The 58 450 GMC Dump with Howe Coleman Conversion in the Photo Gallery is me... I posted here about repowering it & the recomendations were to keep the inline 302. I REALLY was gonna do that until today.... Brought home a 4 Speed Allison Automatic from a bus camper conversion. Came with the shifter console & cables/linkages, external filter AND an adapter plate & Torque Converter for a Chevy 350 V8 that was installed when they converted the bus to a Camper/Commercially done conversion... The conversion used a late 70's carberated 350CU V8. Now the problem.. I'm really a 50's -70's Ford guy/GM illiterate....
My limited knowledge of Small Block Chevy's tells me the preferred engine for torque is the small block 400.
First Question: will a small block 400 from an automatic donor vehicle bolt up to where the 350 did? 1 friend mentioned there may be differences on outside balancers on the 400 making spacer issues in the adapter plate?
Second Question: Are there different generations of 350 or will any 350CU Block bolt up to that adapter?
Third Question: Has anyone ever tried using the original radiator with the modern V8/is there enough cooling there or do I need to change the radiator too?
One thing I do know/I think, I will need to put a low rpm torque band cam in this conversion?
