Straight Six Question Too

[Hair]

By looking at the price of parts, it seems that you can build a stronger small block for half of the price of a six... but a stout six would be cooler of course... everyone has a souped-up V8.

Does it do any good to add an aluminum intake and small 4 barrel Holley and a set of headers to an inline six if you don't do anything to the inside? Has anyone done this and does it run stronger?

When I hear of people "souping-up" inline six engines I never hear a horse power or torque rating being thrown around. What kind of horse power does a mild "hotrod" inline six make? How do they run?

[Elephanthead]

Yeah, you can buy a crate V 8 for cheaper brand new, I like the stock 6, but I would never consider it a performance engine. If you want real power out of a 6 you need some sort of forced induction. People like to do what people do and there is nothing stopping you from building the fasted straight 6 ever.

[TP from Cntl PA]

Mine is pretty much stock on the inside...........Was planning on a cam swap but need to keep it stock for the EFI to work. Did some port work on the head, but other than that she's like she was in '69 when it left the factory. I have a clifford water heated intake, clifford truck headers, HEI, and a Howell TBI setup on it. She works very well for me.

Personally, a cross flow head would be better than forced induction IMO, but nobody has made a "Reasonably" cheap head to date.

[Stock72c10]

I have given up on making my 6 any faster. Maybe I will paint flames on it so at least it will "look" fast

[Luvlegs]

Originally Posted by Stock72c10

I have given up on making my 6 any faster. Maybe I will paint flames on it so at least it will "look" fast

Save some money and just put stickers on it.... the ones that'll give it the look of extra hp!

[Stock72c10]

Like this one:

[68gmsee]

These sixes were never meant to be speed motors. They were primarily made for working trucks and their desirability is in how easy they are to work on. I have one on my 68 GMC and I have a 350 on my 69 Chevy. Love both of them.

As Elephanthead said, you can put as much as you want into them and make them into a good racing motor. But by the time you spend all that money, a crate 350 engine would be cheaper.

[chevy29267truck]

its easyer too get parts for the chevy 250 engine but its hard too find a chevy 292 engine or parts for one i have a 292 chevy engine block i found some parts in the midwest

[PanelDeland]

Intakes,headers and cams all cost about the same for quality parts for either.The real thing with a 6 is being different or staying with original.The SBC is the cheapest easiest way to HP without breaking the bank.You can even build a SBC cheaper using somewhat cheaper parts until you can afford to upgrade.The parts for a 6 are mostly of a good to excellent quality so far as I have seen.

[chevy29267truck]

oh and theres more 250 engine there where put in ever thing but for the 292 engine was only in pickups trucks,bread trucks and some panel,van and suburbans

[68gmsee]

Originally Posted by PanelDeland

....The real thing with a 6 is being different or staying with original......

Since the 350 engine on my 69 Chevy is trash, I've been considering going back to the original 250 but with added improvements. Maybe 4 barrel intake manifild, headers, etc.. Even have considered EFI.

I like the simplicity of the six and since I don't don't do any racing, it would have enought power for my purposes.

[TP from Cntl PA]

Originally Posted by Stock72c10

Like this one:

ROTFLMAO...........My K-20 actually had a pre-smog 454 in it when I bought it, I thought WOW, what a great trailer puller..............Boy was I wrong, it didn't impress me at all in that application with the SM465, never had the right gear I needed..........And empty it only got 10 mpg! Since we owned alot of inline powered trucks over the years and had a spare engine or two I went and dropped in a 250. They aren't a hp motor, but torquey beasts and better on fuel and I will take mine anyday over the 454 I pulled out!