67BB

First post so I may not be able to attach a photo. We are trying to get a '67 Cutlass bought. My understanding is they never came with a 425 but it's not that hard to do. The guy that owned it has passed and his mom doesn't know what's in it. I don't know an olds 425 from 350 so need some help. Thanks.

The intake looks like a BB torker. And yeah, trying not to just go by the air cleaner. That just too easy.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps1e9f20bd.jpg

MDchanic

Personally, I can't tell you with absolute certainty from that angle, but between the width of the intake and the "hat" style oil fill cover, it looks like a 425 to me.

And, you are correct, the 425 was never installed in any A-body car by the factory.

Oh, and, Welcome!

- Eric

67BB

Thanks a bunch. The reason I ask is the dad says it's a 350 so it's not the correct engine either way. This is for my wife and she loves a BB. She's fine with a 350 but this just makes it a little better. My understanding is that this was a great engine. Here's the same angle but a little different and a body shot. The poor fellow got the hard parts done and then passed away.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps95addd16.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...ps4ca5bb9f.jpg

MDchanic

Looks like a nice car.

To know more specifically about the engine, we would need to know the large cast numbers or letters on the heads (front of the driver's side, back of the passenger side), which should be B or C for an original 425, and the large cast number and letter facing up on the front of the engine, above the water pump.

There should also be a unit number on the front-facing surface of the passenger side head, unless the heads were swapped, in which case it would be on the back of the left, facing the firewall.

- Eric

67BB

Yeah, the dad is not quite understanding what I'm asking for. We have to make contact through the granddaughter. It's a little painful but hope we'll get things worked out.

Oldsmaniac

A Torker 350 or small block intake does not exist so if a torker is on there it is a BB of some sort but a 425 would be a D block, it could also be a G or E block 400 or f block 455. Since the air cleaner resemples a 66 67 425 unit it is likely the engine is a 425.

67BB

Yeah, it took about 2 minutes of research the other day to determine that the alternator could be ANYWHERE on any engine. Was ther any rhyme or reason? Air, 88 or 98? Year? And the 425 looks a LOT smaller than a 455. Oh, well, it won't matter one way or the other for us to buy it.

My wife's dad sold Oldsmobiles for 35 years so when we got into some cars a few years back a 442 was the first we looked at. The seller squirreled out on us so we would up with mustangs. Now she's fired up on Olds again but wants this body style rather than the '68-72 that I like. It's ok. Her car, her call. I just lift heavy things.

MDchanic

Sorry, but, no. The 425 is EXACTLY the same externally as the 455 (except for the different oil fill cover ).

- Eric

TripDeuces

Oldsmaniac beat me to it. That looks like a late model Torker (W/ EGR) which was only made for the BBO, 400-455. If you still want to know for sure post the numbers/letters on the block under the alternator.

GAOldsman

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the alternator location determined by whether or not there will be A/C? No A/C = alt on passenger's side, A/C = alt on driver's side correct?

joe_padavano

You might want to do a little more than two minutes research.

First, the 1964 330 cars are unique and don't apply here. The 1965-67 cars all use the same brackets. Alternator location is dictated by A/C or not, and for the 66/67 Calif cars with A.I.R., there's a unique set of brackets (also does not apply here). The 68-up cars use a completely different set of brackets from the 65-67 cars.

The setup in the pictures is the correct alternator location for a 1965-67 car with A/C (of course, the A/C bracketry is gone). This is a non-A.I.R. set of brackets.

As for what this is, rather than speculate why don't you just check the block casting number above the water pump?

MDchanic

I think he's trying to get information from the seller, who is the elderly father of the now-dead previous owner, by calling him on the phone and getting him to hobble out to the yard and tell him what he sees.

- Eric

67BB

Yes. I have to email the granddaughter, wait until she goes over, relays the message (their phone is out) and wait, hoping I get the info.

Two minutes of research was more than enough to figure out I can't tell what the engine is by looking at the alt location, should I keep proving that to myself? Kind of like keep staring at a losing lottery ticket thinking it'll change? Been there, done that.

As far as size, I'll shut up now. Maybe. The 455s I've seen seemed to have a lot less room to work than I see here. Maybe the compartmenets were tighter on the cars with the 455s. I have no idea. I'll just wait until we get it. I was just curious.

GAOldsman

It's all good we are here to help as much as we can

joe_padavano

That statement is correct and your're right, it doesn't take very long to figure that out. Sorry, I guess I didn't get that from your prior statement


As others have noted, the second Gen Olds motors come in only two sizes, small block (260, 307, 330, 350, 403) and big block (400, 425, 455). All big blocks are externally identical in shape and dimensions (all small blocks are externally identical as well). Accessories like A/C can make the surrounding space look a lot smaller.

67BB

And I appreciate it. I know it's hard to tell on some of these. In my case I don't know what I'm looking at at all. Like I said, she likes the car so it really doesn't matter but I'm just nosey. We'll see when it's sitting in our driveway. Then you'll really get sick of me.

GAOldsman

Nah we want pics now

67BB

Yeah, yeah. No pics=never happened. It'll be a few weeks.