VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1941 chevy 216 upgrades

I've got a 1941 chevy 216 that has a top speed of about 45mph and I'm looking to upgrade the performance. Any suggestions on how to raise the top speed and performance?

I've got a stock 1948 with her original 216 and drivetrain. When I bought the car, it felt like it was all in at 55 MPH. After I solved some of its issues, I've had the car as fast as an indicated 75 on the interstate. Friday evening I took her to a cruise-in 20 miles away, and, ran 65 MPH going and returning home on the interstate. Here's what I did to mine:
1. The vacuum shifter was leaking vacuum badly - I put a shift conversion kit on the car and eliminated it.
2. I replaced the exhaust manifold with one that had a functional heat riser.
3. I installed the correct insulator under her carb to replace a stack of gaskets that had been glued together with RTV.
4. I made sure the engine was tuned correctly, and, that both distributor advance devices (mechanical and vacuum) were working correctly. I'm running her timing 5 degrees advanced.
5. I pulled the valve cover and found some incorrect rocker arms and bent pushrods. I replaced the rocker arms with the correct ones. The pushrods that were bent appeared to be out of an engine that had hydraulic lifters. I replaced them with the correct ones. Then with all the valvetrain issues corrected, I set both the intakes and exhaust clearances to the top of the tolerance. Yeah - with solid lifters, she taps a bit, but, I won't burn any valves running her at speed.
6. I cleaned out her cooling system and installed a 160 degree stat. When I pulled her themostat housing, there was no stat.

When I finished all this, I discovered she was quicker, had way more top end, and gets decent fuel economy. In addition, she now hot starts much better as well. She also runs at 180 degrees max now. Get your engine in shape, and you'll be surprised like I was with this 90 HP mill.

Regards;
Oldengineer
1948 Fleetmaster Town Sedan

This is probably something you should talk to "Charlie" about...I don't recall right off but I believe after a quick check it was found he was dragging an anchor or he still had a load of bricks in the trunk...

Anyway, Welcome to Chevy Chatter...We'll get that "ol tub" up to speed if nothing else...

41MaserDeluxe
Welcome to Chatter
As oldengineer suggested, get what you have up to (or as close to) specifications as you can before changing things around. They might not be as fast as the modern vehicle but they are more fun and you get a better look at the scenery as you go past.
Tony

Welcome to the board. If you have the 3.73 rear end you can easily drive 60 and even faster safely. I regularly drive my '38 @ 60. If you have a lower gear there are options that I'm not experienced with so someone else will have to advise you.

ok thanks for the info how do you find what kind of rear end it has?

"RPO" would be abbreviation/acronym for General Motors Regular Production Option (R.P.O.) Codes. I'm not really sure, but I think you hear "RPO" more in reference to 60's and 70's cars. Rather than 40's cars and so on. I presume there's lots more info about RPO's in the google search box....

Bill.

If everything is stock and in good standard order, then you may get it up to around 85, give or take a mile or two, but that is about it. And, I wouldn't recommend holding 'er at that speed for very long. It should be able to cruise at 55-60 all day long. That is fast enough, even for most interstates.

Charlie

BTW: It seems that on reflection, that when the traffic is heavy on interstates then everyone slows down and when traffic is light, it speeds up. In the first case you can keep up nicely and in the second there is plenty room for folks to go around you. Just don't drive in the fast lane. Just my thoughts, for what they're worth here.

41Master:

I'm pretty sure my 48 has the standard 4:11 gears in her rear end. I think yours would be the same.

Regards:
Oldengineer

My 48 actually had a WW2 truck motor in it. It would happily cruise at 60 all day and once ran up to 85 at which point I decided that was enough. I gather that something is not right with your car and it reminds me of my uncle who always drove Chevs which were always 6 cylinder in Australia up to 1960. Anyway he decided to buy a Ford Customline in 1958 to get a V8. The car was a 1957 model and only about 6 months old. He found that it had very poor fuel economy and wouldn't do more than about 50 mph. He took it back and had it tuned but that didn't help at all so he went about cursing Fords and was going to get rid of it. One day he was going up a steep hill when there was a loud bang and the thing "Took off like a scalded cat" and he almost ran up the back of a truck. What had happened was the car was built with a faulty muffler that was blocked and when it ultimately blew off it solved the problem. Mind you he didn't keep the car because "It rusted faster than it drove" and traded it on a 59 Belair. "You can't beat a Fisher body"

On that note.....I found that mice had made sizable nests in the mufflers of both of my MD's.

I replaced the 4:11 rear end with a 3:53 from a 1953 Powerglide in my '41. Made a world of difference in speed. It is an easy swap. Of course everything else should be working good . The 216 is a good engine and with the 3:53 ring gear and pinion you can keep up with the big boys. JIM

Jar:

I've had several people offer to sell me a higher geared rear end for mine. Problem is - I live in WV, and, I like the way she climbs the hills here. Getting her moving at a red light at the top of a steep grade is enough of a challenge now. I have to hold her with the emergency brake until I can get on the gas, and, let out on the clutch. Just got the parts to fix her hand throttle - so things should get easier once I get it operational.

Regards:
Oldsengineer
1948 Fleetmaster Town Sedan

What you need is a "hill holder".

Ray
Do you mean something similar to the Subaru "hill start assist" holds the brakes applied while the clutch is depressed but releases them as the clutch starts to take up?
Tony

Chevrolet called it a "No-Rol" device. I have one on my 1939. When the clutch and brake is depressed and the car is on an incline (front higher than the rear) it keeps the brakes applied and the foot can be removed from the brake pedal. As the clutch is released (about one half way and is adjustable) the brakes release and off you go.
Studebaker called it a Hill-older and it was very popular on Studebakers. It was offered on Buick and Pontiac also but the dealers never seemed to push it as Studebaker did. 1948 was the last year Chevrolet offered it.

Oldengineer... I have spent some time in your W.VA hills but not driving my '41. The 3:43 ring gear and pinion do not seem to affect my hill climbing (Ozarks) very much . As far as the stop and go on inclines would not change very much between the 4:11 a and the 3:43. You would have the same problem with either rear end. The best part of my change was the top speed. With the 4:11 50-55 was all I wanted to drive. It seemed to strain the engine, etc. over 50 mph. With the 3:43 60 - 65 is very comfortable and it would do a lot more but there is no reason to push it further.
JIM

Jar:

Like I indicated in my earlier post, after my engine repairs, my car now handles 60 - 65 MPH on the interstate with no sweat.

Regards:
Oldengineer