BBC in Tri-5 Chevy...who's done it????

I want photos, part numbers, diagrams, measurements, illustrations, etc!

But seriously, though...the only GOOD Shitbolt is a DEAD Shitbolt, so I want to replace mine with a fat-block Chev-rot! I see ads for oil pans proclaiming "NOT for Chevy 2 or 55-57 Chevy", so what oil pan DO you use for a BBC in a 55-57 Chevy car??? Will a stock 454 pan work???

(I can't WAIT to gather up all the stuff to drop a BBC in my car, so I can hold the throttle to the floor and put that Shitbolt all over the street and Do Society a Favor! How anyone ever drove one of those awful engines is WAY beyond me!!!)

So...what do a I need to put that shit-ass six outta my misery????

 

Well ya need sidemounts for the engine, headers, and a tranny rear crossmember for starters. If you're gonna run power steering things get a little more complicated. Did my '55 back in '78 and never looked back. Those cars are a TON of fun with a rat motor in them. I didn't have to massage the firewall at all on mine, things are close but nothing hitting. Stock radiator will need to mount in the "six cyl holes" in front of the core support, but I would suggest a bigger aftermarket radiator and elec fan for slow town cruising

 

Hey man, I like it! I have a set-up block with a well "ventilated" #4 cyl. Easier to get your mounts right with just a block n head. Lemme get to my bud's house n get it for ya if ya need it. PM me...

 

I used the after market side mount kit that set my engine back. I cut out the firewall and replaced it with a modified wheelbarrow tub.I used a Chevy hydraulic clutch release bellhousing so there is no Z bar.I used Chevelle headers and modified one tube on each side for idler and pitman arm clearance. Since the block is set back the stock oil pan clears the center link.Tons of room for the HEI dist.Used a 6 cylinder rad support for more clearance at the front but you have that covered already.Put a concave in the cross member for fuel pump clearance.Used a 74 Nova trans crossmember so it has the dual exhaust humps.Used a 81 Malibu 52 1/2 inch driveshaft with a turbo 400 yoke at front "Super T10" and a cross matched u joint at the rear with a 59 Ford 9 inch.

 

Did mine in '82. Cut the pan and added a curved piece to allow steering arms to clear.Nowadays there is a pan available.Ran 605 steering.Unclerichard covered the basic stuff.It isnt hard to do.All the parts you need are available from major vendors if you want to go that route.

 

Doug headers work well didn't cut anything a 55 with a 427/th400

 

I did one today made my own side mounts and moved the motor forward about half an inch and just made a little dent in the firewall on the left hand side.
Used a stock pan with the single dip in it not the one with two dips because it would have hit the steering arms. I am using stock manifolds modified with a bit cut out and filled to clear the steering box.
Car came with a tranny mount which I moved as well to accomadate a turbo 400.
You can buy side mounts anywhere that move the engine forward 1 3/4 inchs to clear a HEI or ones that mount the engine in the stock small block postion which will not fit a HEI unless the firewall is modified.
I prefer to get the motor back as far as possible so that I can get a good engine fan on with a shroud and the radiator in the six cylinder postion. Only problem is it will be tight to fit the distributor under the wiper motor but it will fit or you can move the wiper motor inside, it looks better anyway. Chris.

 

Here is the old front mount style, you will need a special pan for this where the steering goes through the front edge of the pan...

 

Here is one with the Danchuck side mounts...I modified the mounts and moved the motor so I didn't have to dent the firewall...I also used merc cruiser (boat) valve covers cause they fit the firewall better and I needed the clearence for the roller rockers. I had to modify one tube on the drivers header also for the power steering box...six cyl rad support as mentioned by others...have fun, not a hard project and worth it...Plan on changing the rear end too, the tri 5 rear will not take the bbc.....

 

Thanks all!

From what I've seen in catalogs, there's SOME hint that a BBC oil pan for a 62-67 Nova will work in a 55-57 Chevy, but it notes that "the transmission must be in the stock location".

The mounting kit I was looking at is from Total Cost Involved and includes side mounts and a new transmission crossmember, and advertises that it moves the motor forward a bit to allow the use of HEI distributors with a stock firewall. Has anybody used this particular set-up yet? One question I had about this was whether or not you can run a manual transmission with such a set-up, or if you're 'stuck' with an automatic?

I'll be keeping my stock manual steering and manual brakes...no air conditioning or anything like that, so there shouldn't be many problems as far as power accessories go!

I figure, if you're gonna run a V8, why not run a BIG one?!

(It can be like, ummm...Falfa's mom's car!!!!)

