Inline Chevies

The time has come to start planning the replacement for the 235 in the 57. The 4 mains are a weakness and constant rebuilds are killing me. Crankshafts are getting harder to find and are getting expensive (last cost me cost me near $300for a 10/10). I want an engine that will handle the higher RPMs and quite a bit more horsepower. A turbo may be enter in as well.

You folks running "late model" chevy sixes - give me some info and some of the things that you have successfully done. What are you running?

Santucci, Leo The Chevrolet Inline Six-Cylinder Power Manual available from www.motorbooks.com as item 133409AE for 19.95 is allegedly the bible for Chebby guys. Very highly regarded over at www.inliners.org, a site you should know about if you're going to play with bowties.

The small chevy sixes are really solid engines but the 292 must be pampered. The weak cranksaft is a big problem. I ran small 230-250 engines for about 10 years at the drags 11.20s in a roadster with very few problems at high RPMS. My buddies ran 292 engines and pulled their hair out. Ive seen flywheels cracked, balancers sheared,bolts broken, cranks and rods thru the oil pan. Anything attached to the crank shaft either broke or fell off. The extra cubic inches are welcome on the street but dont try to up hp and rpms. My solution was a ford six ; a side by side crank comparison will answer all your question about strength.

Look for a GMC 302 inline six- direct bolt-up to 235, way more cubes, lots of power options available.They came in p-u 's from the mid '50's to the early '60's.

6bangerbill-

Leo Santucci and many others haven't had the problems you describe. the 292 isn't a bad place to start.

Reading Leo's book, he carfully avoids the subject of crankshaft beakage. And doesnt discuss the many problems he has experienced. Talk to any chevy racer at nostalgia events about crank problems on the 292 , the truthful ones will admit to changing even the forged ones every year, even when using a good damper. The ford guys will replace a cast crankshaft every few years or so. Its a problem that all big block sixbanger guys live with. There are many ways to help the situation: more and bigger dowel pins and bolts on the flywheel flange, brass shims between the flange and flywheel to prevent welding(dont laugh),special dampers,bolt plates, and polishing the crank. The nhra sportsman racers use special custom built billet 4340 cranks that solve all the problems. Better to stay with the small block, or you could learn the hard way. The 292 is dependable to about 300 hp before breakage, 400 hp is a diaster waiting to happen. If you run a 230, a forged crank is available from the 194 engine and is indestructable at any hp. All 250's and 230's have cast cranks. My personal favorite is the 230 with a hibred head, iron or aluminum. Wind the tar out of it.

If you end up running a stock type 250-292 head (not intake cast into head) and want it flow more air, the head bolt bosses than run through the intake runners can be removed. Mill them out and use a short stud inside the intake runner. dont forget to plug the top where the head bolt went.