Thread: pros and cons of a chevy 216

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Originally Posted by leadsledchevy52

i bought a 1952 chevy styleline deluxe 2 weeks ago. i just want to know if the engine it has in it(216) is a good motor. any advice would be helpful

thanks
leadsledchevy52

In another post "photo op" I mentioned a friend with a '58 wagon. He has modified the six (which is bigger then the 216) wtih dual exhaust and dual carbs. Every time he tries to do activities with other car guys, he can't keep up with them in normal traffic. He wanted to keep it to be different, but it's to "doggy". The car is getting a 400 smallblock.

HOTRODPAINT points out exactly an arguement I have made for years relative to the "Rodder versus Restorer" debate. I know some restorers hate what we do to these old cars, but when was the last time you saw a stock model a out just cruising around or actually being driven as a car? We modify these cars for various reasons, and one of them is to make them drivable and usable on a daily or fairly regular basis.

I've mentioned before that I bought a bone stock 1938 Chevy sedan that a man had spent a lot of time and money in restoring perfectly. It was ready for paint and upholstery. My plan was to turn it into a street rod, but I didn't have the heart to do it because of the work the man had done and the fact it was so clean, so I sold it to a restorer. But before I got rid of it, I drove it about a mile around our home, and it was a horrible car to drive. The transmission was whiney as h***, the engine was a real slug, and generally it was like driving a Model A in all respects.

It had a 216, and this thing was totally rebuilt, but I like to drive my cars on a regular basis, and could not see myself driving this car anywhere. Maybe you could go to the occasional show or cruise, but that would be about it.

But as mentioned before, they make really good anchors.



Don