I just attempted a 1960 88 convertible(371 ) swap to a 1961/62 394. Of course I wasn't successful . The 61/62 exhaust manifolds will in no way fit in between the control arm brackets!!! The passenger side manifold also hits the frame in the area where the crossover pipe joins. I'm sure I'm the first dummy that has done this but was anyone here able to offer any practical advice on any known remedy . Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Do you have any pics? I've put in a 394 from a '62 Starfire into a '57 Olds and had to raise the front of the engine using a 3/8 (or 1/2?) steel plate under the front motor mount to clear. I also had to do minimal grinding on the passenger side exhaust manifold to clear the idler arm bracket mounting bolts

 

Thanks very much for your response. I used your experience and lifted my motor 7/8". By taking the studs out of the ends of the heads I was able to slide the manifolds in sideways and get them to fit. This gave me 3/16" of a gap between the manifolds and the control towers on each side of the car. I guess that is an acceptable amount of gap if 7/8" is an acceptable amount of motor lift. Any thoughts?

I may throw that question out on the site to see if it generates any responses. Please see the attached photos and see if they make any sense to you.

Thanks again

John

 

I could be wrong on this but isn't a change of the water pump and motor mount needed to make this to work? I seem to remember(back in the dark ages) that was done to make this swap.... Tedd

 

Tedd- thanks for the feedback- I don't understand what the water pump and motor mount would have to do with it. Can you elaborate? Thanks John

 

The more I look in to this swap the more I feel that I'm wrong. My confusion was from the switch from a real 371 block to the baby 371 small bore 394 block which I believe had a higher deck height with an aluminum water pump and a different height motor mount but it looks like you are using the same basic motors with equal height decks so my logic sucks......... Here is some interesting reading material on the early Old's V8's that might help you sort this out........http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...summary.47584/..... Tedd

 

still looking for advice to fit 1962 394 into my 1960 convertible! 62 manifolds too wide to fit between control arm towers - must raise engine 1" off frame to have 3/16" clearance but I'm not sure thats an acceptable solution ( carb angle/ trans angle etc.) has anyone encountered this issue and knows of an acceptable solution???

Also, any known issues with cutting, refabricating and welding on the cast iron exhaust manifolds to reduce the angle on the front exhaust port so it doesnt come into contact with the control arm mounts?