(first posted 4/24/2013) Well, there’s a whole raft of reasons why I like straight sixes, like their intrinsic balance, better torque curve (per displacement) than a V8, and of course their distinctive sound. But here’s the best reason of all: they look so much better. One can readily see the whole engine; on both sides even. On a V8, too much is left to the imagination; for that matter, their undersides aren’t really interesting. But sixes have all their plumbing on full display, like this fine 1937 Chevy sporting a couple of Stromberg jugs posted at the Cohort by Bryce. Here’s a closer look, and then the other side too:
(click for full size)
I’m so happy to live long enough to see sixes be cool again. When I was young, everyone yanked out the “stupid six” in their Chevy or whatever, and dropped in the inevitable V8. But who can bear to see another WalMart hot rod with a 350/350 in it? The world really is becoming a better place.
Spark plugs lined up at attention, ready for inspection! Obviously, this engine has benefited from the house of Offenhauser. But its things like these side plates, that can be removed to expose the whole side of the block, that makes old sixes so endearing. Now to hear it running.
Paul, this got me thinking about your recent “Remastering” column…maybe take a late-1960s Galaxie that had the 240 and put in a 1990s incarnation of the 300/4.9 six with the fuel injection, etc.?
I’m now thinking about my early-1970s work at Ford’s Cleveland Foundry, and seeing the master patterns for those l-o-n-g blocks and heads and manifolds for the sixes; but I’ll admit I was always drawn to the V8’s, and thought of the sixes as cheapskate/taxi engines….
Slant Sixes make for a great looking hot rod engine
Oh so cool!!! This has always been my dream build.
Dream build, indeed. It’s a little surprising that the Slant Six doesn’t see more use as an exposed hotrod engine since the ‘slant’ was almost entirely a style thing. The only actual engineering benefit was giving more engine bay room to better equalize the intake runners so the combustion would be more even amoung all six cylinders. But, mostly, the 30 degree cant was done simply to be able to use a lower hood line.
With that said, the tilt of the Slant Six makes for a much more attractive exposed engine with the longer intake runners.
With the 3 different angles of the block, intake and exhaust, combined with the howl this one would have made going down the 1/4 mile, a truly awe inspiring sight and sound.
Inline 6 is truly a sweet six. I’m fortunate to own two of the Bavarian type currently, S54 and n52, both a blast to drive in their own rite.
Unfortunately in the U.S. the six usually got treated as a poor relation, especially when V8s became the stars of the line ups. Most sixes from the 60’s onward came with the integral cast head with manifold.This really cut down your options for improving the intake system. I have the Hot Rod magazine series where A.K. Miller hopped up the Falcon (small Ford ) six in his Mustang. He tried out different carb set ups by modifying the manifold as well as using headers. My ’70 Mustang came with the 250 cid six, the biggest of the Falcon sixes. Performance was pretty good,stock with a turbo muffler, it would top 90 mph. Returning from a car show in Santa Maria I kept up with a SS350 Camaro who was cruising at 70 mph. over the Cuesta Grade. That was all I had ! Fuel economy was poor, only 15 mpg. on the freeway even with radials and a front air dam. I think that the 200 six was the better engine, as the 250 had a huge carb to try to fuel the cylinders with the poor intake manifolding. Performance parts for the six are rare and expensive. Much cheaper to swap in the small block Ford V8. Still I wouldn’t mind another little six to play around with. I now have what I consider to be the greatest six, the 95-97 Jaguar 4.0. Fuel injection, all aluminum construction, DOHC four valve heads, coil on plug ignition. Here’s a picture of the Mustang engine.
