One of the fun facets of hot rodding is pullin' the wool over the eyes of the troops, and we're going to show you an example. HOT ROD observed while the crazy kids at Mothers Polishes, Waxes and Cleaners in Huntington Beach, California, whipped up this small-block Chevy to power their period-righteous '63 Nova convertible hot rod.
The goal was to end up with an engine that only looked as if someone had pulled it from a 327ci, 365hp '65 Corvette and dropped it into a Chevy II back in the '60s. The exterior look is the hook, though, because the insides are loaded with parts to make the little-block stomp the unknowing masses. On the outside, a mid-'60s carb and intake team mix the air/fuel combo, a set of factory 461 cylinder heads flow it, and stock 'Vette cast-iron exhaust manifolds coated by Jet-Hot dump the gases. A set of repop Corvette valve covers and an air cleaner add to the scenery. Follow along as we detail how this "powerfool" engine was packed with the good stuff for more than just a look.