 

There are a dozen different ways to do this. When I put a 396 in my 56 Business Coupe in 71, I used the Hurst front saddle mount kit, Jardine headers, did the firewall massaging very carefully and finished off so it looked stock. I only had to dimple the #5 header tube for steering box clearence, and the drag link barely "touched" the oil pan in the full lock-to-lock positions of the steering. My conversion was to a 4 speed, and I used the stock 55-57 V-8 bellhousing and Muncie/Hurst combo. When I blew the stock rear end, I put a 5.38:1 positraction in and NEVER had another problem, but this was with street tires only. If I had to do it again, but I do not like big blocks, I would use the mounts pictured above that mount and look like stock mounts, a scattershield in place of the stock bellhousing, 4-speed, and the 74 on, 8.5" 10 bolt rear ends. Both Milodon and Moroso make C-notched pans to fully clear the crosslink. Hurst used to make a dropped cross link that cleared the oil paN. I like to keep things simple, it would'nt even have a radio, just like in 71. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I used Danchuck Side Mounts (#871A) with a Milodon Pan (#12768) and Doug's Headers (#D354) and a Super T-10 4 speed.

 

Perfect! Thanks for the info!!

 

So next time I see you I can call you Fast Hack?

 

I have.

Frank

 

Naw, I'll always be like the Marathon Man!!!

 

Damn near everybody!......

 

What about fenderwell headers. I bought mine new from Hooker and make clearance not even an issue. And they look just BITCHIN'.

 

I like the idea of chassis headers myself (don't want to cut or eliminate my inner wheel housings), and was leaning towards the Patriot ones, which are supposed to work well with the Total Cost Involved mounts...but hotroddon's suggestions are in the mix now, too. It'll likely come down to whether I want to go 4-speed or automatic. I like both options for different reasons, so now I'm pricing transmissions!

 

Hey Hack,

The old Hurst motor mounts are now sold by Speedway. As always I will be following you project. I didn't think you would last long with a 6 banger. Todd

 

Theres tons of support and ideas available if you visit chevytalk.com and/or trifive.com
Also you may consider the 55-57 section of this website
Goodluck
Ontario55

 

I thought about cutting the fenderwells too but after I did it there is so much room now I can't be happier. And these fenderwell headers just look BITCHIN' coated white. And you gotta have a 4spd with a tri five Chevy. And Cragars, c'mon, how could you not? They call for it.

 

Is there an issue with using a rear tranny mount and the forward Hurst style motor mount. It would seem to put extra stress at the engine/tranny mount location. with a side mount you get to balance the motor better reducing some stress.

have the front hurst and rear tranny is nice to give room but always worried about cracking the tranny case

 

I had enough clearance issues with R&P steering and the clutch linkage that I had no option but to build some headers. Used stainless that came from a dairy operation.

 

If I used the front mount I would want to support the bellhousing and the back of the trans. It seems that without that center mount the tranny would stress too much.

That's why I use the side mounts. Too many mounts.

 

I did mine in 1988. Used Danchuk side mounts...I cut about 1/2" of the "thru bolt" tube off of the back side of the mount and added it to the front side to move the motor forward for firewall clearance.
I used a '67 - '69 Camaro TH-400 trans mount (the one made of oval tubing) and 2 pieces of 3"x3" angle X4" long to mount to the frame.
Mounted the motor/trans (TH-400) as high as possible without hitting the floor and used a stock '68 up Chevelle pan (the one with the small sump right before the main one).
If you build it low, '55 -'57 chassis headers are a problem because they are built to run under the stock bellhousing mounts and interfere with the ground on a regular basis.
I cut out the bellhousing mounts and modified a set of '67 - '69 Camaro headers. Had to move 2 pipes back on the drivers side to clear the swing of the stock pitman arm. Passenger side basically installed itself!

 

I wouldn't use front or mid mounts, especially on a big block swap. The set-up from Total Cost involved uses bolt-in side mounts and a 'conventional' transmission crossmember that works with the rear trans mount. It allows use of an HEI distributor without firewall mods, and works with a TH350 or TH400 transmission.

I like the look of fenderwell headers on these cars, especially if used with flip-front ends, nose-high stances and radiused rear wheel wells! Not going quite that route with my car...more 'street machine' than 'gasser'.

Ha Ha...I almost bought Cragars for this car, but I really, REALLY wanted a set of American Racing "Daisy" mags for it and I'm happy that I held off till I found a set! Those are my favorite Tri-5 Chevy wheels!

Your car is quite impressive from that shot...REAL nice work!!!!

The Patriot headers are sort of a 3/4 length header that help with ground clearance issues on lowered (or even stock height) cars...hopefully they won't get whacked up driving on Michigan roads!!!

 

I used Danchuck mounts and Milodon pan.

 

So, I guess we'll be seeing another wiring installment then when you have to rewire the engine compartment?

 

Not really...I wired it with a V8 swap in mind, all I have to do really is shorten the ignition wire. The others will fit a V8 same as the six!