Tiberian Fiend

I assumed so, but I read somewhere that there were different block lengths for the 455.

jcdynamic88

yes it will fit,if your cutlass currently has/had a 350,260,307 olds engine it's a pretty easy swap.what year cutlass?

cutlassefi

ALL Olds V-8’s from 65 up are the same length. Where did you see that they were different?

jcdynamic88

the op didn't mention what he was working with,cutlass is a broad term,if he has a G body cutlass with a chevy v8 or a v6 he has a lot more work to do

Tiberian Fiend

I think when I was looking up crate engines.

I just meant something from the late 60s-early 70s. I found a 98 and was thinking about buying it and keeping around until I find a recipient Cutlass.

jcdynamic88

late 60s to 77 cutlass is pretty much a bolt in for a 455.some accessory brackets from the 455 might be needed.

joe_padavano

Every single Olds V8 from 1964-1990 is dimensionally identical externally except for the deck height differences from small block to big block. Motor mount holes, crank centerline, and bellhousing bolt pattern are all exactly the same on every single one.

Tiberian Fiend

Groovy. Thanks. Seeing some pretty cheap rebuilt 455's out there, though. Not sure if it's worth buying a car with a used engine for a little less $.

tbdragon

some of the newer 455's were severely detuned and heads are the issue not the block... what year 98?... I have a 71 455 out of a 98 in my 67 and was lower horse 455 because of the heads... plenty of 455 Blocks around but having one with all the brackets for the equipment you have makes a difference... I mean if you are going to run AC then different set-up from just an alternator... for balancing reasons (so weight not all to one side)... so getting one used means maybe shedding the AC to put in a Cutlass as many of the cool older cutlass' didn't have... putting AC on a car that came without AC is like putting the genie back in the bottle... if the 98 is a fun one to drive cool but they are tanks and cost a lot to run if you don't like it... my advice is wait to get the car with engine until you buy the Cutlass you really want... it may already have a 455 in it that just needs a few tweeks... then you would have a very large yard ornament to get rid of... oh and one more note on heads... the olds V8 gen 2 heads were pretty much made at first to be used by both auto and manual cars but became different for AT and manual later so again one more headache... wait for the car you want even if it's missing stuff then your buying can be more directly focussed

Fun71

svnt442

^^^^^^.....what he said.

tbdragon

ok question was originally can a 455 out of a '73 98 get put into a cutlass? yes easily under the following conditions... the engine mounts are the same on any V8 olds like say a cutlass... any originally v8 equipped olds after 1963 already is set up to receive the motor no problem with no difference between the big blocks (400,425,455) and the small blocks... olds made them the same for mountability purposes... the original 455 that would come in a 1973 Olds 98 would not have a manual so it would have heads set up for Auto so if car you are transferring to had an automatic then you could swap it easy and could take the tranny with it but if you desire a manual then the block could be used but head would need swap out or would need alteration to use and as I mentioned if you wanted to hook up AC then no problem just hook it into an existing system (i.e. hoses, blower/electrical connects ect.) same goes for power steering pump ... if no AC then you have to cap any water hoses and you have a very heavy compressor still on engine which you either don't run a belt and just leave it there or you take it out but since the motors are externally balanced with the alternator, AC compressor, another optional piece was power steering pump all evenly balanced around engine for weight distribution with different mounts for all of them but if you transfer motor into a car with no AC or no power steering you are either keeping the pump and compressor on or getting new mounts for other components left like mounting alternator on other side... I had to do it on my post coupe 67 442 I used to have when I grabbed a nice 455 W30 engine out of a 70 442 manual (F heads) and AC/Power steering that had a smashed rear... I went to alternator only set-up to save weight... went really well with my M21 manual equipped tranny with competition clutch and the 3.90 posi 10 bolt rear... extremely fast but it had AC and power steering so to get rid of that extra 100 pounds I removed them but had to move altenator re-bracket and redo belting cap/remove hoses...but back to the question at hand... the 73 98 would have come with 455 with the AT so had Ka Heads, not sure what mods would be needed to use in some olds manual cars but they specifically ran J heads that year in manuals... why make a different head if they were interchangeable easy ... so the real question is...why buy a big piece of real estate like a detuned 73 land yacht like the 98 if you don't like it on its own merits as a keeper just for a commonly available 455... and take a usable 98 cheap from an entry level guy off the street for a car you don't own yet or may never have... buy the type car you want... even if incomplete to get starting point and build off that maybe the car you get will have a big block already that just needs love... waste a lot less money being model specific and collect less clutter trust me... clutter enough gathering stuff you need to replace

svnt442

The heads have 0 to do with the transmission. The later blocks are not setup for the mount for the pivot ball that the Z-bar mounts to for the clutch.

midnightleadfoot

I found that odd, and could not picture how the heads would stop you from putting a manual behind an engine.
The pivot ball I can see, but then a hyd set up fixes that, Do the later blocks have the mount just not drilled/machined, or total different casting?
Did they drill all cranks for a manual pilot bushing/bearing? or is that an issue when going auto to stick?

OLDSter Ralph

The rear of the crank would have to be machined/drilled if it hadn't come from the factory with a manual transmission.

Fun71

Again,

I have no idea where you got this information. The "regular" 455s from 1973-1976 had J heads and the performance applications had K heads, along with a lot of industrial engines (irrigation), jet boats, and they were also used as service replacements. And it didn't really matter what transmission was used.

tbdragon

all the AT '73 455's got KA heads... as well as the crank issue

http://wildaboutcarsonline.com/cgi-b...=9970399476565

the point is and continues to be buying a running car as a parts car before you have a good car that may or may not be able to use it's engine unmodified... is silly unless the 98 is desireable enough on its own merits... 98 takes a person who really wants that big a car... as a parts car they are very limited...that motor would be fun in an AT 73-77 Omega set up for V8 and could use the AC as a lot of them left came with AC vents blower and power steering... everything would bolt right in with a squeeze... but not many left... I say buy what you want and buy the parts car later... again

joe_padavano

That isn't the only error in that table...

tbdragon

again the guy wants to decide wether he should buy this 98 for a car he doesn't have... and there is another reference that has more accurate info would love to check it out... but have used it for referral on heads before and has been on the money... and had good engine code one too...

Fun71

Riiiiigt, in 1973 irrigation and marine engines used J heads and all autos used KA heads, then in 1974 it switched and all irrigation and marine engines used KA heads and all autos used J heads.

Think about that for a while and consider which is more likely: GM switched their entire manufacturing operation, or someone posted incorrect information on the internet.

jcdynamic88

if it's a good running 455 and it's cheap buy it.a bone stock 73 455 in an A body will be plenty of fun with little effort.

dav45

So what have you decided to do? Is the 98 a driver or just a parts car? if parts car, I`d be interested in body. As for Drilling the crank, just use the correct pilot bushing as the crank is already recessed for the torque converter. Don`t worry about the different heads as the 455 will ****** the lighter body like it is. I have one in a 72 c-10 and also in a 83-88 Royale --bone stock-- they do the job.