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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 886
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Straight 6 or V8??
Hey I've got the original 292 in my '67 short stepside and I am moderately hot rodding the truck. I kind of want to keep the 292 and try and build that up a little because it is a torque monster and it has a very unique sound. I also like the fact that it would be different in a sense that most people just throw a small block or big block in it and call it done. Can this engine be built up(at a reasonable price) to make my truck be pretty fast? Tell me what yall think.
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Eliot, Maine
Posts: 1,314
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
the 292 is a great engine and there are a lot of mods you can do to modernize it (roller cam, 4 barrel or fuel injection, split exhaust, etc.) a 292 is a much more interesting setup than just another 350. it won't be as fast as a v8, but gobs of low end torque can make for a very nice daily driver and there is the fuel economy benefits to be considered. put a nice overdrive trans behind it (a modern 6 speed w/ 2 overdrive ratios comes to mind).
Last edited by capev86; 07-21-2010 at 04:43 PM. |
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#3 |
Old Duffer
![]() Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 1,821
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
I'd go with the 292....of course I tend to lean that way anyhow.
![]() There's a host of things you can do to it, and you'll be just a little out of the mainstream. Pick up a copy of Santucci's "Chevrolet Inline Six-Cylinder Power Manual", and you'll be good to go, but it's like the old fellow said, "Speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?" Good Luck!
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'68 Short C20 Flatbed Dually w/ 292 4bbl, Langdon cast headers, and WC T5 trans. '81 G10 Shorty Van "Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement." Will Rogers "Under promise, then over achieve." |
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 886
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
Thanks! Yea it has a 4speed right now with the granny low which we'll put in for now. My plans are to put it back in initially and drive around a lot with it and see how I like it (plus I've heard they're bulletproof). That's a great looking 292! Is that an Offenhauser valve cover?
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#5 |
Old Duffer
![]() Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 1,821
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
Yessir, it is. Since that photo was taken, I drilled a hole in the top rear of it and installed a PCV valve.
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'68 Short C20 Flatbed Dually w/ 292 4bbl, Langdon cast headers, and WC T5 trans. '81 G10 Shorty Van "Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement." Will Rogers "Under promise, then over achieve." |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: South Florida
Posts: 11,375
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
For me I would go with a V8 but hey what do I know!!
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Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please!!!!!. Sylvester's build thread >>>http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ht=big+rebuild |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 886
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
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#8 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: St.Petersburg,Fl
Posts: 1,267
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
I'm with Al, but....I wonder how well a built 292 with a shot of NOS would run oin a properly set up vehicle? That would also be different,especially if it was set up as a fogger.
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 886
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: ambler, pa
Posts: 325
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
I just pulled mine out of a field after sitting for 15 years with a 292. Have really done nothing to it other than change plugs filters and fluids and it runs incredibly well. I may try and do some towing with it and see how it is, it sounds healthy and the cherry bomb that a P.O. put on it gives it a neat sound
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Just would like the snow to stop so I can actually work on my truck!!!!!!!!!!! |
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: stoddard nh
Posts: 693
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
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1972 gmc c25 292/sm465 dana 60 w/5.13s 1973 vw super beetle 1600cc/4spd(baja bug) 1974 chevy c60 351v6/np-540+2 speed eaton rear 2005 chevy cobalt 2.2l |
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#12 |
'70 C-10 Primer
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: nevada,missouri
Posts: 117
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
I ran at a drag strip in the early 80's. Beat many a V-8 with my 6 banger.
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"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." Albert Einstein |
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#13 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 886
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
Quote:
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#14 |
Cruzin
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: on the road
Posts: 2,835
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
i agree keep the inline, i didn't and i miss it mine was a 250 though, i get so tired of seeing 350s, and slomotion that is one beautiful motor you can't make a any V-8 look that coollol
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Lime Wife's 67https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...wZEMODaS2d94u8 Back to the Fifties 59 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...NAeStpydfrcj_U Proverbs 3:5,6 "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything."Charles Kuralt In memory of our first baby daughter, daddy and mommy love you. Danica Grace 6/26/14
Last edited by Hubscrub; 07-21-2010 at 11:03 PM. |
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Post Falls, Idaho
Posts: 606
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
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#16 |
Its a Truck Thing......
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Posts: 3,159
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
Slow,
That is a sharp looking 292. Smitty
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71 C10 283/3SPD Full Resto 71 GMC 1500 Sierra Grande http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=518599 70 C10 Suburban Former military GSA truck. 72 Chevy Blazer 4X4, Sloppy Jo, Mountain Climber. Wife says no more trucks. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=707378 72 GMC 1 Ton Motor Home, wife said no more trucks until she saw this one. Gen 3 6.0/4L80E 4.10 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=761110 68 GMC Suburban was 3/4 ton, now 1/2.Wife shook her head 71 C30 Wrecker 71 C20 Scott-Bilt As weird as it gets..BB Cheyenne AC Truck 68 GMC Long Stepside. They keep following me home 71 C20 Longhorn/Ole Yellor 69 C30 Former Motor Home, Flat Bed time |
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#17 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 2,436
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
I would be a hard put to figure which engine I like best, V-8 or L-6. The 350 V-8's are good engines, I have had a couple and they served me well, they are realitively easy to rebuild, the parts are plentiful and not as expensive.
