Thats what I never understood, the 500 is in small block territory weight wise, and speed parts are coming along. They don't do too bad with the right attention with stock heads and knowing where to grind and a really good valve job. Ken Heard at Oregon Cams can regrind a stock blank to really make them kick like a mule. The 500 is a real dark horse that can be made to really perform. Turbocharging anyone? I'll always like those old ones though, heavy, but sweet engines. Great score!
If only there were more out there. I considered it, but couldn't find one cheap, or it was in a front driver, or..... lots of excuses, but I may build one yet.
I recently scored a running '61 Ford 260 for hauling it away. I was so grateful for the guys generosity I turned around and asked if he had everything he needed to finish his 351M install in his Fairlane. Turns out he needed some pulleys,brackets and valve covers, all of which I had laying in the parts pile. I gladly returned the favor and gave him the pieces. That, to me is what hotrodding is all about, helping each other out when we can. Now I gotta find something to put the 260 into.
i'm swapping out my 429 for a 500 out of a '70 into my '66 Cadillac. from the factory these had 400 hp and 550 ft. lbs of torque or somewhere in that ballpark. i'll do some head work and bump up the cam a little. you can get tons of power out of a 500 if you do it right, lol
thank you landmule... that was the idea i was trying to convey... just a little tongue in cheek comment. The car belongs to a decent car lot and i dont think the owner was short on cash. he even told me it was running before they pulled it out. thats the main reason i didnt understand the swap... i dont think they knew what they had. jeez some of you guys are a little touchy. lighten up. im definitely not looking a gifted horse in the mouth here. i appreciate the generosity these guys showed.
The reason behind these kinda swaps is easy...you can get parts for them on the fly. My dad bought a 52 cad with a 331, what the seller didn't know was if it ran or not...solution...he put a 350 in it...now, when he drives it, he knows he can stop at just about any parts store and get the parts he needs to fix it. The swap was simple and really, if you never open the hood no one ever suspects its not a 331. That 331 that came with the car...fresh rebuild on the block when he checked it after he did the swap...oh well it went to a nice guy who is using it for a rat rod motor.
i realize that there are legitimate reasons and applications for a 350 swap. i just think that sometimes its over done... i.e. a complete custom show car decked out to the nines with fresh paint, interior, and chrome with a 350 thrown in the engine bay... you would think with the time, energy, and money that they put into the car to start with that they could have gone just a little further and acquired a better looking and less generic engine. i think i have just heard the suggestion given to me waaay to many times regarding my own car and has started to rub me wrong. i didnt mean to come off as unappreciative. im just having some fun over here.
Great score! And yeah, they do way a ton or at least they seem too. I got a Olds 371 with a Hydra, seems like they weigh about 700 lbs each. I have nightmares when thinking about pulling or dropping either one.
x2 I hope you send those guys a thank you present or something. They coulda gotten a few bucks for that as s**** without the liability of you and your friend loading that in your truck , etc. That was an all cl***, true hot rodder move on their part, IMHO.
The Jalopy Journal
