SBC into a little T-Bird??

Anybody out there had experience of shoving a small block chevy into a '55-57 Bird?

Specifically what are problems, if any...or is it as simple as it appears to be because of the size of engine compartment??

thanks

Paul

 

That would be just plain wrong in so man ways...

 

not another fordolet....

 

S w e e t ! ! !

 

Many good vintage Fords to stick in there.... yikes. A Y block fits in there with no trimming or or "modificationining"...

 

There is one locally that looks like it was put together at the factory. One of the cleanest engine transplants I've ever seen and I've witnessed some spectactular swaps. This swap was done when this car was fairly new because the owner was really disappointed in the performance. He reworked the origional engine quite extensively but threw in the towel after being repeatedly buried by a 270 hp 283 (which BTW was also far from stock). Later, the car was updated to a 327 when they came out and the car ,quite naturallly, ended up performing even better.
Today it just sits, hasn't been run in years. I've been encouraging him to get it out , refresh or replace the engine and relive the old days. Knowing me one might be surprised I've suggested he buy and install one of Rousch's 427 small blocks and return the car back to Ford power. I can't honestly say whether he will do anything or not. Film at 11:00

Frank

 

Oil pan sump will be a problem as the Y-blocks had a front sump and other than then 67 and older Chevy II's, the sump on the SBC is in the rear.

 

Oh PLEASE tell me you're kidding. That's just sacrilegious, and that's coming from a guy with a 327 in a Model A, me!

 

No, No, No, No, No! Please just build a healthy Y Block or a little 347 Stroker small block Henry or Hell a 514 Big Block Ford but PLEEEEEEEASE no Chevy's in such a great little car! It just ain't right

 

Drops right in. No cutting. Rear sump pan fits. Stock mounts can be adapted to 60s Chevy truck mounts with a plate.

 

Buddy of mine had one with a 6-71 on top. Fit well, went like stink.

 

CORRECTION: Y-blocks in cars had front sump;T-birds and trucks had a rear sump. Very handy info when swapping a Y-block .

 

Your biggest problem will be all the negative comments at car show/cruises.....

 

When I was 16 my buddy had just got his mustang going and we took it to the local sonic on a friday where we had seen muscle cars and stuff hanging out, well, in rolls this T bird , with all sorts of popin' and jerkin', big slicks with radiused wheel wells, injector stacks coming out of the hood, people were going nuts that thing had rolled into the drive , then he opens the hood and its a chevy. It was funny,people had a lot to say to the guy but no one wanted to race.

 

enjenjo is spot on. Fits like it was made for it.

There is a local guy here with a light green 57 with a 440 MOPAR stuffed in. He built it in the late 60s/early 70s and said it too fit way too easy and made for one awsome car. Not only did it have the classic looks but ran like it should too!

 

That would be the BETTER IDEA ... Ive always wanted to do one but i cant afford a nice enuff car to do it on.
Dave

 

There is a chevy powered 55 bird listed in Tampa Fl. Craigslist.Maybe the owner will share tips w/you. By the way,Your car,do what ta hell ever you want to do to it.I've got a ford 302 in my roadster now but eventually it will have a V6 chevy in it.

 

That's like screwing your best friends girl...it might feel right but its just plain wrong.

 

We are currently putting a RAMJET 350 Chevy motor with a JET 4L80 trans in a 75 Ford F350 customers service truck....damn near a bolt in and way more powerful than the 390,plus more reliable

 

Man, the 292 Y-block built up would look so good in there! And the Y-block came in those anyway. Direct bolt-in and you have a bitchin' nostalgia mill. Just my .02. This is the 292 in my old Edsel (the one that MissPrint owns now) They look pretty sweet with Offy valve covers, and they're making a lot more hop up parts for them now. I never got to finish detailing this one, but it still looked pretty cool if I do say so myself

 

i have seen one with an old centrifugal super charger it looked perfect

 

I've seen a few early T-Birds with SBC's at shows or in magazines over the years so it must not be too hard . On the other hand Y-blocks can real hot dogs without much effort so my first choice would be that . Everybody has an SBC , why follow the herd ?

 

Back in the mid sixties at Fort Ord, Ca. a guy in my company had a '57 T-Bird with a 455 Olds in it.
My vote stay with the Y-Block.

 

WHOOPS!! I forgot about that. Sorry for the misinformation.

 

Peterson had a Complete Book of Engine Swapping in early '70's that did BBC in one. Someone on here must still have it.

 

thay came with y blocks

 

Want to sell it?
I mean before you put in the SBC.

 

...isn't there some kind of federal law against that sorta swap???

 

I remember seeing a red 55 or 56 T-Bird that used to pop up in magazines maybe 10 years or so ago. It had slicks out back and a big block chevy with M/T valve covers out front. Serious Cool. I believe it was eventually destroyed in a drag racing accident. Maybe somebody on here can post a photo of it. As to your plans to put a bellybutton SBC in it? I wouldn't. If you're going Chevy, why not wow the troops with a big block or at least an FE series big block ford. Leave the 312's to the guys with the fenderskirts and full wheel covers.

 

back in the early 60.s sbc in 2 seater t-birds was a common swap so i say for it but do up right early 60, style