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olds 455 ?

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72beater

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So I got a great/free deal on an olds 455, but I don't know much about other gm besides chevy. Can I use this w/ a TH400 or manual SM465, or should I pass on this one. Gearheads let me know.
Thanks,
Ernest
 
You'll need a trans adaptor to be able to use a chevy transmission. They'll run about $70. get them from MTS or the CAD Company.

Not much to it, bolt the adaptor to one side, add spacers to your flywheel/flexplate and them botl the trans on. Same thing im doing with my Caddilac 472 and Chev Turbo 400.
 
Not real sure but I think you need what is called a BOP
(Buick,Olds,Pontiac) style bellhousing to bolt up to this engine. I guess you could take a T-400 BOP type case and swap all the internalls from a 4x4 T-400.
Just my .02 cents
 
For a truck, I say forget it.

I love Oldsmobile, but IMO it gets a little hokey when you start talking about adapters for manual transmissions and what not, especially when you can bolt a BBC in like it was meant to be there. Besides the starter/alternator being on the other side, their goofy exhaust manifolds, the availability/cost of parts compared to a BBC, and so on.

I say sell it (if possible) and spend the money on a BBC.
 
Yeah I looked into this swap myself. Biggest downfall was the adaptor's and stuff for the trannies second the price of aftermarket parts for a 455. Go to Jeg's or Summit and write down all the parts you would like for the OLDs motor then do a comaprison with a BBC. The price just insn't worth the swap IMO. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
The adapter can be found cheaper than that.

Nothing wrong with a hybrid swap, although they can get interesting finding parts.

Yeah BBC this and that, what would be the total cost of acquiring one then rebuilding it with installing it? If the Olds motor was gotten cheaply enough, much of that cost will be saved during the rebuild phase as opposed to just 'aquiring' a BBC.

Olds and Pontiac motors have a lower torque curve due to their larger strokes. This makes them very good candidates for truck motors.

If you plan on revving that motor, then attention needs to be paid to the oiling system. For low rpm grunt work, then this is not an issue.

Investigate the heads a bit. Once again, with both the Olds and Poncho, the power and compression ratio will vary a lot with just the head.

Changing spark plugs on that Olds will be a breaze.

Good luck with your decision....
 
There is a guy in fallon who did it in his 80's sub. Im not sure if he lives here but he stopped at kragen (part time job for me) on his way to sand mountain. It was awesome. He said he loved it but it cost him a bit more than planned. It would be spendy but the power would be worth it. I considered it but then decided it wasnt for me. It would be a conversation piece though. Also out at bango rd (junkyard outside fallon) there is a late 80's chevy 3/4 ton diesel single cab longbed. Except the diesel is now a olds 455. I thought about buying that too. Too young with too many ideas. It did completely fill the engine bay. I kinda like how i can sit in thier w/ my 350 in my 71 k5. Makes it easier to work on. Just my long winded opinion. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif
 
That engine is one of the widest ever built. You will have problems routing exhaust for that monster.
 
i have pontiac 455 in my k5, the swap is not as hard as people would lead you believe. when i was doing mine i called a bunch of places got the same answers why bother get a bbc, exhaust will never work, too much work to make fit. between the dapter from summit $55.00 and the steel i used for relocating the motor mounts (freebie) it was a real easy swap and cheaper than getting all the acc.brackets for the bbc. exhaust i was able to use the donor cars headers. like it was said the 455's have great low end torque but they don't like to rev. mine has been in for two years with no problems, besides it's always better to be different from everybody else. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
I have a 70'Buick 455/360 HP...in the corner...
after seeing a K10 at Canfield last year with a 455...
I too was considering a swap but BUICK... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

He had a Buick th400..mated with a divorced 205..
He bought Hooker headers for a GS..and had them modified..
He claimed he was getting 500 HP/700 lbs. torque /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
Take a look at the buick and pontiac 455's, they are definitely narrower than the olds. I've had about 5 different olds motors, 350's, 403, 455 and the design is the widest built by GM. Even in the cutlass chassis it was a tight fit with exhaust as the ports exit directly at the frame rail (the reason the spark plugs are so easy to change, because they are above the exhaust ports). You could probably do it, especially if you move the motor up with custom motor mounts. But parts for these engines are much more $$ than for a chevy...
 
I am a little concerned about drive line length after all the adapters and mount mods. divorced tcases are not a good option in a k-5, IMO. It sounds like a project that can be done with reasonable costif you take your time and fab everything yourself. But it is definitely no a no brainer. Thanks for all the opinions. I knew there were some innovators out there.
Ernest
 
The tranny adapter is only 1/4 to 3/8's of an inch thick. It will adapt the BOP pattern to a Chevy tranny. Now you don't need a divorced t-case. Just use the tranny and t-case from a GM truck. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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