[rmcomprandy]

What was the first automotive engine you ever totally rebuilt yourself...?

Just curious here as to the vast different models which will show-up.
Especially if it was modified in any way.

Mine was a 170 cubic inch Slant 6 Dodge. Used 392 hemi exhaust valves in the intakes of the 6, Milled that head .090" and had the camshaft reground with Chevrolet V8 "Duntov" #078 F.I. lobes.

 

[torino501]

i dont know if any body can top that randy......i'll give it a shot...i overhauled the big as saturn v rocket at nasa one time.... how did i do? ok really it was a 69 351w with bolt ons new bearings rings,hacked ports by yours truly.ran ok comp 282,lost oil press hot,found out rods were egg shape.i was 15 i think.

 

[DaveMcLain]

1970 Ford 302 V8, bored, reground crank and a very very small Speed Pro cam, 4 barrel carburetor etc. The engine is in my '65 Ford and it still runs great.

 

[crittersf1]

1941 Willy's Flathead four. Had 4 ring grooves in the pistons, only 3 are used.

 

[fordman59]

'66 390GT. Did it way back in '79. Std bore w/better pistons, small cam and retainers, roller chain, etc (all from Crane Cams). Has had several different heads, intakes, headers on it. Still have it. Needs some work now.

 

[BigDave65]

Mine was an iron headed 4V 351-C that I put in my first race car. I never had a hot rod just went straight into bracket racing. It ran 7.30's in the 1/8. I was fortunate enough to live near a guy who did cylinder heads for Bud Moore's Nascar team at the time (late 80's) and got some good deals on parts like titanium valves, springs, and rockers.

 

[Larry_Williams]

mine was a 292 "Y" block ford. did some unusual stuff to it. Used the EBU casting number crank from a 1954 Merc. over bored .185 if I remember properly, used olds oversized pistons with a reground camshaft. Had the 312 big valve heads from an ex police car. I think the candy apple purple paint with all the chrome goodies made the engine faster

sounded like sbc reved like crazy went like stink too.

this was in 1963

 

[rmcomprandy]

i dont know if any body can top that randy......i'll give it a shot...i overhauled the big as saturn v rocket at nasa one time.... how did i do? ok really it was a 69 351w with bolt ons new bearings rings,hacked ports by yours truly.ran ok comp 282,lost oil press hot,found out rods were egg shape.i was 15 i think.

Come on - pretty easy to top a Slant 6, LOL.

It seems that the people here still have their first endeavour into engine rebuilding.
I sold my "Valiant" engine two years later when I installed a 318.

 

[hellbilly66]

home made 408 stroker. 400 crank,360 rods and 350 pistons. when i was 16 i thought i created something special, until i found out a year later it was an old idea. it had 69 heads with bigger valves and hogged out of course. 10 to 1 comp. victor intake and a big solid roller.

the 5.0 crowd had no idea what hit em. only had it for a year, i spent more in gas than i did building it. and i still miss it.

 

[parkclay]

1st engine

Ford straight 6 for a open wheel modified. I had to do it twice since I screwed it up the 1st time. Used a Schneider racing cam, a modfied Weiand intake and a Holley 2 barrel carb.

Clay

 

[zephyrbob]

another willys four. but considering it was in north africa with all the suppliers speaking french morrocan it was no small undertaking. lol. bobn

 

[RJP]

292 Y-block for my 57 Ford. Built a few Y-blocks after that one.

 

[71 Puller]

180,000 mile 327 in my 1965 Elcamino, I was only 15 and had very little money. I remember staring at the Jc Wittney catalog looking at the complete overhaul kits the standerd kit was about $125.00 the premium kit was $175.00 I had to settle for the cheapest one and could not afford any machine work. Boy did it smoke, went through a quart of straight 40 wt in 300 miles,but I drove it with pride all summer of 1978. I sure wish I had that old truck back.

 

[Diggindeeper]

352 in my 66 mercury M350. My old tow rig. Nothing special whatsoever, just stock rebuild.

 

[Chuck Stevens]

1942 FORD flathead. 59L block from a bone yard was a gift from my dad on my 15th birthday. We went to the yard together and picked it up from a pile. BTW, that was in 1953, hopped it up (bore, stroke, big valves. port & relieved, heads, cam, ignition, 2 carb manifold with Holley 94's) stuffed it in mt 1940 FORD convertible on Christmas vacation 1954. Quickest car in town...at that time.

 

[Cj Ford]

1978 Chrysler 400 bigblock I had the crank turned, resized rods, bored .030 over keith black pistons then put it all together installed a crane came remember it was in the .511 lift area cant remember the rest of the specs (was 18years ago) put a set of 906 casting heads on it off a 1968 383 aluminum offenhauser intake and a tricked out quadrajet was good on fuel and hauled a$$ for what it was

 

[ITSA 91]

In 1955 I built a 315' flathead and put it in a 34 Ford coupe.It was fast but George Montgomery's Cameno tow truck could outrun me.

 

[DaveMcLain]

It's funny how Randy mentions a Slant 6 engine. I've been doing this sort of work for over 20 years and I've only ever rebuilt ONE Slant 6.

 

[Diggindeeper]

thats cause they were so durable
Had a couple of demo cars with them. They did well.
One was a 67 polara w/slant 6, auto(slipping) manual steering and brakes....real handful to demo let me tell you.

 

[BBFmavrick]

My first total rebuild on a engine was a 12hp kohler for our garden tractor when I was 14.The first complete rebuild on a Automotive engine was on a low rise 427 for my 57 Ford. Everything was new (Parts)except the rings.Did'nt have enough money for new ones. I bought the engine w/spun rod bearing. Had the crank turned,and had a valve job done.Ran 12.05 w/single 4 and a 4.57gear w/4 speed back in "72". I sure was proud of me