Oldsmobile Engine Conversion

[HotRodPC]

Most of you know, I have wanted to do an Olds 455 in one of my squares for a long time. I found some pics with squares that have Olds motors.

First is the 80 GMC I had that was orginally the Olds 5.7 Diesel and the original owner had swapped from the Olds Diesel, to the 350 Olds Gas motor.

This is obviously after I converted to Vac Boost Brakes since the Hydro Boost unit was leaking badly and those units aren't cheap.

The next one is a Crew Cab 4x4 that is Olds powered. I believe it was Retro who found these pics.

 

[HotRodPC]

I've still got the motor pads that bolt to the frame out of that 80 GMC Diesel to be bolted into another square, then I hope to bolt a 70 Olds 455 that I have to freshen up into one of mine using those 80 diesel motor pads.


And a logo I chopped up and made some time ago. I used to use it as my avatar and just might again someday when and if this project dream ever gets closer to reality.

 

[HotRodPC]

And I need this grill !!! This truck was a Summit Racing post on Facebook.

I knew my idea wasn't original but I just wonder how common it is to find Squares with Olds motors. I'd imagine it could be very common with the junky 5.7 Olds Diesel that many just swapped in an Olds 350 gas motor since manifolds and all bolted right up. But how many are big blocks like a 425 or a 455, and how many will have a Variable Switch Pitch stall Turbo 400???

 

[DoubleDingo]

Sounds like a fun project.

 

[bucket]

A local junkyard used to have a beige Chevy long bed with an Olds 455 under the hood. It's been a long time, but I think it was a late 70's truck. It had been there for several years but they scrapped a lot of their "newer" stuff when scrap went high 7 or 8 years ago and that truck disappeared. It also had an old bug deflector on it that had something clever painted on it, but I can't remember what it said. There used to be a whole mess of neat stuff there.

 

[HotRodPC]

A local junkyard used to have a beige Chevy long bed with an Olds 455 under the hood. It's been a long time, but I think it was a late 70's truck. It had been there for several years but they scrapped a lot of their "newer" stuff when scrap went high 7 or 8 years ago and that truck disappeared. It also had an old bug deflector on it that had something clever painted on it, but I can't remember what it said. There used to be a whole mess of neat stuff there.

I'm just really hoping I get to do this project. I've wanted to do if for so many years. Long long ago, I wanted to do it, then got out of older trucks, when I got married, had kids, bought homes etc. Now not being able to afford a new truck every year, I'd rather just build my own and this dream has been rekindled for about 2 years now. I've acquired all the cores already. It's just a matter of getting them rebuilt and installed. I still also need to acquire some bracketry for the 455 and that old stuff insn't cheap when you do find it. I could eliminate the need for alot of that if I went to Non AC and Non PS, but F that. I'm gonna have the goodies.

 

[Stroked]

I had the chance to buy an immaculate early 80's K10 with a 455 in it for $1,800 when I was in junior high, but my mom wouldn't let me because she was afraid I'd wrap it around a telephone pole.

I'll be very interested to watch your truck get put together.

 

[HotRodPC]

I had thought about just trying to fire up my Olds 455 motor and see if it would run since I don't know the condition of it. Pulled the plugs out of one side and started a compression test. 130 on the first 2 cylinders on that bank, 3rd one, I could could hear air leaking bad, maybe from the valve guide. Or maybe an exhaust valve. Not sure, but nonetheless, only 60lbs on that cylinder and it's leaking out somewhere pretty quick. That would be good news though. A good sign it's a rebuildable motor. Might even just have to fix that valve problem, rering it and run it. But at least now I know I'm not wasting anything by tearing into it.

 

[HotRodPC]

I had the chance to buy an immaculate early 80's K10 with a 455 in it for $1,800 when I was in junior high, but my mom wouldn't let me because she was afraid I'd wrap it around a telephone pole.

I'll be very interested to watch your truck get put together.

I could kinda see that happening. Those older Olds 455 were some torque monsters. I know a guy who had a souped up Cad 472 in a 57 Ford F100 It got away from him and he did exactly that. Litterally, wrapped it around a pole the front bumper was about a foot from touching the rear. Luckily, it was wrapped on the passenger side. It did pop the driver door open and he was ejected, which by that time was low speed. Him being ejected is what saved his life or severe injury rather than the road rash, contusions and broken arm he got from it. And this was at the time, a 35 yo man. I could only imagine what an 18yo would have done with it.

 

[DoubleDingo]

Hot Rod, sounds you and I are in a similar situation. Trucks to build but not building them for this reason or that. Granted mine is not a square, but it is a Chevy.

I want to ask you, an Administrator, and the others that are moderator's, if you object to me sharing my 1965 C20 project with you all on this site? If you all are okay with it, let me know. If you're all okay with it, I challenge you to a truck-off so to speak. You have some Old's to build and stab; I have a truck to build and then a frame to setup and do a body swap.

What do you think?

 

[RetroC10Sport]

No objections, do it!!

 

[HotRodPC]

Hot Rod, sounds you and I are in a similar situation. Trucks to build but not building them for this reason or that. Granted mine is not a square, but it is a Chevy.

I want to ask you, an Administrator, and the others that are moderator's, if you object to me sharing my 1965 C20 project with you all on this site? If you all are okay with it, let me know. If you're all okay with it, I challenge you to a truck-off so to speak. You have some Old's to build and stab; I have a truck to build and then a frame to setup and do a body swap.

What do you think?

That is exactly what the "Other Vehicles" section is for go for it. Uhh, NO. No truck-off. Finances are not good enough for me to do that.

 

[DoubleDingo]

That is exactly what the "Other Vehicles" section is for go for it. Uhh, NO. No truck-off. Finances are not good enough for me to do that.

Right on, "Other Vehicles" section will be getting a new thread soon. What? No Truck-off? You ascared...lol... I hear ya, no cash. I have lots of labor intensive stuff that can be done, but ultimately it will cost about $3,000 to complete the project.

 

[HotRodPC]

Right on, "Other Vehicles" section will be getting a new thread soon. What? No Truck-off? You ascared...lol... I hear ya, no cash. I have lots of labor intensive stuff that can be done, but ultimately it will cost about $3,000 to complete the project.

Labor don't scare me. If I had cash for parts in rebuild kits for my cores, I'd be rockin. This is why I don't worry to much about cosmetics yet. I'd rather have the powertrains I want built into the trucks first.

 

[89Suburban]

I want to ask you, an Administrator, and the others that are moderator's, if you object to me sharing my 1965 C20 project with you all on this site? If you all are okay with it, let me know.

What do you think?

Hell yes, what is taking you so long!