Following up on our original feature at Mac’s Motor City Garage, here are five more noteworthy applications for America’s most popular V8, the small-block Chevy.
As we noted in our first story nearly a year ago, “Six good places for a small-block Chevy V8,” the little thin-wall Chevy truly is the universal V8. General Motors has manufactured something like 100 million units, reportedly, and the engine has found its way into nearly every type of machine that moves on land, sea, or air. Here are five more interesting examples.
Chet Wilson of Wichita, Kansas is generally credited as the first builder to install a small-block Chevy V8 in a sprint car, hitting the track in 1956-57. From there, it didn’t take long for the cheap, durable Chevy to displace the venerable Offy four-banger, becoming the engine of choice in American short track racing. The Offy Killer, as Wilson’s sprinter was known, was competitive on the Midwest dirt tracks for years—here it is with Jud Larson at the wheel in 1963.
The handsome Gordon-Keeble road car of 1964-67 was a sort-of continuation of the English Peerless GT, but with a 327 CID Chevy V8 under the bonnet in place of the wheezy Triumph TR3 four-banger. The smart bodywork was fiberglass, the chassis an assortment of quality UK vendor.components. Exactly 100 units in all were built, of which 90 are still around, according to Gordon-Keeble experts.
Today, Brooks Stevens’ series of retro-styled Excalibur sports cars are regarded as overstuffed boulevard cruisers. However, that certainly wasn’t the case for the original Excalibur Series I of 1965-69. This one was all muscle and tendon with cycle fenders, sparse bodywork, and a 327 CID Corvette V8 set back 29 inches in the minimal Studebaker chassis. It’s got all the classic sports car stuff—and sharp collectors are taking notice.
Here’s an application for the Stovebolt V8 that didn’t work out, but through no fault of the engine. In 1977, GM began a consolidation of engine makes and types across the divisions. However, the marketing folks didn’t get the memo and continued to bill the Oldsmobile Delta 88 as powered by Oldsmobile’s vaunted Rocket V8, even though there was now a 350 CID Chevrolet under the hood. Buyers perceived a bait-and-switch, generating a series of class-action suits that prompted GM to issue cash make-up payments to disgruntled Oldsmolet and Chevromobile owners.
The 1963-66 Cheetah (above and in lead photo) from Bill Thomas Race Cars of Anaheim, California, was designed to be the original Cobra slayer. A fabricated tube chassis carried a hot-rodded Chevy V8, lightweight body (aluminum, later fiberglass) and very little else. But the stubby 90-inch wheelbase made for twitchy handling, and the extreme rearward engine location and enclosed bodywork tended to bake drivers. Lack of manufacturer support and a factory fire put an end to the Cheetah after 23 cars (more or less) were constructed.
One more popular Chevy V-8 installation was in the Willy’s flat fender pickup (and wagon) of the ’50’s. I had a 1951 Willys 4X4 pickup that I dropped a 307 Chevy V-8 with an adapter plate that retained the original Willys trans and transfer case and was a lot of fun. Sure beat the heck out of the flat-head 6 it replaced.
As a side note to the Excalibur, in the ’70’s, I worked for an auto body and paint supplier that supplied the paint for the Excalibur plant in West Allis, Wis. One of my delivery stops was the plant, and I would go and tour the various stages of assembly. I remember the stacks of crates of Chevy motors (350’s, I think)and the cars they turned out were beautiful. Lately, the original head mechanic for Excalibur has been resurrecting the remaining cars , in an effort to keep the cars and parts available for new and present owners. Can you believe, several were lost to the “Cash for Clunkers” program?
Here in Oz and I guess world wide many, usually earlier Landcruisers, 40 60 70 75 and the occasional 80 too have had the Chev conversion, and a few Nissans too.
The SBC and gen 3 engine must be the most transplanted engine in the history of motoring. Lots of Jags, a few Z car Nissans as well as thousands of Holdens all have the Chevy conversions. Some however are less than ideal!
Years ago, I knew a farmer that put a SBC in his IH Farmall tractor with upswept headers, and was very pleased with the results.
Not just for cars. Our 1965 Chris-Craft had a 283ci with a 4bbl carb.
Thanks for the shout out for the series one Excalibur SSK roadster. The 97 original “pure” Excaliburs were true performance machines with five second 0-60 times and outstanding handling for their day.
In the early 1970’s I worked in an Oldsmobile service department. An owner of a brand new 88 came in with his alternator light on. The fan belt had come off. When I opened the hood and saw the 350 Chevy, I was really surprised. We had no warning that Olds was moving to Chevy power.
And, everything in the parts manual was for the 350 Olds motor. We could not find the proper fan belt anywhere. The car sat in the rear of the shop for a very long time. I don’t remember the finale disposition of the car, but I remember a very irate Delta 88 owner.
Hi Dean, If I remember, the masses didn’t notice the difference right away and it wasn’t until people began buying replacement parts, (plugs, and like you say, belts) for their Oldsmobiles, and realized something was wrong.
I had the displeasure of working on a lawsuit car for my buddy. Pontiac with a Buick engine. The starter went out an he already got another one before he called me. Part store showed 3 different one’s and none worked. A local Alternator/Starter rebuild shop put one together.