Here is my old 33 5W that I mocked a 49 303 in. The firewall was already cut so I couldn't tell you exactly what needed done to get it to fit...but it needed cut regardless. Cadillacs are smaller engines and may fit better...but I think a flathead and Chev are about the only engine you can show horn in without modifications
Dago88... holy sh... you have short legs or what? Back to what I said about the LaSalle being longer...if you did get pics of a Olds powered 33/34 using a Ford trans and closed drive, it would mislead you; on firewall clearance. the engine will be too far forward with the LaS in my opinion, unless you move the trans mount back if possible Olds will fit where Chevys won't in some cases, but you need to scratch for every 1/4" where ever you can, on the placement.
Exactly, F&J. LaSalle vs. '39 box with same rear tranny mount: LaSalle is 1.375" longer, water pump shaft tip to Ford tranny mount bolts' c/l. I did the ol' LaSalle tranny trick in my '32, thinking that the length would be the same. (I was 16, and knew everything...) SNAP! "WTF??!?" Surprise... It was suddenly 'torch time'...from slotting the beautiful Deuce K menber to shortening my driveshaft (and torque tube) for the second time! '40...to Deuce...to LaSalle. Grrrr... Loved it when done, though. The angry flatmotor couldn't dent that Cad box! (and the stick moved to the right, leaving plenty of room for size 11 Moon gas pedal!) Whooo!!!
I did not cut the firewall at all. I think I remember that the top of the cast on Olds bell housing rubbed against the toe board lip at the center of the stock cowl. As 36 Rokit said, it's key to not use the front engine mount that spans from one side to the other in the front. You need the mounts that are one piece for each side and have 2 bolts into the front of the block and one bolt into the large boss on the side of the block about an inch or so around on the front side of the block.
I found a picture of the type of engine mount I was trying to describe. It is currently on a 324 Olds I am putting in my '40 Ford coupe. The installation is exactly the same as in the '33 I had. You can blow the pic up enough to get a good look at the mount(maybe a more computer savy HAMBer can blow it up for us). You can also see the use of the aforementioned starter cross over. BTW, the 303 and 324 Olds are physically the same externally for all practical purposes.
Looks sort of like a Hurst mount, but it looks like a forward tab at top front with spare holes?? But it fits like the Hurst, if it isn't one. The Hurst was on ebay as repros, but when I looked 8-10 months ago, they were not there. Someone said the guy was going to make more.
Yeah I know they will fit in a 39 and 40 but I think a 34 is even tighter of a space. I know the Lasalle will require me to alter my trans mount which isn't a big deal. To me the better transmission is worth it and is a cool period mod. I guess I'm just going to have to mock it up and see how tight it is. If there is a miminal about of cutting that will be fine. I just didn't want to cut 3" in on the sheetmetal
Hey Chris from your picture it looks like it almost fits just need a relief for the dizzy which I don't mind. Off had do you remember if the heads or the top of the bell would've interfered? Did you have the fan and pulley installed in that pic?
Can you get a 4 cylinder radiator, or a replacement that is not a thicker core? You need to save every bit of room. I've done Olds and early Cad in 32, and I set the motor in while watching clearance on the rear of the passenger side head. Go as close as possible there. and if you run full hood, with stock iron exhaust manifolds, the driver front will be a little closer to the hood side, compared to passenger. This is another reason to get the motor back close to the firewall, to gain a tiny bit more clearance on the fronts of the manifolds. (a 33/34 might have more hoodside room there, than a 32)
I don't, and so much of the lower firewall was gone I could not judge very well how much clearance there would have been. I think I did have a fan on it, but I had no hood to tell me if my radiator was leaned back far enough to accommodate a hood. I was never going to run one on that car.
Ok thanks Chris and everybody else that chummed in. Looks like I'm just going to have to look for a set of those mounts and see what I can squeeze in. If anyone else has more pics or info feel free
Someone should have a set of those mounts to measure, before you try to buy some. Or an old catalog listing to know if they work with pre-37 chassis?
Any difference between the CT mount and the Hurst mounts? I know they're physically different, but from a mounting perspective, they look the same.
Slight correction on the description of the mount. I said (from memory) it had 2 bolts on the front of the block. My memory sucks nowadays! I went down to my shop to check today and there is only one bolt on the front of the block and one on the side. Here's another pic. I tried to take a flash pic to show the side bolt but the camera phone rebelled and "auto adjusted" the exposure. I will try to go downstairs and take a flash picture when the shop is dark tonight. Sorry it's upside down and I can't rotate it. Grrrrr!
... I still wonder if these 2 brands will line up with the 33/34 holes, and have the motor in the proper place. I'd hang the motor in there and use wood blocks while fine tuning the perfect location, then get some measurements to the biscuit holes.... to see if someone here can measure their mount specs
I am planning a 56 324 4bbl in a 33 5w coupe. Have a 50 Olds bell and late 40's Lasalle with torque tube conversion. Will have to use column shifter. I have a Caddy lower bell housing that moves the starter to the passenger side. Will this work? I have several different shifters and know I will have to get a 40 or later column drop.
Column drop: 40 is real short and later 40s is longer.. I have a later 40s drop with a 32 dash in my 32. The 40 drop was way too short for my setup. I can measure/take pics of each if you need. I've only heard a couple of posts over the years about the Cad lower starter half bell, and I don't recall what starter or flywheel tooth type, as 50-53 Olds had coarse teeth like Cad, but also went to fine teeth in 54. I am 99% sure that "all" of the bolts will not line up on the Cad lower bell part. These are the horizontal bolts that hold that part to the Olds bell. The two at the bottom should be correct, I think. Someone here should have the correct info on that swap. If you don't care about using modern starter, the mini starter should let you use the Olds lower housing. Those can be had with fine or coarse drive gear to match whatever flywheel you have now.
Here's the pics of the 324 olds in my '33 I removed the lower portion of the OG firewall and replaced it with a 35-36 ford pick up firewall.
I purchased an Olds engine with LaSalle floor shift trans converted to Ford closed driveline. Came out of a 39 pickup. Of course with closed driveline the rear wheels try to push the engine ahead, so sturdy front engine mounts are a must. The owner made simple 90 degree strap mounts. The L shaped mounts were made from 1/2" or thicker flat steel. The vertical legs mounts to the 5/8'' threaded holes on each side of every Olds block . The horiz legs are drilled to fit the stock Ford biscuit mounts. Simple but it worked. Greg
Here's a couple of pics of the Hurst style mounts. I took one looking down so you could see where the biscuit holes are in relation to the front of the block for what that's worth. I recently borrowed one and tried the Cad lower housing trick; there is some drilling needed. The dowel pins don't line up and two vertical holes need to have the threads drilled out to become through holes. The Olds starter won't work, I'm guessing that you need a Cad starter with the Olds gear that matches the flywheel. I passed on it.
Again...The 'simplest' engine swap turns into a nest of snakes. (irony) My bud Ted had a black '33 Tudor that an old man installed a '51 Merc mill in...Reminds me of this problem, as the old gent pushed everything back. The 'bent' spring was replaced with a '36 spring, which located the rear wheels 1.75" rearward in the fenders... UGH! Took me 2 weeks (machine shop wait for torque tube & shaft shortening) to straighten it all out... A 'recent' TV ad for Mopar was a rude reminder: "Cabin Forward design, rear wheels rearward...'This changes everything'!" Teddy's rear wheels kept coming back... LaSalle boxes do it to you, from the front...also. Yep. Driveshaft. Do it right.
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