Dr L-88

Interesting. Do you recall which intake you used?

Thanks,
Rex

WWhunter

I recently picked up a '66 427 Vette motor attached to a 5-speed in a 26 Ford Coupe frame. I was thinking I might try and put it into y '59. After a lot of thinking....I realized I don't have the time. Probably end up reselling the lot

Vette5311

Carb pad height as measured in the first drawing is 2 3/8 front and 3 3/4 rear. I don't know what the carb pad numbers for the L72 intake are but I am sure they are much more than this. I believe this is the lowest BBC intake ever made by anyone. It was widely used on the 1970 Chevelle LS6. I believe it was designed for the C3 but have no way to prove that except it is lower than need be in the Chevelle. This one when viewed in side profile, you can see how low it really is. 4 of the intake runners actually go downhill from the port to the plenum. I gotta believe this is detrimental to intake flow. I find it really hard to believe this would not work on a C1 without cutting the hood but of course that is just speculation. The only way to know is to try it and by then you would be so far down the road it would be hard to turn back and as I said, I really do not want a hole in the hood.

Dr L-88

I just measured my L88 intake (#3886093) and it measures 5 5/8 rear and 4 1/8 front, so that is nearly 2 inches taller than your LS6 intake. I am inclined to think that just may be enough to avoid cutting the hood. Of course a dropped base air cleaner would be required and there is the possibility that an air cleaner could not be used.

Thanks,
Rex

Vette5311

Or a drop base air cleaner with a 2 inch element instead of the standard 3 inch may do the trick also.

DZAUTO

I WILL NOT argue for 2sec about the awesome power/torque that a big cube BB will produce. There is no question about it.
I just really like the simplicity and ease of working on a small block. And to that end, it is difficult to ignore a big cube, roller cam, good breathing SB400. Just a .030-.040 bore and a .100 stroke and suddenly you have 420 cubes, and can easily go on up to 427 cubes. With a .500+ roller cam and good flowing alum heads-------------------all on a factory GM cast block and the results are staggering for a small block------------------------------AND EVERYTHING FITS WITHOUT MODIFICATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!! EVEN HEADERS!!!!
For the 56, I chose to kind of stay docile. It has a .030 bore (406), .510in lift hyd cam, 2 1/2in ex manifolds and full ex system with a single air meter Bill Thomas hogged out FI unit. My drag racing days are over, so it make for a great stop light, city cruiser, Interstate car with no issues (well, it's a little warm in the Okla summers).

Vette5311

Nicely done. Love the Air Box look and the old time tach.

Geralds57

I saw this one at the Tri Five Nationals this year. Sorry I didn't get better pictures of the frame. One bad *** car.

DZAUTO

The column tach was part of the Airbox pkg, RPO579D. The regular tach (center of dash under the radio) was omitted and the hole covered with a front/rear emblem. I kept mine when I added the column tach, which is a plain (NO red line) 8000rpm tach made by AC.

Vette5311

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1956-1957-C...E/263493679868
................................and that is why I don't want a hole cut in my hood!

Dan Hampton

No Rex, I don't. The engine was installed prior to my purchasing it. It has been over 27 yrs since I owned it. I wish I could provide more info but I don't have much in the way of records on this car.

Vette5311

Let me just throw this out there and see what you all think Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the distance from motor mount bosses on the block and the bellhousing edge where the trans meets the block, are the the same for big block and small block. In other words all the difference in length occurs in the front of the engine ahead of the mounts. Assuming this is correct, I am contemplating putting side mounts on my C1 so it could mount either a big block or a small block. This would allow me to try a big block, bare block with heads and intake to check hood clearance without going to something that is irreversible. Since I don't really like the stock mount sandwiched between the block and the water pump anyway this would allow me to go with the sbc if the hood clearance is a problem. What say ye?

427Hotrod

Yep. BBC and SBC bolt to same mounts. Factory ones in Camaro's lowered the engine slightly and scooted it right....but you could still bolt a big block right where a small block goes on any of them...Vette's included.

JIM

Dr L-88

Side mounts will reduce the "available" space for headers. Just another part of the equation.

Vette5311

I thought about that but since I have a Jim Meyer Racing crossmember with rack and pinion steering I don't think I have to worry about that. I think Hedman 68090 will fit. I have to call Jim Meyer this week and ask about their steering ujoint kit (3 u joint with bearing) if it will clear. I think it goes forward and then down through the area vacated by the steering box ahead of number 1 header tube. and the carrier bearing mounts on a plate bolted to where the 3 bolts that hold the steering box goes. If not, I will have to go back to the front mount plan. Still trying to sort this all out before jumping in.

Vette5311

This is the front end I used. Front steer. The steering u joint goes to frame mount point of old steering box. If you can picture that. 3 u joints with a heim bearing mounted to frame.

Vette5311

jrm5657

My Arctic Blue 57 that Dan Hampton has now, had a 283 with 66-67 350Hp intake with Holley carb and drop base air cleaner. Fit fine under stock hood. I thought Rex started this post about BBC,and now we are talking SBC?

Vette5311

jrm5657

Yes, it was a stock 283-270HP with single holley. Not sure how much clearance there was between air cleaner lid and hood. Dan should be able to give you an idea.