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drolston · 05-22-2021, 04:51 PM

In about 1961 I put a 57 Buick V8 in my '48 Ford Coupe. Pretty easy swap. Had to move the steering box a little. Ran pretty strong, but I missed the sound of the flathead.

The bootleggers preferred the coupes, because you could get more cases in them, and much of the weight in front of the rear axle. Most added extra leaf or two in the rear spring so they would look level when loaded.

How do I know these things? Tribal knowledge among the ones I ran sugar to, because I worked at the Farm Bureau and could buy 50 lb without having to sign for it. They were pretty innovative "shade tree" hot rodders. Merc crank, Merc cam, and shaved heads gave them all they needed (or could afford). Dual exhaust was a give-away, but they gutted the mufflers. Top end was not an issues on the roads they ran, but acceleration was, so they used 4.11 rear end gears.

05-22-2021, 04:51 PM	#16
drolston Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Williamsburg, VA Posts: 1,636	Re: Barn Find 1946 Tudor. In about 1961 I put a 57 Buick V8 in my '48 Ford Coupe. Pretty easy swap. Had to move the steering box a little. Ran pretty strong, but I missed the sound of the flathead. The bootleggers preferred the coupes, because you could get more cases in them, and much of the weight in front of the rear axle. Most added extra leaf or two in the rear spring so they would look level when loaded. How do I know these things? Tribal knowledge among the ones I ran sugar to, because I worked at the Farm Bureau and could buy 50 lb without having to sign for it. They were pretty innovative "shade tree" hot rodders. Merc crank, Merc cam, and shaved heads gave them all they needed (or could afford). Dual exhaust was a give-away, but they gutted the mufflers. Top end was not an issues on the roads they ran, but acceleration was, so they used 4.11 rear end gears.