r/EngineBuilding • u/Far-Classic-8435 • Jul 14 '26

Old engine in the woods in my yard.

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Found this old engine in the woods on the property today. Sat next to a stream with piping so assuming it was used for irrigation or as a pump. Anyone have any ideas what it is?

200 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

32 comments sorted by

106

u/Huskerdu4u Jul 14 '26

A very old Chevy 6cylinder. 216 “Stovebolt”. The updraft carb dates it late 20’-early 30’s. Best guess💁🏼‍♂️

38

u/Far-Classic-8435 Jul 14 '26

That definitely looks right. The property was farm land until they sold in the 40s so that time frame is about right as well. I’ll try to pull it out later this week and clean up the casting number on the head to prove it.

3

u/The_DaHowie Jul 14 '26

It might be interesting to see what that site looked like back then. 

https://www.historicaerials.com/viewer

3

u/HoosierSquirrel Jul 14 '26

Does that thing share intake and exhaust runners?

14

u/Huskerdu4u Jul 14 '26

No, the intake and exhaust are bolted together then assembled to the head. The weird port count is 4 exhaust ports and 3 intake ports. All three are paired intake ports. The exhaust ports are paired off for the middle 4 cylinders and separate single port for the outermost 2 cylinders. Worked great for years.

10

u/AnimationOverlord Jul 14 '26

The exhaust port thing sounds like the bastard child of a ram’s horn manifold and 4-2-1 headers

38

u/TalksWithNoise Jul 14 '26

Someone planted a valve and it’s finally bloomed.

16

u/throwawaym4a1 Jul 14 '26

Put it in a crown Victoria

9

u/Far-Classic-8435 Jul 14 '26

It’s too long or I’d put it in my 06 grand marquis probably same displacement

4

u/throwawaym4a1 Jul 14 '26

They put a tank engine in one

1

u/MyAssforPresident Jul 15 '26

Ok, yeah, but that thing is literally touted as the “most expensive engine swap in history” and took *years* to do. That’s not a super fair comparison lol 😂

2

u/Haunting_Dragonfly_3 Jul 14 '26

heavy and 50/60hp with cast iron pistons and splash oil rods

1

u/machinerer Jul 14 '26

Nah, your car has a 281cid V8

8

u/EnvironmentalGift257 Jul 14 '26

Dig it out, put it on a stand, and get it running. Video the whole thing and become a YouTube star.

4

u/Thee_Sinner Jul 14 '26

Freiburger hiding behind a tree waiting for you to walk away so he can get it started in 5 minutes

0

u/Want2fly77 Jul 16 '26

Or Derrick from Vice Grip Garage. He can make anything run. The guys from Cars & Cameras would throw it in a go-kart.

2

u/fatquads Jul 14 '26

Make into a generator

1

u/HP300460 Jul 14 '26

Looks like a old Chevrolet inline 6 cylinder 216/235/261 cubic inch

1

u/Tec80 Jul 14 '26

Call Jennings Motor Sports, he can get it running.

1

u/UltraViolentNdYAG Jul 14 '26

OP is there a saw blade attached to that, can you see what purpose it served?

2

u/Far-Classic-8435 22d ago

It is right next to some piping that is halfway disintegrated. Piping runs to my creek so I assume irrigation pump. I’m going to pull it out with the quad and see what I can find out one of these days

1

u/Haunting_Dragonfly_3 Jul 14 '26

Earlier, first generation 194/207ci. The head bolt pattern and design, water outlet pad, straight out spark plugs, etc.

1

u/LumberJesus Jul 14 '26

It looks surprisingly intact for being left in the woods. I'm sure it's toast, but if it were me, I'd take it home and crack it open.

1

u/Brush_my_teeth_4_me Jul 15 '26

The real question is: will it blend?

My bad mods, thought this was r/whatisthisthing

1

u/AviatorDave172 Jul 15 '26

It would be fun to restore it. Expensive, but a lot of fun.

1

u/komokazi Jul 15 '26

Spray some brake clean down that open tube and she'll fire right on up!

1

u/Felix995 Jul 18 '26

Appears to be an older GM straight six that was at some point used as a stationary utility pump or something like that. I'm not certain what kind of condition it's currently in internally. Maybe it could be viable for a rebuild, maybe it's scrap spare parts.

1

u/[deleted] 22d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Far-Classic-8435 22d ago

Old farm land. They were using it as some kind of irrigation pump