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Need opinion

Z

Z3PR

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I'm planning on a crate engine for my 78 El Camino after I get the loan paid off.(Only has a 305 right now) Was planning on a 290 hp 350 GM crate engine, but now I'm not sure, I'm really thinking this might make me happier. Not a big difference in price, and a much better warrenty. What do y'all think ?? Give me your opinions please.
 
personally id go with the small block. just cheaper and easier on gas. just my .02.

ryan
 
That's not a concern, have a dailly driver for MPG's. The El Camino will be my street toy.
 
427...no replacement for displacement ;)

if you dont get the 427, sure ull be satisfied with the 350 im sure, but down the road u'll have wished u had more ummphhh. and if mpg doesnt matter why limit it urself to a 350? if tis for limited driving pleasure, get the most out of it! 427s are badass
 
big block, but get all the specs you can on that engine. just because it says its for a '69 Corvette doesnt mean it doesnt have peanut port heads on it, and runs 7.5:1. of course, if it is 7.5:1... its blower time. :D
 
The El Camino will be limited driving. The whole plan for it is a street toy. Something for those warm summer evenings too take too the local cruse, or local car shows. The more I've thought about it, the more I want a hot rod again. I have a dailly driver that gets decent MPG's, and there is just something about a big block in a lite car like the 78 El Camino I have. I doesn't need too be the fastest most powerfull car on the streets. I only need to impress myself.
 
It could be possible that it has a high compression ratio and needs leaded fuel (both from high compression and valve seats). I don't know if that is the case, but it probably is if they are remanufactured stock heads.
 
427 is cool because it is different.

It'd be cool to find a 454, and make a '78 version of the 70/71 that came with that motor.

That always reminds me I could have bought a very nice '70 454 El Camino for $4500, and it only needed the air cleaner for the cowl hood. :doah:

Something else that would be cool, and along the same lines. Find a truck with a TBI 454 and drop that motor in there.

If it's not fuel injected, Demon all the way!
 
I'm toying with the idea of something like
p105992_image_large.jpg
 
can u say five hundred???

I saw an El-Camino at the junkyard yesterday I sold some scrap at a guy drove in with ..it was a 1980 SS version,that he said originally had a 231 V-6 Buick eggbeater in it when he got it(he assumed it had a V-8 originally,he could see all the butchery to install the V6)..he drove it about a year,then when he was looking for a good V8 chevy motor at all the yards,one guy at one yard said "we just got a 73 Caddy Coupe Deville in--and its got a decent engine --its out back--go look!"... :laugh:

He said he bought the engine and tranny for 400 bucks--a 500 motor,and a TH400 tranny..he traded the junkyard the caddy's longtail tranny for one out of a pontiac that had the short tail instead..then all he had to do was make some motor mount pad adapters,and buy a toronado oild pan,pick up tube,and oil pump,and adapt the driveshaft to fit,the exhaust.etc.....

He said it wasn't hard to put the motor in,no worse than doing a chevy big block swap from a V6,because many things would have had to be changed anyway..of course,he said 2 weeks after it was finished,a friend of his totaled his 70 Chevelle, and would have sold him the 454 out of it for about the same price..but he said he blew the doors off the Chevelle twice,so he wasn't too upset!

He was at the scrapyard looking for a beefier rear end for the El-Camino--he said he's grenaded 4 10 bolts already,because he likes to do smoke shows,and drag races it quite often!..he didn't find what he was looking for,but said he was tempted to put a 14 bolt FF in it!!--if he could somehow make it 5 lug to match the OEM rims...he was looking for a 12 bolt, or a ford 9" that was the right width,but no luck yesterday..

He smoldered one rear wheel as he left,for about 500ft,and the motor sounded like it was just loafing at 2500 rpm or so!.. :D ..lit em up in all 3 gears!.. :bow: :bow: ..I can see why he blows up so many diffs! :D :haha:
 
I believe it. I'm sure I'll have too go with a better rear axle after the 427 go's in, LOL.
 
No sweat!!

