maybe it's like any other swap, you put the engine in the car, move it around so the exhaust clears the steering, the valve covers clear the firewall, the fan clears the radiator. then set it level (side to side), parallel side to side, and angle the front of the engine up about 4 degrees (so the trans pan and carb flange on the intake are parallel to the frame). Find where the mounts can go, and make brackets to put them in.
like squirrel says...... this should be fairly easy swap......hang it in there and locate it and take some measurements and commence to fabbing motor mounts if i remember correctly , CHEVADO was a rear mounted 425 olds toro setup, maybe you try your own version of this wheel stander
Start hunting Vista Cruiser Exhaust manifolds NOW. They (aside from 442) are the only "true dual" manifolds avalible for your set up. they also hug the block the tightest. late 70's, early 80's caddies have the belt and pulley set up you will need. (low mount on the power steering, p***enger side alt.) aside from that, you are probably going to have some issues between the grear box and exhaust. and, finally, shoehorn the BIGGEST radiator you can strap into it. trust me. Good luck! P.M. me if you have any questions. Lix
Good luck,engine swaps are very cool in my book.My dad put a 392 Hemi in a 55 210 in 1961 and drove it from Florida to Texas a week later.I like to think he was the first to do this swap.I didnt mean to steal your post ,i was hoping to incourage you to go for it.
I swapped 1 into my 55 Cad, man what a *****. It was kinda like a beauty salon. The starter, exhaust, and steering box were having "issues" with each other. Biggest problem I see would be the steering box unless you use a rack and pinion kit which should make a big difference in how quick and easy the swap will be. My .02 keep the change
I got to "rememberin" last night. you will need... the block mounts from a 403 olds powered firebird. (basically a 1/2 inch thich strap that spans all 4 motor mount holes on an oldsmobile) and a set of burly pontiac motor mounts. (the strap makes that happen.)- most olds use the "bolt through the bottom" design...and you don't have a "bottom" to bolt it through. starter will be a s.o.b., but c.v.r. makes a mini starter that would be worth about twice what you pay for it in aggrivation. oil filter- it is in a ****py position on an olds anyway, so a screw on adapter and a remote mount is probably a great idea. and finally... these things only outweigh a small block chevy by around 40 or so pounds. a set of aluminum heads (or at the very least an aluminum intake) would be killer. they're freakishly large, but not that heavy. after that, prepare to preform the magic of an olds 455...they can turn rubber into smoke!
Hey low budget, did you ever get your swap done? I am doing the same 455ci swap into a 57 longroof and wanted to get your feedback and maybe some pics?
For what it's worth, pretty sure a 307 is the same basic block, like the Pontiac 301 is the same basic Pontiac block - correct me if I am wrong? If it is, they came in 80's GM wagons just about interchangably with the Chevy 305s and 350s. I'd look at those mounts. Seems to me the heads are a lot different on the smaller engines, though, so the manifolds won't work. They're ugly as sin anyways. For the Vista Cruiser manifolds, I'd hit demo derby sites, some guys pull the Olds and run a Chevy motor, you might get them cheap that way - Biggest problem with these is they're really wide across the top. But I am saving a Toronado motor for a rod. They have neat stock manifolds - kind of stick straight out and look like a header. TO use them in a '55, I'd imagine you'd have to cut the inner fenders completely out of it!
My '51 Chevy pickup is apart right now, so maybe these pictures will help someone... The engine is a '68 455 that I built from pieces and placed in my truck. I think the left manifold with it's rear dump is like a stock one from a '73-'76 98. In the stock application, it connected via a crossover pipe to the other manifold (junk) which then dumped out the rear. The center dump p*** side manifold (single outlet) is from a '67 Olds 98 425, that came on the driver's side originally. The engine mounts were real simple. I used a stock Olds 98 mount available from any parts store. I cut a piece of small, round tubing to fit between the ears on the motor mount and then welded a larger piece of square tubing between the round tubing that holds the mount bolt to the subframe crossmember, bracing it well. The subframe is from a '74 Nova. I've done this twice and its worked well both times...
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