Remove the remaining plugs, fill the vehicle with dirt and use it as a Geranium planter. Due to the moisture in the dirt you will need to replace the planter in about 6 months.
Bruce Palmer
[email protected]

I was kidding, but from what I hear about Fiats, you're right

Underaged...that would be darn near this whole site wouldn't it?

Underaged? I have a kid getting ready to go to college. I know I'm far too young for that!

I love this thread. All my trucks have sixes unless they have eights or no motor at all.

They are my trucks and I'll put whatever motor I like in them. If I can afford it after paying for college...

You know what FIAT stands for: Fix It Again Tony.

FIAT stands for Fix It Again Tony.

I had a buddy in college that had a Fiat X19 that was a cute car but was a total piece of junk. We had to work on it at least two or three hours EVERY WEEKEND just to go out and cruise for the ladies, and if we happened to pick up on a few, there was no room to put them as this was a two seat car only. He had it for two years and we got almost everything fixed when he wrecked it.

He sold it to some nut that thought he could fix it up, and the last I knew it was still sitting.

Well, mine came with a 283 that had a broken valve. I have a 54. Seeing as how it was already mine and a rebuild kit kit didn't cost that much I stuck with it. Although I changed out the motor mounts and tranny mount and went from a 3 speed manual to a th350 with a lokar shifter. Any way where was I........ Oh yeah. I'm 38 and don't really care what any one thinks. My first "stovebolt" is a 53 that had the 216 in it. I had planned on fixing up a six and putting it in there but I just got a 69 plymouth satellite with a 318, auto, 8 3/4 rear with 57,000 miles on it. I bet it would fit.

Supply & Demand. Hope every one sleeps well tonight. MOPAR in a Bolt>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

simple elegance. good choice of words. i have respect for those who designed and built the 51 that sleeps in the hillbilly garage. that said, i sorta marvel at the guys who self engineer and modify the old stuff to new, or sometimes better than new specs. it sorta in the eye of the beholder. then there's guys who re enginer the original engines to higher performance specs, or make them into hot rods of the era. it takes more than one ingredient to make a good pot of chili. some guys are anal about every nut and bolt being original, and i respect and undestand their motivations. it is, however, a big world, and there's plenty of differing veiwpoints.

yeah a stovebolt is a stovebolt, but in this case, a stovebolter ain't necessarily another guys stovebolter.

breathe deep, think of a happy place, relax-----ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! there now! all better!

hari krishna, hari krishna, hari rama, hari rama!

see you at the airport! hello sailor, like my orange toga!!!

wanna buy a flower??

My truck came stock with a 350. I'm sorry.

However, I think its dead...and I love the 4.9L that is in my dad's F150...so I may have to change my cylinder # situation here soon :p

Fjord!!! Aaaaaaaaugh! Blasphemer!

(kidding, kidding...the most reliable engine I've ever owned was the original 200 I6 in the '65 Mustang I drove in HS/college.)

haha I'll stand up for the 4.9L Ford, my first car in high school was a 1984 F150 with that engine...it's a great motor, the last of the real straight sixes, I think it hung around until 1996 and had final power rating of 145 horsepower and 265 ft lb torque at something like 2000 rpm...better torque curve than the 302 of that era. I do hate Fords though, my Bronco II sealed that deal.

At 67 its nice to hear I am underage,sorta like being IDed when I buy beer.As for V8s I will take them any day over a 6 for performance.I do it my way you do it your way,and dont complain about me.