I've seen quite a few El-Camino's and Malibu's with BBC in them (78-87's) and the only snag I've heard about is that headers might rub up against the upper control arms where the bushings are--all it needs is a little "shave" with a grinder to remove some of the "ears" around the bushing hole..no biggie!..I don't think stock iron manifolds would be any problem at all..

Other than that,the only other dilema was some had problems with the valve covers hitting the A/C unit/heater box,and the power brake booster,if you used the "tall" valve covers..they made a special stock valve cover for corvettes to miss the booster on the drivers side..you could use one if need be..
I think dimpling a stock cover will miss the A/C unit IF it hits..I've seen some with tall covers that didn't touch at all!..not sure why,maybe certain brands hit,and some dont??..no other snags that I remember....

The one I saw yersterday with the 500 Caddy had the A/C unit chopped out to miss the passenger side valve cover..the Caddy 500 is MUCH wider than any chevy motor!--the "V" is more spread out..I think its a bit higher than a BBC from the motor mounts to the top of the valve covers too..bit it still fit in there,it was a tight squeeze though--looked like it grew there!.. :eek1: :crazy:
 
diesel4me said:
He said he bought the engine and tranny for 400 bucks--a 500 motor,and a TH400 tranny..he traded the junkyard the caddy's longtail tranny for one out of a pontiac that had the short tail instead..then all he had to do was make some motor mount pad adapters,and buy a toronado oild pan,pick up tube,and oil pump,and adapt the driveshaft to fit,the exhaust.etc.....
Click to expand...
interesting, i've never heard of a 500 Caddy in a Toronado.

He was at the scrapyard looking for a beefier rear end for the El-Camino--he said he's grenaded 4 10 bolts already,because he likes to do smoke shows,and drag races it quite often!..he didn't find what he was looking for,but said he was tempted to put a 14 bolt FF in it!!--if he could somehow make it 5 lug to match the OEM rims...he was looking for a 12 bolt, or a ford 9" that was the right width,but no luck yesterday..
Click to expand...
needs a Caprice 9C1 8.5" 10 bolt. they'll bolt right up with a few mods, and hold up just fine. has disc brakes from the factory too. only problem is 5 on 5 bolt pattern, where the ElCam has a 5 on 4 3/4. easy enough to fix with unilug wheels.
 
oops!

Yeah--my brain was thinking "EL"dorado--but I typed "toronado" :blush: ..the guy said now you can buy aftermarket pans for the Caddy motors,and some 425 ones will work too...he used the oil filter adapter off a 425,its offset more than the 500 one is,and misses the crossmember better..he runs a smaller oil filter too..no other major modifications,other than a big radiator(which I suspect he got from the Caddy,but I didn't ask him..)..

If I see that guy again,I'll tell him about the rear axle you suggested!..there are quite a few full size chevy's and old police cruisers in the yards around here--probably wont be hard to find one.. it would be good to have rear discs,seing how fast that Camino goes now!.. :bow: :crazy:
 
diesel4me said:
If I see that guy again,I'll tell him about the rear axle you suggested!..there are quite a few full size chevy's and old police cruisers in the yards around here--probably wont be hard to find one.. it would be good to have rear discs,seing how fast that Camino goes now!.. :bow: :crazy:
Click to expand...

Caprices and other full size B bodies were also available with 7.5" 10 bolts. 5 on 5 generally means 8.5"
 
We built a 78 Malibu before with a big block in it. 70-72 chevelle bigblock headers fit perfect. Used the stock smallblock mounts, no problem with the brake booster and tall valve covers, we took the heater and ac out and made a block off on the firewall on the passenger side though.

If you want an 8.5", look for one from a Buick Grand National or T-type (they bolt right in). We made our own tranny crossmember because the factory ones are all for single exhaust. We put a 9" Ford in it with strange axles and a spool. Made it much easier for gear swaps (pull the pig out). Monte SS's use the same dashboards (if yours is cracked, gives you more options to find a good one) and door panels.

PM me if you have any questions. I think I have a set of boxed rear control arms still.

Ryan

ps: That injection setup converted to EFI will run over $5500 by the time you are done.
 
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