Now that I am older the well running stock L-6 250 is just what I like. That being said if I get the urge to smoke some tires I can fire up the '71 lwb stepper with the 454. I actually like driving the '67 with the 250 best though for just cruising around the backroads.
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'67 Chevy C-20 short stepper - build complete, 454/SM-465. '75 C-30 Single Cab DRW-350 small block/NP-435. '77 GMC-6500 Dump Truck, 427 Tall Deck. '92 GMC K-3500 Duallie, 454/4L80E. |
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#18 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Tucson, AZ USA
Posts: 7,284
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
I have a '68 C/10 shortbed stepside. The original owner RPO'd a 292 L6 and SM465 4-speed. I rebuilt another '67 292 in 1977 at .030-over [=296 actual CuIn], otherwise stock build, opting toward HD parts if available. That block ran 25 years and 250,000 miles, going down in 2002. In 2005 I completed rebuilding the original block at .030 over, with hydraulic lifters, Crane 260H cam, V8 305 intake valves [1.84], hi volume oil pump, moly rings. I refurbished the Offy intake and Clifford long tube headers that had been on the last block. The 390 CFM Holley was rebuilt but wouldn't set up right after 20-something years, so I got an Edelbrock 1404, 500 CFM AFB clone 4-Bbl carb. Going itno the old crates I had put the original 292 into when I re built in 1977, I found the OEM L6 distributor. I put that on and my points still run great. I do have a Pertronix conversion Accel Blueprint distributor, but it's still waiting in the wings.
By comparison, I have a 350 Mr Goodwrench V8 in my '71 GMC Jimmy. I wish it was a 292. A stock 350 has no guts compared to a built 292.
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Every 25 years I like to rebuild that 292, whether it needs it or not. Last edited by '68OrangeSunshine; 07-22-2010 at 10:11 PM. |
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#19 |
Old Duffer
![]() Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 1,821
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
Thank you for the comments! 68Orange has a sharp outfit too. Maybe he'll post a couple pics?
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'68 Short C20 Flatbed Dually w/ 292 4bbl, Langdon cast headers, and WC T5 trans. '81 G10 Shorty Van "Good judgement comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgement." Will Rogers "Under promise, then over achieve." |
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#20 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Napa, CA
Posts: 519
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
Are 292's known for any weeknesses?
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#21 |
Registered User
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Location: Napa, CA
Posts: 519
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
meant weaknesses not weeknesses....
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#22 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Atoka, TN
Posts: 240
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
slomotion that is one sweet looking 6.
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Mark ![]() 1968 C-10 SWB 307/munci 4spd/411possi 1986-1990 1972 Cheyenne-10 LWB 350/TH350 ![]() U. S. Navy Seabee "CAN DO", "The difficult we do at once. The impossible may take a little bit longer.","We Build We Fight", "Work Hard Play Hard" |
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#23 |
*** That's interesting ***
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 2,772
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
Did you ever see the bottom end of a 292 L6? It's indestructible, though older motors do tend to have bearing trouble due to either bad journals, crank pitting, or abnormal crank wear, but even then, they will run forever with a knock.
The top end could use some improvement if original. The cam is gear driven! So no timing chain to mess with. Cams were weak, so if you rebuild, get a good cam. Heads could be made to flow better. Otherwise it's about as simple and brute force as you can get in a motor. Performance parts will be a little harder to find/get. You may need to be patient and creative.
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Tom ![]() Chevy by day... 1969 Chevy C30 Rollback Tow Truck -- 383 stroker, 4L80E 2011 Chevy Caprice PPV 9C3 6.0L 1995 Chevy Caprice 9C1 1994 Chevy Caprice 9C1 #3 1995 Chevy Caprice Wagon #2 1995 Chevy Impala SS Mopar by night... 1969 Dodge Charger 1972 Chrysler Newport 2dr Hardtop (27K miles) Plus others... |
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#24 | ||
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 886
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
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#25 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Tucson, AZ USA
Posts: 7,284
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Re: Straight 6 or V8??
Thank You for the vote of confidence. I'm an old dog and I've tried to post pics, but I'm on dial-up and it takes all night, and then fails. Also my PM box is frozen full-up. So maybe if you pull my email address off the profile, I could send jpegs direct?
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Every 25 years I like to rebuild that 292, whether it needs it or not. |
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