Guest sjh Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I am looking to add a lot of horses to a 54 olds. I have heard that 455 have a problem fitting without changes and moving things; steering box etc. What is the latest engine to fit? 57? 58? And does the stick bell housing accommodate a chevy/pontiac/olds 4 or 5 speed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PONTIAC1953 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 i've never heard of the 59-64 olds 394's being referred to as tall deck, i do know you can bore and stroked the 324 up to a 414, i had one. the 57-60 olds 371's are good for 300+ horsepower with the olds J2 set up. you can find aluminum two fours intake manifolds for olds 303-324-371-394 on ebay motors. charles coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PONTIAC1953 Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 i drove a 55 olds 88 that had a olds 455 in it, steering wasn't moved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rsd9699 Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Since this engine was one of the premium engines for hot roding in its time - there are a great many high performance options readily available without doing a messy swap - three two barrel, dual 4 barrels and 8 packs are available. Any of these will help you get across the street pretty quick. Hot cams are available as well.GMC trucks used this engine and made use of 3 and 4 speed transmissions and heavy duty clutches. The hydromatic used in 56 and back were used in drag racers as they were only 60 pounds or so heavier than a standard - low gear is a great moving gear from dead start. Takes a lot of WIDE tire to keep wheels from spinning even in the stock 2 barrel version - I had a 55 88 and it would kick butt on any 348 chevy any day!Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rsd9699 Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 57 through 64 are taller than 56 and older - you can bolt the 57 head to a 56 - things do not line up except for the head bolts. You can use the a/c brackets from the newer engines on the older engine because the head bolt pattern is the same.Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Since this engine was one of the premium engines for hot roding in its time - there are a great many high performance options readily available without doing a messy swap - three two barrel, dual 4 barrels and 8 packs are available. Any of these will help you get across the street pretty quick. Hot cams are available as well.GMC trucks used this engine and made use of 3 and 4 speed transmissions and heavy duty clutches. The hydromatic used in 56 and back were used in drag racers as they were only 60 pounds or so heavier than a standard - low gear is a great moving gear from dead start. Takes a lot of WIDE tire to keep wheels from spinning even in the stock 2 barrel version - I had a 55 88 and it would kick butt on any 348 chevy any day!RonDang, and I thought I was probably the only guy left on the planet that remembers those Offy 8 carb log manifolds on a 324 ci or bored out 303 Olds engine. Eight Stromberg 97's and you were good to go! Got three oil refineries to the mile.Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rsd9699 Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 55 Olds 88 - first car I ever owned (16 years young). It was the most perfect car I ever owned until I got a 72 Olds 88. It NEVER failed to start in the 4 years I owned it (used - $125.00) and abused it. The only car I ever owned that would get scratch on the 2 to 3 shift at 40 mph with hydromatic. Could not keep tires on the rear!.The 59 and 62 Olds were never a match and did fail to start many times. Had some junky Pontiac's, Fords (engine problems) and then the next perfect 72 Olds 88 . I did have a 72 Buick that was a gem in all fairness. 76 98 was pretty good - the 83 and 84 307 with 245,000 and 255,000 miles were pretty darn good.When GM master minds dropped the Olds V8 - I dropped them. I have a 95 Buick with a LT1 engine - took Chevy 40 years to reach Olds quality then no more rear wheel drive so I have dropped Government Motors entirely! Who wants a cookie cutter car - Govmo is too busy filling up the corp jets to see what folks want but it is okay - Chinese will buy them in a couple of years like they have with the rest of America.I will drive my old school until I die. I am working on creating my 69 Olds luxury 1/2 ton truck - 455 2 barrel low compression - t400 - variable ratio PS - pwr front disks - power vent less windows and locks - power 60/40 bench seat - tilt and tele - rim blow - am-fm stereo with power antenna - cruise control - auto climate a/c and 4 doors.I have a couple of 49 olds 98 that are okay (I don't like the mechanical reverse) and a couple of 56 olds 88 that are okay (the hydros were buggy) and would like to find a 76 98 2 door or a Toro that is fire engine red with white interior.But for sure - the early Olds are super quality be it a grocery getter or screaming around a track!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of power per cubic inch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sjh Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Thanks for all the interesting nostalgic info. I will keep up with my progress. Please add anything that occurs to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rsd9699 Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 56 heads/pushrods/head gaskets are also a cheap bolt on power booster for a 54. Valves breath better on the 56. That will pick up an easy 20+ hp with stock carb. The 56 heads do tend to crack. Oversize dual exhaust is good for around 20 hp. For around 300 to 400 $ you can diy 40 hp in a couple of weekends. Not too bad of bang for the buck.Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 57 - 64 Olds V8 can be bored and stroked up to 480 cu in. In the fifties Olds was the only engine rugged enough for top fuel dragsters, other than Chrysler Hemi. When better tires became available the more powerful Hemi took over, but you should be able to get 400HP or more out of a streetable early Olds V8. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim_Edwards Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 57 - 64 Olds V8 can be bored and stroked up to 480 cu in. In the fifties Olds was the only engine rugged enough for top fuel dragsters, other than Chrysler Hemi. When better tires became available the more powerful Hemi took over, but you should be able to get 400HP or more out of a streetable early Olds V8.Probably get more than that if a Isky roller cam from the era can be found. Isky started making roller cams and lifters in either '54 or '56 (they actually own the patents for roller lifters) and offered either two or three grinds. What they designated as an R3 was what was commonly referred to as a 3/4 race street cam. Potent as can be. Only caution one needs to have about a roller cam is a potential lowering of manifold vacuum and a potential need to re-jet the carb. May also cause issues with old power brake boosters.Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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