Small block to Big Block

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Old Mar 28, 2010 | 08:56 AM
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Default Small block to Big Block

Are the engine mounts and the frame mounts the same for both because I'm stuffing a 396 in where a 350 came out of. Will a HEI big distributor cap fit in as well, will there be enough room or will it be to close to the firewall. Thank you in advance
 
Old Mar 28, 2010 | 09:38 AM
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Originally Posted by douggie
Are the engine mounts and the frame mounts the same for both because I'm stuffing a 396 in where a 350 came out of. Will a HEI big distributor cap fit in as well, will there be enough room or will it be to close to the firewall. Thank you in advance
in some camaros the small combo mounts work..unlike mine i had to go with big block mounts the left side is a bit taller then the right to clear the power steering box...try it its not that big of a deal to change over
 
Old Mar 28, 2010 | 09:47 AM
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Thank you for taking the time to reply, I will check that out. Just got the car a year ago from GA. I'm used to working on Mopar's.
 
Old Mar 28, 2010 | 10:18 AM
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Should bolt right in,the HEI cap will be real tight to the firewall though.
 
Old Mar 29, 2010 | 02:56 PM
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I am going thru the same process right now .. the frame mounts are different .. the small block ones will work ... but they will not put the big block in the "factory correct position" .. you will probably have crowding of the heater box cover .. difficulty with headers ... power steering issues ..etc. You will also need the correct trans cross member ... it is not an impossible job .. all the parts are readily avaible on line.

I am assuming you are talking about a 67-69 ..
 

Last edited by Popkorn69; Mar 29, 2010 at 02:57 PM. Reason: update
Old Mar 29, 2010 | 08:57 PM
  #6  
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Default Big block to small block?

Sorry to hijack this, but it seems relevant. If not - sorry.

I have a small block in my 68, but it seems to sit really far back in the engine bay. The HEI distributor is right up against the firewall. Could this originally been a big block car? I know the engine isn't original, but I don't know what the original engine was.

I've decoded the trim tag, but I don't have the info with me (at work). Will the trim tag or vin tell me what the original engine was? As I said, I tried looking this up before, with no luck.

So - could this have been a big block car?

Scatter'd
 
Old Mar 29, 2010 | 09:44 PM
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Originally Posted by Popkorn69
I am going thru the same process right now .. the frame mounts are different .. the small block ones will work ... but they will not put the big block in the "factory correct position" .. you will probably have crowding of the heater box cover .. difficulty with headers ... power steering issues ..etc. You will also need the correct trans cross member ... it is not an impossible job .. all the parts are readily avaible on line.

I am assuming you are talking about a 67-69 ..
I swapped a 427 into my '69 and the only fitment issue was the heatercore.
The big block cars used a different heater core with the hose hookups more outboard toward the fender to clear the cylinder head.
I bought a big block heater core kit bit I've heard some guys simply flip the stock core over and punch a couple of new holes for the hoses.
My car was a manual steering car with a 4 speed stick though,not sure about PS but I had no cross member problem,everything bolted right up.
 
Old Mar 29, 2010 | 10:05 PM
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If you're having firewall clearance issues, then use the big block engine frame brackets. Not only do they kick the engine over to the passenger side, but they also move the engine forward (away from the firewall) about an inch.
 
Old Mar 30, 2010 | 07:11 AM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by Y2K
I swapped a 427 into my '69 and the only fitment issue was the heatercore.
The big block cars used a different heater core with the hose hookups more outboard toward the fender to clear the cylinder head.
I bought a big block heater core kit bit I've heard some guys simply flip the stock core over and punch a couple of new holes for the hoses.
My car was a manual steering car with a 4 speed stick though,not sure about PS but I had no cross member problem,everything bolted right up.
If you had PS ..you would have clearance issues. Also .. There are Big block frame mounts for a reason as well as a transmission mount. In your case .. w/o PS and power brakes I am assuming ... you were able to use the small block engine frame mounts .. thus you would need to use the small block trans mount (does not matter if you are running a 4 speed or auto, or powerglide) in order to keep the engine .. trans .. and driveline in correct orinetation. Changing of the mounts does two things .. moves the engine to the passenger side and forward a bit .. this helps with PS, PB, firewall, and crank pulley clearance ... this is for a 1969. 67 and 68 have a somewhat different set-up in that the alternator is on the drivers side ... and may not have any issues at all .. I can't speak to that exact swap .. but for a 69 .. you have to change the mounts.
 
Old Mar 30, 2010 | 07:34 AM
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Originally Posted by scatterbrained
Sorry to hijack this, but it seems relevant. If not - sorry.

I have a small block in my 68, but it seems to sit really far back in the engine bay. The HEI distributor is right up against the firewall. Could this originally been a big block car? I know the engine isn't original, but I don't know what the original engine was.

I've decoded the trim tag, but I don't have the info with me (at work). Will the trim tag or vin tell me what the original engine was? As I said, I tried looking this up before, with no luck.

So - could this have been a big block car?

Scatter'd
Anything is possible ... more than likely it is the fact you now have an HEI versus the points distributor that originally came in the car. The point distrubutor is much smaller in diameter and would allow more clearance. I do not believe that there was a whole lot of differnce in the 67 and 68 big and small block frame mounts. On the 69 .. the big block mounts would actually move the engine forward for just such clearance issues. I have not done a swap like this on a 67 or 68 .. so not excatly sure ... but I do know there is a difference.
 
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