SBC Pink Rods

Dan Fahey · 11-07-2019, 05:41 PM

How good are the GM SBC Pink Rods?
Seems everyone used them through the 90's successfully.

Have a set in the 350/255 Stocker Engine.
Are they good above 7000 rpm?
Getting different feedback.

Is there a preferred Piston Rod Combination?

Rich Biebel · 11-07-2019, 06:22 PM

That was about the best you could do 20-30 years ago.....but I'd never use them today with aftermarket rods legal and available at reasonable prices.

By the time you fully prepped a stock rod for race use you would spend a fair amount of $$ and would be far better off buying aftermarkets...

Manley rods would be preferred....

Eagles also have worked in a number of engines I built or raced myself and never had one fail...

Stock GM rods will fail way easier than aftermarket...

richie 2 · 11-07-2019, 06:40 PM

and try to put togeather a set of eight that clean up size/length/weight/centered pin bore wise...quite a difficult job.

Tim H · 11-07-2019, 07:28 PM

As with any used rods, unless you have owned them since new, its unknown how many cycles they may have been previously subjected to. Not worth risking "catastrophic failure" when so many decent alternatives exist. Sell them to a Corvette or Camaro purist and move on IMHO.

Alan Nyhus · 11-07-2019, 07:37 PM

Well, you've got them already so that's a plus, provided you don't go upside down getting them in shape.

If your goal is for something modest, that's one thing.

If you're going have the intake/heads/cam combo that gets you north of 7,000 regularly, that's another thing.

The Manley Sportsmaster rods are a great value:
http://www.manleyperformance.com/dl/cat/rods.pdf

Mike Pearson · 11-07-2019, 09:07 PM

Properly rebuilt with some good bolts and resized they will hold up just fine. I ran stock rods in my super stock engines for years with no failures. When I had a stick in the car I left the line above 9000 rpm and crossed over 8000. Now it’s not worth spending the money on an old rod Whalen a new set is not much more. The Manley sportsmaster is a good rod for the cost.

carl hinkson · 11-07-2019, 10:03 PM

The older version was not as good as the later ones after 1979 more material around the rod bolts and they changed the beam as well. They were only a 1038 steel same as the steel cranks were made out of.

Adger Smith · 11-08-2019, 02:17 AM

GM Steel cranks were 1053 Steel

Dan Fahey · 11-08-2019, 11:03 AM

Thanks
The Pink Rods are in the engine.
Originally prepped by Budd Rowe.
Just had Rockville Ring and Bearing go through the block.

HP HUNTER · 11-08-2019, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richie 2

and try to put togeather a set of eight that clean up size/length/weight/centered pin bore wise...quite a difficult job.

Yes.....this will be your problem

11-07-2019, 05:41 PM	#1
Dan Fahey VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,126 Likes: 1,084 Liked 184 Times in 113 Posts	SBC Pink Rods How good are the GM SBC Pink Rods? Seems everyone used them through the 90's successfully. Have a set in the 350/255 Stocker Engine. Are they good above 7000 rpm? Getting different feedback. Is there a preferred Piston Rod Combination?

11-07-2019, 06:22 PM	#2
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,312 Likes: 25 Liked 543 Times in 212 Posts	Re: SBC Pink Rods That was about the best you could do 20-30 years ago.....but I'd never use them today with aftermarket rods legal and available at reasonable prices. By the time you fully prepped a stock rod for race use you would spend a fair amount of $$ and would be far better off buying aftermarkets... Manley rods would be preferred.... Eagles also have worked in a number of engines I built or raced myself and never had one fail... Stock GM rods will fail way easier than aftermarket... __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479 Stock 147R

11-07-2019, 06:40 PM	#3
richie 2 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 963 Likes: 409 Liked 199 Times in 90 Posts	Re: SBC Pink Rods and try to put togeather a set of eight that clean up size/length/weight/centered pin bore wise...quite a difficult job.

11-07-2019, 07:28 PM	#4
Tim H VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,039 Likes: 1,057 Liked 481 Times in 158 Posts	Re: SBC Pink Rods As with any used rods, unless you have owned them since new, its unknown how many cycles they may have been previously subjected to. Not worth risking "catastrophic failure" when so many decent alternatives exist. Sell them to a Corvette or Camaro purist and move on IMHO.

11-07-2019, 07:37 PM	#5
Alan Nyhus VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Lower Dakota territory Posts: 1,180 Likes: 1,074 Liked 799 Times in 236 Posts	Re: SBC Pink Rods Well, you've got them already so that's a plus, provided you don't go upside down getting them in shape. If your goal is for something modest, that's one thing. If you're going have the intake/heads/cam combo that gets you north of 7,000 regularly, that's another thing. The Manley Sportsmaster rods are a great value: http://www.manleyperformance.com/dl/cat/rods.pdf __________________ "That'll never work....."

11-07-2019, 09:07 PM	#6
Mike Pearson VIP Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,417 Likes: 597 Liked 1,880 Times in 562 Posts	Re: SBC Pink Rods Properly rebuilt with some good bolts and resized they will hold up just fine. I ran stock rods in my super stock engines for years with no failures. When I had a stick in the car I left the line above 9000 rpm and crossed over 8000. Now it’s not worth spending the money on an old rod Whalen a new set is not much more. The Manley sportsmaster is a good rod for the cost. __________________ Mike Pearson 2485 SS

11-07-2019, 10:03 PM	#7
carl hinkson Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NORTHEAST Posts: 287 Likes: 1 Liked 18 Times in 10 Posts	Re: SBC Pink Rods The older version was not as good as the later ones after 1979 more material around the rod bolts and they changed the beam as well. They were only a 1038 steel same as the steel cranks were made out of.

11-08-2019, 02:17 AM	#8
Adger Smith VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Texarkana Ark/TX Posts: 2,446 Likes: 575 Liked 880 Times in 311 Posts	Re: SBC Pink Rods GM Steel cranks were 1053 Steel __________________ Adger Smith (Former SS)

11-08-2019, 11:03 AM	#9
Dan Fahey VIP Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,126 Likes: 1,084 Liked 184 Times in 113 Posts	Re: SBC Pink Rods Thanks The Pink Rods are in the engine. Originally prepped by Budd Rowe. Just had Rockville Ring and Bearing go through the block.