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I know that this has been beaten to death however I’m getting differing views everywhere I look so don’t kill me. I’ve got a Toronado 425 with a crank that will need to be cut. So i picked up another 425 because it had a good crank it cost about the same as it would for me to cut the the bad crank plus I can sell the heads to recoup some of the money since I don’t need them.
The new to me 425 came from a kid who had been convinced that it would be cheaper to put a Chevy 454 in his cutlass than building the 425. He’s not wrong about price but it was still a gut punch to hear that, his loss my gain. it seems to be out of a big car maybe a 98 and is painted red. Here’s what I’ve got:
Toronado 425. B heads. .921 lifters. Bad crank
Ninety eight 425 C heads .850 lifters. Bad block
I’m trying to figure out the cam bank angle. I was almost positive the toranado was a 39* however then I got this other 425 with the smaller lifters and it seems to be a 39* bank angle. The only way so far that I’ve been able to measure is with a straight edge on top
of the lifter bore and on both engines the straight edge angles in towards the valley. Does anyone have a more definitive way of measuring? I need to know before I order my cam. I had always thought the bore size of the lifter was directly correlated to the bank angle but now I’ve heard that it might not be. Sorry for the bad pics but the first one is the Toronado engine and the second is the 98.
The new to me 425 came from a kid who had been convinced that it would be cheaper to put a Chevy 454 in his cutlass than building the 425. He’s not wrong about price but it was still a gut punch to hear that
He's not wrong and I wouldn't let it bother you. Oldsmobile was never cheap so taking that position makes sense. But If someone owns an originally Old's powered Oldsmobile and wants to or already swapped in a Chevrolet engine. They are not an Old's guy. We Old's guys love the cars through and through as was. Old's guys are a special breed. Its not because we want to spend more money, its because we truly like what we like.
If you don't trust A.I. I can provide proof that that assessment is accurate. All A.I. is not false but you must do your homework for now.
That pecking order above will eventually equate to engine building etc. Because the more affordable while being similarly desireable the more popular, the more popular the cheaper the parts... Commonalty equates to affordability.
If your selling parts from the dead engine don't scrap the rods. They are the same ones as used in the early 400 engines. Someone will likely want to buy them.
He's not wrong and I wouldn't let it bother you. Oldsmobile was never cheap so taking that position makes sense. But If someone owns an originally Old's powered Oldsmobile and wants to or already swapped in a Chevrolet engine. They are not an Old's guy. We Old's guys love the cars through and through as was. Old's guys are a special breed. Its not because we want to spend more money, its because we truly like what we like.
If you don't trust A.I. I can provide proof that that assessment is accurate. All A.I. is not false but you must do your homework for now.
That pecking order above will eventually equate to engine building etc. Because the more affordable while being similarly desireable the more popular, the more popular the cheaper the parts... Commonalty equates to affordability.
I totally agree. Chevy engine have always come off as cheap to me. Olds has this aura of class and quality and the very least, different. The toro was making 385hp and 500lbft through a front wheel drive setup. If Chevy had anything to compare size wise, it sure wasn’t even close to those numbers stock. Chevy was always last in one because they let all the other brands take the risks and Chevy took the reward. He can keep his bbc, he was young, his dad had a run of the mill 69 Camaro so I’m sure he convinced him to go Chevy. The unfortunate part is the 425 would have had to be bored out and there’s no budget pistons out there for that engine. Hopefully when he gets older he’ll come back to the olds side.
If your selling parts from the dead engine don't scrap the rods. They are the same ones as used in the early 400 engines. Someone will likely want to buy them.
ya when it’s all said and done ill be selling the extra parts off at a reasonable price im sure someone can use them and they dont do any good sitting in my garage.
The toro was making 385hp and 500lbft through a front wheel drive setup. If Chevy had anything to compare size wise, it sure wasn’t even close to those numbers stock.
The 425 was certainly a torquer but 500 lb-ft is an exaggeration. The Toro 425 topped out at 475 lb-ft. Meanwhile Chevy's "mild" small-valve 427 managed only 460 so it did fall a bit short. It did match the Olds in HP though.
I always thought it was funny how the big block Chevys always seemed to leave a little torque on the table compared to the competition.
