Hosts Dustin Hallinan and John Brito of Driveway Finds dove into the unconventional task of creating an air-cooled Chevy small-block engine, revealing insights on curiosity and automotive fun.
In a recent episode of Driveway Finds, hosts Dustin Hallinan and John Brito embarked on a unique and unconventional project involving a Chevy small-block V-8. Their mission? Remove the typical water-cooled components and instead rely solely on air to manage engine temperatures. This bold experimentation raises questions about the feasibility and rationale behind reverting to an older cooling system that is largely a relic of automotive history.
While air-cooled engines are mostly associated with nostalgic classics like the Porsche 911 or the Volkswagen Beetle, taking this leap with a small-block V-8 might initially seem puzzling. It begs the question: why pursue such a course? According to Hallinan, this endeavor is driven by an innate curiosity and reminiscent of a childhood spent tinkering in junkyards. He reflects, “Every kid who messed around with their friends in a junkyard asks questions like, ‘How long could [this engine] run without water in it?’” The project is, in essence, an experiment blending nostalgia with the spirit of discovery.
Brito, adding a bit of lightheartedness, put it plainly: “Why not? Like, why not have fun with it?” His perspective is rooted in his background as a shop teacher, where similar hands-on experiments often foster exploration and learning in the classroom.
The duo’s project kicked off with optimism. Early talks with enthusiasts led many to believe that the air-cooled engine might actually work. When they flipped the fans to cool the engine, they found themselves experiencing a sense of surprise and excitement similar to what the Wright brothers must have felt during their first flight, according to Brito.
The setup was intentionally simple. Utilizing livestock blowers—essentially heavy-duty hair dryers—mounted on the truck’s cab, the pair connected the device to a generator in the truck bed. By removing the water pump and radiator, they drained the engine of coolant and plugged the openings where the water pump used to be. Hallinan noted that while they retained power steering and an alternator, there was a strong sense of certainty that the air-cooling approach would work, adding a comedic touch to their enthusiasm.
To combat any overheating, they installed an external oil cooler with a fan, alongside a temperature sender. Despite their preparatory measures, things didn't unfold as expected. Their goal was to eliminate water from the system and gain insight into air-cooling efficacy, starting by removing the thermostat housing to create a singular exhaust route for airflow. Once the fans were activated, coolant was expelled with vigor—indicating the success of their water removal process.
Interestingly, they refrained from employing certain mitigating strategies to optimize their endeavor’s success. Brito confessed, “We could have just made it run on methanol, and it would have been a lot cooler,” pointing out that other more innovative changes could have been implemented. The notion of using a dry ice canister to chill incoming air was also considered but ultimately scrapped in favor of a more straightforward approach.
In a spoiler for the viewers, the air-cooled small-block lasted approximately 25 minutes. The engine, which operated in dangerously high temperature ranges—reaching around 300 degrees—began to struggle as fuel prematurely detonated, leading to a significant power decrease. Finally, the engine succumbed to overheating, marking the end of the experiment. Interestingly, Hallinan noted that despite the destruction, the only considerable damage occurred to the heads due to seizing valve guides, which reached 500 degrees before the engine finally ceased functioning. “The whole drive was just fear, really. It wasn’t very relaxing,” Hallinan recalled, emphasizing the project’s high stakes.
The decision to use this particular engine wasn’t random; Hallinan explained that the Chevy small-block used in the experiment was a worn-out Goodwrench 350 from the late 1980s, long past its prime and destined for replacement anyway. “We [decided] to send it off, give it a good death,” he stated, framing the project within a context of playful experimentation rather than destruction.
After its unfortunate end, the engine wasn’t relegated to a junk pile; instead, it now resides with Brito’s automotive students, where it may either be disassembled or revived, depending on the class's temperament and interest. Hallinan noted, “How cool is that? To be a high school kid and think, ‘whoa, we’re taking apart an engine?’” The educational aspect of their adventure thus underscores the ongoing purpose behind this old engine.
The hosts aren’t naive to the larger automotive community context; specifically, they acknowledge that Chevy small-blocks remain common and accessible. “If they were rare, we wouldn’t have dreamed of subjecting one to a torture test like this,” Hallinan commented. The two share a passion for classic cars and engines, proudly owning a collection of small-blocks while appreciating the balance of nostalgia against the pressures of preservation and restoration.
In discussing their automotive experiences, Hallinan noted the split between fully restored high-value cars and the more accessible, fun-loving projects like their air-cooled engine. “There’s a lot more pressure to it, a lot more work, more stress,” yet he reinforced that exploring automotive creativity—like their experiment—reminds them of the lighter days of yesteryear when classic cars encouraged fun and ingenuity without the weight of significant investment.
As Hallinan philosophized, “Stuff just wears out, and you just have to replace it and move along.” He spotlighted the ease of working on older vehicles, emphasizing that failure doesn’t have to mean the end. The project vehicle now benefits from a new engine, continuing its journey rather than becoming an idle relic.
Ultimately, while pushing an engine to its limits may not be every classic car enthusiast's approach, Hallinan and Brito’s adventure offers a valuable lesson in curiosity and the joy of a hands-on approach. Whether this creates a moment of entertainment or leads to deeper insights, the primary takeaway is to embrace the exploration phase—get comfortable with experimentation, and don’t be afraid to dive in, even if it means straying outside traditional practices.
