Well, I think this is the correct place for this thread.

I've always loved Olds. My first car was an 81 Cutlass. It was in pretty bad shape when I got it. But I worked my little 16 year old hands to the bone to keep it running.

Since that car I had a 71 Cutlass S for a short time. Then it was an 83 Buick Regal Limited (car drove like a dream). Then a 72 Plymouth Satellite Sebring Plus. Then a 1969 98.

The 98 had too much wrong with it. Motor was shot. Hood damaged way beyond repair. Frame rotting through. So it became a donor car. Kept the Th400, drive shaft, all the emblems and some other things here and there.

So I was on the lookout for a motor and a roller. Came across a '74 455 for a heck of a deal. Now I had a complete drive train, all I needed was a car.

There was NOTHING out there...well at least what I could afford. Everything already had drive train, this and that done to it. Driving everything out of my price range.

I came across a post on my car clubs forum. A guy had a 1953 DeSoto Firedome forsale. No drive train. Spoke with the seller and got the car for a great deal.

I know I know, it's not an Olds. And I know it use to have the hemi in it.
But here is how I figured it.


1. It's my car, I can put what ever motor I want into it.

2. You think our Old's motors can be expensive to fix, try an early Hemi motor... (and I didn't even have one up front to start with)

3. It's a mordor. I don't have a problem with the fact that it is. I know there are those that say you can't make a hot rod out of a mordor. Well... I'm going to. I've got two boys, and a dog and soon to be married again. So the mordor fits us well.

4. I love Olds. And what better way to show it than instead of dropping a SBC 350 in like everyone else would...BBO all the way!

Anyway... I've probably gone on way too long and bored everyone. So here are some pictures.

 

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Break one "rule" might as well break them all. I love the fact that the Olds 350's were painted gold.
So I painted my 455 gold. Wonder how many non-Old's guys I can fool?

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Using 2 "A" manifolds kinda like hugger headers. They fit right in between the frame rails and miss all the steering components.
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But here is how I figured it.


1. It's my car, I can put what ever motor I want into it.

I guess I'm replying to a gearhead without an unlimited budget.
So heres most of a De Soto kept out of the crusher and some Olds hardware not being weighed in for scrap.
Purists may be horrified at the hybrid combination, I prefer original cars myself but better to be driven to shows/cruises with borrowed running gear than sat in a barn because it isn't perfect.
"Anyone can restore an old car but it takes a real man to cut one up" say the custom builders. Not sure I agree but enjoy your car!.

 

Nice shot!!

 

Looks fine to me.

 

Yea... she will be driven. Driven a lot. I will drive this to work as often as I can too.

 

I like that big, toothy grille.

 

Looks like a fun project, keep the pictures coming!
John

 

I see one major flaw in your engine installation. The front mount plates are bolted to the heads, not the block. This puts the head bolts in additional tension that was not envisioned and may lead to a blown head gasket since the load of the engine weight and torque is acting to pull the heads away from the block and thus unload clamping pressure on the gasket. I'd change the mounts.

 

Cool project but I agree 100% with what Joe said.

 

Nice project! I like those Desotos as well, esp the teeth!

X3 on the motor mounts - the block itself needs the support and bracing.

 

Consider either using the front motor mount bracket from a 1980s Toronado with the 307 (picture below) or else build something that looks like it. The Toro bracket picks up the motor mount bolt holes on the sides of the block and has two rubber pad-style mounts that bolt to the forward crossmember.

 

Any way you can send me a higher res of that page? Or direct me where I can find that on line?
Thanks for the advice.

 

I cropped and expanded the photo in my post above. If that's still not good enough, send me an email and I'll send you the original high-res scan.

 

No, that's much better. Thanks for your work on that, and posting that up. Other guys in my club came up with that idea for motor mounts. But after you all bringing up the problem that poses with the head, it makes sense. Always good to have other, fresh eyes on things.
Guess I'll be combing the yards around here looking for this setup.
What years would this have run?

 

The 1979-1985 Toronado, Riviera, and Eldorado with Olds motors used this bracket and mount system. Note that other motors were optionally available in these cars (Buick V6 and Caddy V8) and those brackets will be different.

 

Thanks Joe!

Any one in the Cincy area have a beat on a parts car with the above specifications?

 

Sold the car. Bought a 1955 Olds 88. Fully back in the Olds family... feels good! (kept the 455!!)

 

Cool! But now we need to see pictures of your '55
John

 

If you plan to install the 455 in the 55, this is my thought. I would use a banana shape cross member or brkts mounted from the side frame rails. That way you can use the block side mounts and support the engine in the middle. I feel that if you mount the engine from the front and from the back on the trans mount, you have a long space between the two. the trans bell is only a half bell and 6 bolts to support all the weight in the middle. For me, in short mount it just like the car you took the engine from, in the middle of the block and the back of the trans.
Just my opinion.
Also if you use the T-400, is it a long shaft or a short shaft? For me the long shaft works out better, because the longer shaft goes deeper into the X-member of the frame. That way the drive shaft is farther out of the X-member. PM me if you want more info.

Gene

 

Thanks but the plan is to stay with the 324 for now.

 

If I put the 455 in the '55 I will probably do a set of mounts like what "Young Man" did. And yes my TH400 is the long shaft.

At this point the car runs and drives. I've been driving it around town. Rebuilding the carb this weekend and fixing the brake leak. I've been in touch with Ross Racing on buying an oil filter adapter.
Then it's on to fixing and welding up the floors and trunk. Getting glass for the driver's door and front passenger door. And just making sure everything else is safe on the car.
Just little things here and there.

I hope to get pics of the car this weekend. Once I get pics I will start a new thread for the '55.