Motor swap.

[Tim73454]

After much thought I have decided to replace (exchange) my number matching 454 in my 73 convertable. I have purchased a 454/435 and hope to have it installed soon. If anyone has done this and has any tips or suggestions I would like to hear them.

I'm also thinking of putting headers on the car while I'm doing it. Will I have to put new pipes out the back to use headers?

Also any input on what I should do to my original motor before I store or rebuild it.


Tim

 

[69MyWay]

Just put a 454 in my 69 with four speed. All I can reall advise you is to pull the radiator core support. Build the engine and trans in one piece out on the shop floor. Take the shifter off the trans, and remove the trans mount. Install the motor mounts.

I used a come-a-long and a reinforced beam in my attic. We rolled the car under the engine, and my wife Nikki made sure the trans tail housing cleared the cross memeber from underneath.

It dropped right into place.

On headers, the brand is entirely up to you. I like my hookers so far, but they are full blown side pipes. Get the painted kind as you will find during the test fitting phase that you will have to dent and ding the pipes to clear the steering gear box, starter, etc.

Then, send them out to be jet hot/ceramic coated.

click on my home page, then go under photos to see some pics of my big block going in the hole.

As far as the original motor, just squirt some oil in the holes, tape up the openenings, and shove it in the corner. If you really plan ahead, you can build a dolly with nice heavy duty rolling wheels that will make it easy to move it around the garage.

 

[Tim73454]

Thanks for the info. I was just looking at my car and may pass on the headers. I'm wondering how they will work with the rear a/c bracket and a few other things. I'm sure the added HP would be fun but since I'm going from a stock 275/395hp/tor to 435/465 I'm not sure how much more I need!!! It sometimes scares me now....

Thanks for the tip on the rollers. I was going to mount it to the stand that the new one is coming on, but had not thought about trying to add some rollers so I can move it if I needed.

One other thing. The engine I bought has a "dual plane aluminum intake" that in the picture look much taller than the intake on my current engine. I would like to keep it as stock/original looking as possible. Does anyone know if the air cleaner set-up will work?

 

[Jack]

Tim:
I've never done this swap. But judging from the many posts I've seen related to this, I'd suggest you'll not fit that intake under a low rise hood ... even with a shorter, restrictive air cleaner. Chances are the new hi-po motor has a high-rise intake ... also, your old lo-po motor probably came under a low-rise hood. Good Luck!!! I hope I'm wrong. Chris'll probably have a good handle on hood clearance.
JACK:gap

 

[Tim73454]

Jack, Thanks for the info. I called David at Cresco motor sports and he confirmed what you said. He is going to put a low rise intake on it that will work under my hood with a standard carb and the original air cleaner.


Tim

 

[Jack]

Cresco = tall deck?

Tim:
You mention Cresco. I seem to recall they sell motors on the net, and they sell some big blocks that are built from tall-deck heavy truck blocks. I'm going out on a limb here ... but I also recall some tall block-based BB assemblies require spacers (about 1/4"- 3/8"?)under the intake manifold when using common performance manifolds/heads. If so, then that'll raise the effective height of your air cleaner even more than expected in the more typical passenger car/lite truck BB. Some builders using tall BB's even paint those spacers same color as block ... to the uninitiated painted spacers'll appear to be part of the block ... and not obvious in a photo. You might consider giving David another call; confirming what is to be assembled. There is absolutely nothing inherently wrong with the taller BB ... some actually prefer it over the shorter, more-common BB. Disclaimer: my recollection is apt to fail.
JACK:gap