The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Where do I start with this v8 swap?

The truck is a 1955 3/4 ton truck
The motor is a 1974 Buick Big Block 455 with th400 trans out of a 225

Where do I start on how to put these two together?
I figured the 3/4 ton needed some pulling torque and the buick motor doesn't weigh that much more then the chevy small block

I am also pulling as much as I can from the buick car. Ilike the radiator which has the trans cooler installed with it.

Move your thread over to the HiPo forum and you will find lots of help.

A lot depends on weather its a first series 55 or second series.

1955-2nd Series

http://s217.photobucket.com/user/Andrew7dg/library/1955%20Chevy%20Truck?sort=3&page=2

It is a 2nd series

I should state the goals of the truck. That may help with where this thread belongs.

I am not building a drag truck, I am building a DD truck that I can use as a work horse truck pulling trailers with the race cars on the trailer. I figured that would be a good purpose for it because it is a 3/4 ton truck.

I also have a 350 Chevy with a th350 trans that I could put into it, I just figured the Buick 455 had more torque for the pulling. I plan for the most part to leave the 455 Buick Stock as the heads are prepped for Unleaded gas and from what test have shown not much need to be done to them. I also plan on leaving the cast iron exhaust manifold because they sit close to the block and compact unlike tubular headers. The block is also shown to weigh as much as a small block chevy and not nearly as big as a 454 chevy big block

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/ccrp-0906-buick-455-engine-bolt-ons/

As stated above, this belongs in the Hi-Po shop. It is the forum for modifications from stock such as engine and suspension swaps. You may have guessed from the name it is only about drag trucks but that is not the case.

Make sure you have an adequate cooling system.

You might check with Chassis Engineering as there is a good chance they have the mounts for this swap. You can also do a search on this site for 500 Cadillac into an AD as several have been done (including myself) and that is a bigger engine into a smaller space. You could pick up some tips. The factory radiator in GOOD condition cools the 500 Cad in Texas with the a/c running.

An excellent choice for our truck! I have done this swap into my 51 Panel.

Through trial and error I came up with a mod to tubular engine mount from Trans-Dapt. I ended up using one for a 460 Ford. These tubular mounts are adjustable at the ends. I had to cut a little off the box shaped mount on the tube to allow the stock Buick engine mounts to go in squarely. I loosely attached the tubular to the engine and started to lower into the frame. Other than a about a 3/8" relief in the frame on the passenger side (using stock exhaust manifolds) the motor sits nice and low in the chassis.
You can fab up mounts of your own design, but this is how I did it.
With the distributor up front you can really push it back to the firewall. I did, and still had room for a column shifter (which I prefer).
I'm guessing your frame is similar in dimension; if anything a tad wider. The only other mod was to install an oil filter relocation kit; to avoid cutting into the forward frame crossmember.
If you want more details PM me & I'll be happy to explain further.

I made my own mounts for my 455 into my S-10 frame. It worked out much better. For street use stock manifolds are better than headers anyways. Oil filter relocation was not necessary for me, I use a slightly smaller filter (the same as what any new GM pickup uses), and made a slight notch in my frame for clearance. Again, different frame that you're using.

When you put an aluminum intake on, the 455 is about the same weight as a SBC.

Keep your original radiator or use one made to fit your truck, I wouldn't go with the Buick radiator in your case, unless it fits really well.

I have an Edelbrock performer, Comp 268H cam, etc. in mine and it works great. A nice bumpy idle and it just flat works with loads of torque.

This is good to know, next weekend I am pulling the motor from the car. I am thinking of cutting the whole cross member for the engine and cut the one for the transmission to see if I am able to use those at all.

This 455 is pretty compact compared to some of the other 455 or 454 or 460. The distributor in the front is pretty nice compared to the other GM motors which has it in the back.

For right now I am going to run with the stock frame and hope that gets me by for right now. I am hoping there isn't going to be any twisting, again just want to use it as a towing truck around town.

Squire, for the 51 Pannel did you have to move the steering box at all or did it fit around the box?