Everything you mentioned and many more is why I hate 6 cyl engines. most of all is that damn exhaust note… sounds like a bunch off bees or one long fart to me. I had a couple 6 cyl engines and hated every moment of them.. again esp the sound. They were heavier than the v-8, had a lot less power per pound, lower rpm potential with that stupid long crank, they got ALOT worse gas miieage but omg the absolute worst was the sound. I love an “OPEN” exhaust on a v-8, but with v-6’s and esp a straight 6 I put the quietest muffler I could find on them.. along with two resonators… I didn’t want to hear any of that bullshit droneing sound they make. I guess it is the time period I grew up… the only car that was worth having was a powerfull kick-your -ass v-8. Back then 6 cyl cars were basic poor-mans third clas transportation… not really worth existing. I don’t like them… can you tell???
Here’s a picture of the motor in my XJ6.
I currently own a V6, one of two I’ve had, in my Tacoma and it’s not a great engine for this application. Of course a similar displacement straight 6 with the requisite cooling capacity and clearance for the front differential would probably be a packaging challenge. Of the two inline sixes I have owned, the BMW 2.8 was a fine motor, but not really as satisfying to me as the enthusiast press would have one believe, perhaps because of the 1980 technology’s balance of horsepower and fuel economy (not great). The DOHC six in my FZJ Land Cruiser wasn’t great in that department either, but the torque and general low rpm behavior were very fine. Even then, the long block and head weren’t immune from head gasket issues, though for the next owner, not me. I do have fine memories of driving other people’s Ford and Mopar sixes, the latter of the slanted variety. If I ever buy a pre-76 domestic CC, a straight six would be fine with me (unless I find an affordable and like-new Vega, of course).
As part of the brand’s migration upscale, Mazda recently announced it would offer a new platform designed around an inline-6.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a27420382/mazda-rwd-platform-inline-six/
Apart from the “Hemi” six from Chrysler Australia, Holden got great race results from their ‘Red’ motor. The race prepped 202 six in the Torana XU-1 handed the Falcon GTHOs their @ss at Bathurst in ’72, won many rallies and championships. Only today I had the pleasure of watching 3 of them dominate in historic racing. A good day indeed
I am late here, but of course I am a true straight six enthusiast. In addition to coming home for the first time in a 1960 Pontiac with a straight six, my family had a series of four cars with the AMC six in them. Five if you count the parts car.
My 258 equipped 1972 Matador ran very well. It would start with the slightest bump of the starter motor. High RPM performance was let down by the manifolds, for some reason the 1972 exhaust manifold had big lugs cast into the passages for future air injection ports, so I got an earlier manifold which flowed better. It would run 17.7 in the quarter mile and beat most 5.0 Mustangs to 60 feet which was pretty good for a free car.
In the Sept 1969 issue of Rod & Custom there was an article about getting performance out of the AMC six, I don’t have that issue in my collection anymore but I think there was a special high altitude package in Mexico that used a four barrel carb, by using headers and cutting 343 V8 valves into the head they got into the 13s with an American sedan.
Hmm, here it is, known as the VAM intake, short for
Vehículos Automotores Mexicanos S. A. de C. V.
I’ve enjoyed a few inline sixes over the years. First one was in a ’96 F-150 that took me off to college. A few years ago I had a ’58 Chevy Apache with the 235 and a 4 speed. My current sports car is a ’93 Toyota Supra with the 2jz.
I have inadvertently had many sixes over my lifetime. My dad’s 63 Bel Air had a 230/3 speed, which became my first car. My wife’s first car was a 74 Nova hatchback 250/3 on the floor, Spirit of America. With our first daughter came a 78 Volare with a slant six, great engine, but the car fell apart around it. We also bought a 65 Chevy van with a 230/3 speed. Wish I still had that car. A short-lived project car was my 55 Chevy Bel Air 2 door post which I had to sell for rent $ and I still cry over. We had 2 GMC Envoys with the 4.2’s which both ran way over 200k! Currently own a ‘14 Mustang 3.7 DOHC V6-6 speed and a 63 Impala convertible with 250/PG. Let’s see, how many is that? Two Cutlass Supremes, 70-76 with 350 4 bbls. and a 283 which never got installed are my only V-8’s, but they were great engines, too.
I love my 6