A friend of mine has a freshly rebuilt 355 sitting in his garage that his willing to give me and I have a few questions about the swap into my 88.

Stupid question #1 It has a drivers side dipstick, are there any ways to make this work in a c4?

Stupid question #2 It has nice iron heads but they are straight plug... Is there anyway to get around this? Purchasing nice angle plug heads is probably what I will do anyway, but I was just curious before I were to take them off.

It's not a roller cam motor but I plan on building my block up in time so I am not concerned about flat tappet in the short run.

 

Earlier small blocks use a driver's side dipstick. I'm not sure what year they switched to the passenger side. Just need to use the oil pan that matches the block. I have straight plug heads and headers and have no problem.

 

What he said. The engine in my 85 first saw use in a 79 pick up (4 bolt mains). You do have to be careful to insure the dip stick doesn't hit the brake lines.

 

you can also buy an adaptor that bolts to the block on the passenger side and use your current oil pan. a little drilling and tapping is required. did this when i put a 406 in my 90.

 

If his is a roller cam block it is 1 pce seal crank so that oil pan will not interchange with a earlier 2 pce seal pan

 

Thanks guys, great info

 

I have a 72 block in my car, I bought a new oil pan and was unable to use the windage tray and baffling that was on my 85 block and pan. You may check into that adapter they are talking about. The aftermarket dipstick fit perfectly that I bought at autozone. As far as the stock windage tray, you may be able to make it work with some fabrication or with a different pan than the one I bought. It was just a cheapie chrome one.

 

I have the dip stick adapter for $30 shipped. I will take a pic of one installed on a block, and send with the adapter.
Otherwise, just remember, the corvette pan is a shallow pan with an extended sump for low car clearance. if you use a standard pan, you might have to change it often if you have a steep driveway.
You will not be able to tell yours is a left hand dipstick uness you are looking for it since it is not obtrusive if you use the pan that comes with the engine. (ie, don't use a chrome dip stick)
The one piece rear main is leak free for over 100,000 miles, but the 2 piece would be good for 100,000 miles if you keep your oil clean and change the filter in between oil changes. Pay particular attention to the starter pad on the block. some are not drilled for the large and small flywheel starters. most are drilled for just the small, but some only have the large starter boss if it came off a truck. Some have both. you need the small starter pattern which has the bolt holes lined up, not staggered. But, if you have a staggered pattern, and u are using a stick, I have a large diameter flywheel that would work with a big flywheel starter, you just need a 11 inch clutch. Or, if you use an auto, you need the large 64 tooth ring gear, and a bigger torque converter, or get a 2 piece seal ring gear to fit your torque converter. (I have one for $30 + shipping)
Your old starter would work with that.
If it is a 70's block, be sure to check the back of the block for pinholes and porosity if it is a truck 4 bolt main block. some had mysterious oil leaks from behind the flywheel.
your exhaust manifolds will work with straight spark plugs. all 85 and 86 early had the same manifolds and straight plugs.
other than that, you could enjoy your new engine.
With a flat tappet cam, be sure to use an oil certified for diesel engines with your weight oil. The diesel engine oil still has enough zinc in the formulation to keep the cam from going flat.
PM me if you have any questions. You are going backwards in parts technology, as I went forward in technology, and fought the battles you are facing only in reverse.

 

have had left side dipsticks on all engines used in my 86 (exc the oem engine)...cut the dipstick tube a couple inches shorter than original using a tubing cutter ,cut and re-mark the a j-y dipstick at first oil fill with a center punch when 'one low' and full...check the rubber seal on any j-y dipstick before you buy it.



we had a third gen f-body with oem cast iron exh manifolds, cannot use a left side dip as the manifold dumps in same location, we cut a dipstick outlet fitting from the right side of a bbc pan and RTV/bolted the fitting to the f-bod sbc pan right side (align with main cap of the sbc)

 

The windage trays mount all the same ; only difference is the hole for the dipstick to pass through which can easily be redrilled on the opposite side to save a $.

The 168 and 153 tooth flexplates usually come with both convertor bolt patterns so you don't need a convertor change.

If the block is only drilled for the larger 168 tooth flexplate and offset starter ;is no biggy to drill and tap the 3rd hole so you can retain the stock 153 tooth flexplate and starter

 

If I remember correctly, the windage tray interfered with the baffling on my new pan, it was totally different than the baffling on the 85 pan. I probably could have made something work, but just decided to leave the tray off. I have had no ground clearance issues.