citcapp

The 455 and Turbo 400 are connected together and UPS delivered my motor mounts today. The plans this morning are to pull the 371 J2 out of My 57 Olds and tomorrow I will set the 455 and tranny in place and mock up the motor and tranny mounts. I hope to get them welded in place by Sunday night. Its been a long haul since I started the engine build in November of 07, but the excitment is building. One problem yet to solve int the radiator, can't decide if I should just install additional core to my existing radiator and move the lower outlet to the passenger side or go with a cross flow radiator. Any thoughts on this. The 455 will make somewhere in the neighborhood of 450-474 hp and I want to keep it and the transmission cool. In either case I will add a transmission cooler. Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this.

Olds64

Hey, I hope you get it in there with no problems. Please take lots of pics and post them. Did you buy the motor mounts for the 64 Jetstar? I think that is what I am going to have to do to get a 455 into my Olds.

You might want to consider putting an aftermarket radiator in your car. Or at the very least, go to the parts store and get a stock or heavy duty radiator for a 70s full sized Olds (I assume this is what your engine came out of). I think Oldsguy did that in his 46 Olds. He also had to cut two radiator hoses in half and mate them together with some plastic piping. It worked out pretty good even though it has alot of hose clamps on it. Better than using a universal flex radiator hose from the auto parts store. Good luck!

citcapp

Olds64

I found an Olds 455 cross member universal Kit from Trans Dapt part number 9587 comes complete with stock 70 olds motor mounts and adjusts to different widths of frame rails. Looks to be well made. Cost for Jeggs $96.98 including shipping. I will look into the aftermarker radiators. If anyone has a manufacture they have been pleased with let me know. I will post pictures as the swap proceeds.

Thanks

88 coupe

If your existing radiator can handle a 394, it will have no trouble with a 455.

I've used stock '50 Olds radiators, with 394s, 425s, and 455s, without incident.

It's all you need to do.

Norm

citcapp

Today,

Things went slow, Spent most of the morning getting the garage ready for the swap. I don't throw anything away, had to move everything twice just to get space to get the Olds in, Dang the thing is 18+ long can,t close the garage door the whole trunk sticks out ( Never should have of given my wife the extra 4' out of the garage for the kitchen expansion. Took the hood, bumper, grill, radiator and disconnected all of the hoses and wiring, going to quite for the day. I'll disconnect drive line, exhaust, and all on the linkage tommorow, with a little luck, pull the engine before the kids come over for fathers day. Mock up will have to wait for next weekend. Goes slow when you only have weekends. I'll keep posting on this thread as I go along and I will add pictures also

joe_padavano

I don't believe you can buy new motor mounts for the 64 Jetstar 88 with the 330. Steele will revulcanize old ones.

The bigger problem is that only the 64 J88 has the frame pads that accommodate these mounts. The earlier cars used the front and bellhousing mounts, so there's no place to attach the J88 mounts. Aftermarket is the best bet here.

59-59-59

100% agreed. When I swapped a 425 in place of the 371 in my '57, all I had done as far as the radiator goes was to have it recored with both the top and bottom inlets / outlets moved. The bottom got moved to the other side, while I had the top centered in the middle. That temp gauge never went past 200 and that was in the dead of summer. Go with the original radiator and not an aftermarket unless you like additional fabrication for it to fit in place

Olds64

Thanks for the info Joe. I didn't know those motor mounts couldn't be found at places like Kanter or Fusicks. I did know about the frame pads on the crossmember though. I guess it would be easier to use a universal engine mount than welding pads onto the crossmember.

citcapp

59-59-59,


Thanks to you and 88 coupe for the input on the radiator. I will go with a re-core on the original this will save me a lot of work. How did you handle the transmission mount and drive line modifacation on your 57. Any info is appreciated.

joe_padavano

Unfortunately these mounts are unique to the 1964 J88 330. The 65-70 full size cars use a very similar mount, but the threaded stud that fits into the frame mount is centered on the 64 mounts (so both sides are the same) and is offset on the 65-70 mounts (there are different RH and LH mounts). Due to the one-year-only/one-model-only application, there are no repros available that I've found.

59-59-59

This was easy..I used the TH-400 mount in back. All you have to do for the 'crossmember' is use a solid piece of steel about 5 inches long and lay it across just in front of the frame X member. Buddy of mine welded it in. I used a TH-400 ( Think it was a Pontiac unit ) which was a longtail version. The other thing I had to do was notch out about 3/8 out of each side of the X frame - the U-joint was hitting the sides ever so slightly. I also switched from a 2 piece to 1 piece driveshaft. I' not an expert on '57's, but my car was a 98 - the frame may have slightly different dimentions from an 88

citcapp

Thanks for the info. I finished pulling the 371 and transmission on Sunday and will pressue wash the frame and engine compartment this week. Hope to mock up the motor this next weekend and install the motor mounts. It will be nice working in a clean engine bay for a change.

citcapp

Here are a couple of pictures of the start of my engine swap. The empty engine bay ready to be cleaned. The old engine and the new one side by site. The excitement is building, I don't even want to go to work the garage keeps calling me, but I still need the money...................

