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A few weeks back on the engine board, a few of us got to talking about classic myths. I`m not sure if this applies to the rest of the country, but here in the south I can name the ones I`m familiar with. And they are:
When some guy is speaking of a Oldsmobile engine, no matter what year, or what cubic inch, it`s a "350 Rocket" cause the guy don`t know what size it is and never bothered to check, he was either told it was or he thinks it is just because it`s a Oldsmobile. Even in Olds that had small block chevy`s in them, he`ll still call it a "350 Rocket"
And the next one is the classic "3/4 cam" I`ve heard this one so many times it makes me laugh when I still hear it. Usually the guy talking about it wouldn`t know a real 3/4 cam if it hit him on the side of the head. "3/4" and "full race" cams were for flat head ford engines, but the guy doing the talking says his SBC has a "3/4" cam, so I say "Then you must have 3/4 of a engine"
The next one is "350 four bolt main" I`ve heard this one a million times, they say it with pride and act like the 2 extra bolts give it a 100 more horsepower or make the block something special.
Next is "Police interceptor" This myth drives me crazy. Some kid will tell me "oh it`s a police interceptor" I looked into the difference in power ratings in the 1993 ford crown vic`s, the stock version had 190 horsepower, the police interceptor had 200. 9 times out of 10 the vehicle they are referring to isn`t and never was a police vehicle, but they have to say it because they want you to believe it`s fast. When I say to them it wasn`t a police vehicle they say "oh when the original engine went out we had the interceptor installed, cost us a lot of money too"
And the last myth is the classic "it`s a corvette engine" I don`t even think I have to explain this one, I`ve met so many that will jack up the price and say "it`s a corvette block" and i`m supposed to give you more than it`s worth for a raw block because it`s a corvette block? it doesn`t matter what block it is, it`s not going to give it anymore power regardless of what it came out of. Or, if you ask somebody what they got under the hood it`s always "A corvette engine" It makes me wonder where some guys get this crap at, if they don`t know whats the point in lying about it?
When some guy is speaking of a Oldsmobile engine, no matter what year, or what cubic inch, it`s a "350 Rocket" cause the guy don`t know what size it is and never bothered to check, he was either told it was or he thinks it is just because it`s a Oldsmobile. Even in Olds that had small block chevy`s in them, he`ll still call it a "350 Rocket"
And the next one is the classic "3/4 cam" I`ve heard this one so many times it makes me laugh when I still hear it. Usually the guy talking about it wouldn`t know a real 3/4 cam if it hit him on the side of the head. "3/4" and "full race" cams were for flat head ford engines, but the guy doing the talking says his SBC has a "3/4" cam, so I say "Then you must have 3/4 of a engine"
The next one is "350 four bolt main" I`ve heard this one a million times, they say it with pride and act like the 2 extra bolts give it a 100 more horsepower or make the block something special.
Next is "Police interceptor" This myth drives me crazy. Some kid will tell me "oh it`s a police interceptor" I looked into the difference in power ratings in the 1993 ford crown vic`s, the stock version had 190 horsepower, the police interceptor had 200. 9 times out of 10 the vehicle they are referring to isn`t and never was a police vehicle, but they have to say it because they want you to believe it`s fast. When I say to them it wasn`t a police vehicle they say "oh when the original engine went out we had the interceptor installed, cost us a lot of money too"
And the last myth is the classic "it`s a corvette engine" I don`t even think I have to explain this one, I`ve met so many that will jack up the price and say "it`s a corvette block" and i`m supposed to give you more than it`s worth for a raw block because it`s a corvette block? it doesn`t matter what block it is, it`s not going to give it anymore power regardless of what it came out of. Or, if you ask somebody what they got under the hood it`s always "A corvette engine" It makes me wonder where some guys get this crap at, if they don`t know whats the point in lying about it?