It’s a great feeling to bolt a fresh engine and trans into your project car. Well, we suppose it is since we’re happy to see a used small-block sitting in the front of our ’51 for $15,000 project. It’s not fresh by any means, but when we traded the shell of a ’74 Duster for a used small-block and Turbo 350 trans, the thought of this project wasn’t even on our wish list. We’re not really even sure why we bought a non-running ’74 Duster in the first place. Could be it was rust-free and was only $250, but when we lost our storage, it was traded for a small-block that was easy to stash under a rack of parts.
The engine is a used 350 Chevy...
The engine is a used 350 Chevy that we had in stock. We were told “it ran when it was pulled out,” so we’re hoping for the best. It took an afternoon just to dig it out. It’s an early ’70s two-bolt block with small heads.
Fast forward five or six years and lo and behold, we have a project that needs a driveline. We’re sure we’re going to catch a bit of heat over the budget numbers for this engine but it was traded for a car we paid $250 for years ago. We were told it ran, but who knows, you may get the last laugh before this is all over. Before plunking the 350 in the ’51, we thought it would be good to reseal a few gaskets and take a look inside.
It isn’t a high-performance engine; in fact it has two-bolt mains. Casting numbers put it as a passenger block from the early ’70s with a set of 1.94-inch intake and 1.50-inch exhaust valve heads to match. But it had been rebuilt at some point and wasn’t oozing with grime. In fact, the lifter galley showed no signs of buildup of any sort and everything looked well maintained. (And did you happen to catch the chrome oil pan?) We didn’t even see fit to replace the timing chain and gear, though we probably should have. We knew the trans worked as it was used in a friend’s car for a while. It shifted fair but was a notorious leaker. We hate leaks and felt it best to have a shop take a look at it and replace all the seals. For $125 we received a trans with a clean bill of health, along with simply being clean.
We were not going to put a...
We were not going to put a used engine in without a fresh set of gaskets and seals. While the pan was off, we took a look at some of the mains and rod bearings. We learned the engine was definitely used, but had also been rebuilt.
When we first started this project, there was little doubt that this old engine was going to be called into duty. So when we were ordering the frontend kit from Chassis Engineering (CE), they fit the crossmember with the lower engine mounts to accept a small-block Chevy. This option, along with the upper mounts, was an additional $86 and well worth the price.
The CE engine mount kit is supplied with nicely machined and assembled engine brackets, isolators, and hardware. When we guided the engine and trans assembly into position, the mounts lined right up. At the aft, we were really pleased to see the TH350 come to rest right at the Walton Fabrication crossmember.
With the driveline in place, we’re tipping our budget scale at just over $6,500. Remember, this includes the car as well, so we’re still feeling pretty good about coming in under our $15,000 goal. We were able to cheap out on the driveline (cross our fingers) and the car won’t see paint for years. The goal is to build a fun, smooth driving, reliable family cruiser. We’re not counting our savings yet as we still have some big ticket items coming up and a lot of little things that are sure to add up: tires, glass, interior, radiator, wiring, lighting, etc. … the list goes on. But we’re still having fun.
Before bolting on the TH350...
Before bolting on the TH350 we got a fresh set of Moroso flexplate retainers. New flexplate bolts are something we do nearly every time we install an engine.
When we ordered the crossmember...
When we ordered the crossmember from Chassis Engineering, we knew an SBC was in our future and they welded the mounts in place. These are the engine side of the mount and the hardware. The cost was $86.
Like the rest of the system,...
Like the rest of the system, the CE engine mounts went together right in place. The bushings and rings aligned well and included Nylok nuts for a secure mount.
Before sliding the engine...
Before sliding the engine in place, the CE instructions did note that the factory seams on the firewall were going to require a little trimming. We were lucky to borrow a foam engine to position on the mounts to see just where we’d have to trim.
With a cut line made, we broke...
With a cut line made, we broke out the Sawzall and went to town on the 60-year-old metal.
Rather than lop off the entire...
Rather than lop off the entire seam, we opted to give it a bit more of a rounded clearance. The engine fit nicely in place with plenty of room to spare. Most people would take the time to strip these supports clear off and finish the firewall smooth and clean, but we’re not at that level on this project.
The mounts were bolted to...
The mounts were bolted to the engine prior, thinking it would be easier to line up one bolthole rather than three.
With the front sheetmetal...
With the front sheetmetal and radiator support off the car, it was easy to lower the engine and trans into place. With some careful negotiating of the cherry picker, the engine mounts aligned with the doughnuts and sleeves nicely and the hardware was secured.
With the front sheetmetal...
With the front sheetmetal and radiator support off the car, it was easy to lower the engine and trans into place. With some careful negotiating of the cherry picker, the engine mounts aligned with the doughnuts and sleeves nicely and the hardware was secured.
The view from underneath shows...
The view from underneath shows how nice the engine and chassis came together with the centering ring, rubber isolators, and mounts.
While all of this was happening...
While all of this was happening from the front, lest we forget the new transmission crossmember from Walton Fabrication. The equally used TH350 came to rest at exactly the right location. We installed a new trans mount from Energy Suspension and put it all together.
The adjustable trans mount...
The adjustable trans mount of the Walton crossmember allows for several different transmissions to be used; now to find a driveshaft.
The small-block looks right...
The small-block looks right at home between the ’rails of the ’51. There seems to be plenty of room for exhaust manifolds as well as the distributor, but that’s getting ahead of ourselves. Also note our Chevrolet script valve covers and an Edelbrock C4B intake (swap meet, $60). The list of small, time-consuming details is long but we’re pretty happy with our progress to date.
Project ‘51 for 15K
| Parts |
Cost |
| ’51 Chevy Business Coupe |
$2,750.00 |
| Chassis Engineering
Front suspension |
$2,052.00 |
| Rear suspension |
$602.00 |
| Brake lines, valve, etc. |
$137.00 |
| Walton Fabrication trans crossmember |
$169.95 |
| Engineered Components
Master cylinder
brake bracket |
$130.00 |
| Master cylinder |
$75.00 |
| Engine and trans (traded for a Duster) |
$250.00 |
| Energy Suspension trans mount |
$40.00 |
| Chassis Engineering SB engine mounts |
$86.00 |
| Gaskets for engine
Oil pan, intake,
timing |
$90.00 |
| Trans seal and inspect |
$125.00 |
| Intake and valve covers (swap meet) |
$60.00 |
| Grand Total: |
$ 6,566.95 |