Olds64

Doesn't Trans-go make a universal adapter for the TH 400 as well? I thought the transmission just had one mount under the tail shaft? I guess it would be pretty easy to modify a TH 400 crossember to fit any frame. Just need to make sure there are holes to bolt the crossmember to the frame. Also need to make sure it is the right width...

citcapp

The rear transmission mount will be simple to make a short piece of 3" wide flat stock with take care of this. I will post pictures of the motor and transmission mount when I get them fabricated in place and before and after I set the engine and transmission

59-59-59

The Th-400 does have one mount in the back and you just need a short piece of steel - 4 to 6 inches to weld onto the front of the X frame..No universal transmission crossmember needed.This X frame ( I T H I N K ) started in '57 and ended in '60. I dont think your '64 has the X frame that is why you were wondering what we were talking about. Hey citcap - you have another $1,000 in your pocket if you have the correct aircleaner for that J-2 setup. Ebay can get crazy

Olds64

It is always cool to learn new things. Especially new things about Oldsmobiles.

citcapp

I have the original batwing aircleaner and even the decals are correct and in great shape. I was wondering what it was worth. I am going to put the engine, transmission and air cleaner up for sale. The engine and trans were rebuild in the mid 80's and have less the 20,000 miles on them

88 coupe

X frame Goes back to the forties, possibly earlier, but don't take my word for it.

I just learned that I don't know anything about Oldsmobiles.

Norm

Olds64

That air cleaner housing is pretty cool. I know you can buy unpainted reproductions out from companies that advertise in Rod and Custom for $150+. I bought the 455 and TH 400 I am rebuilding for $300 and it was a great deal. I am sure you could get more than that for a 371.

Oldsguy

My '46 has an X frame, it really limits options for routing exhausts.

joe_padavano

Street rodders actually run the exhaust through holes in the diagonal members of the frame. Structurally, it's the top and bottom caps of the frame rails that provide the stiffness. The web (the part connecting the caps) really doesn't add much by itself. Holes to allow the pipes to pass through won't change the stiffness enough to notice, though it is good practice to weld a vertical plate from cap to cap on either side of the hole.

citcapp

The existing dual exhaust system already routes through the frame rails. Who ever installed the system had to make several small bends to get the system to fit. It is constructed on 2.5" tubing and I entend to resuse it with the new 455 engine only replacing the bends over the rear axle with mandrel bends, they are the only bends in the system that are not already mandral bent.

Oldsguy

True, those diagonal holes only allow about a 2" pipe through them, doing what you suggest should allow 2.5" but no more. I know some people want to run 3" but I don't think it is necessary. I plan on a temporary exhaust system of 2" pipe through the frame rails closest to the front into some short bullet style mufflers which should fit between those rails and the ones closest to the axle, then to tailpipes or turn-downs or whatever. Eventually, wheel well headers into long lakes style side pipes under the doors is what I hope for. Long way off though for now.

Olds64

I sure am glad I don't have to worry about clearing a subframe when running exhaust. Once I clear the pitman arm I plan on welding 55 gallon drums together to run my exhaust. I figure it will look pretty good. I don't want to go any bigger, I might scrape the ground when going over speed bumps.

citcapp

Those 55 gallon drums should make a sweet sound. Are you going to add baffels or run straight pipes

Oldsguy

I thought that a 100 gallon drum on the end of each one, with minor baffling would give a good "fart pipe" sound.......

Olds64

59-59-59

I meant to type '47..I got to cut the drinking out during posts like this

citcapp

The engine bay is clean! I will start the install with the mock up for motor mounts Saturday. The engine and tranny are ready to install. I have posted some pictures

Olds64

Looking good! Good luck this weekend. I bet you are stoked! I can see the front of the X crossmember in the picture of the car.

88 coupe

3" above and 3½" on the Grey Coupe.

Norm

citcapp

Thanks, and yes I'am stoked. I have to keep telling myself to slow down and take the time to do it right, but damn I can hardly wait to here her run.

citcapp

Sweet, It looks like its on a dino, am I correct? what kind of power does it make. Those exhaust do look like 50 gallon drums

88 coupe

At that time, it had about 30K street/highway miles, and at least 280 passes.



Consistent 11.9xx on bias plys and 92 octane from my local 7-11.

But, since then, I've learned (from the internet) that I did everything wrong.

Norm

citcapp

I hope I can do everthing wrong also. Those are some nice numbers and the Olds looks great. Us old time garage mechanics seem to be able to pull it off regardless of what the experts say. Good jpb!!!!!!!!!!!!

gearheads78

sig material right there

Oldsguy

Norm, that is about what I was thinking of, nice numbers by the way. What are the cam specs for that engine? Also, I would like to know about the mufflers you used. Very nice indeed.

64Rocket

I would have used the short shaft T-400. That way you have less clearence problems with the U-joint and the X-frame.
I used an Uni-versal engine mount from JC Whitney and used the stock motor mounts for and 64 to 67 Cutlass. V8
I also used the water pump from a 64 Cutlass V8. It is 64 only and the outlet is on the other side compared to the pump you have now. That way I used the stock radiator.
You need to take some measurements and make sure the big block will clear your power sterring with those exhaust manifolds.
I also used the alternator brackets from a non air car. Which put the alternator on the other side and gives more clearence and sits lower and looks better.
All this is on my '50 coupe. The set up is most identical to your '57.

Gene....

Oldsguy

Nice car Gene.