As many of you may well know (having seen the pics and/or vids) I got the 454 running several weeks ago. It is intended for my 71 Camaro restoration. I pulled the plug on the budget by buying an 01 Camaro.

Now my pick up is semi-retired. Just a dump-run twice a month, ten miles round trip.

Should I put the 454 into the 78 GMC 4x4 for the year it will take to get the Camaro body ready for final assy????.

The GMC has a 350 motor, built by me ten years ago. It has been trouble free all this time. droped a lifter once. Thats it..Done some good 4 wheeling in it too...

I could do the swap in a weekend and the only real expence would be the new exhaust. a hudred bucks or so.

I am torn. I dont like it just sitting (the new 454) but the truck is just fine like it is... OK, It could be fun having the BB in my 4x4... add a lift kit... replace the 33's with 40". could snowball....

Any input??

Thanks Mark

I dont like motors sitting around for any length of time. Seems when anything "sits" it is not good for it. Motors,cars shiet even people.

I would put it in the truck, get the bugs worked out and maintain it until it can be plucked and dropped into the camaro.

You gotta really enjoy doing engine swaps to bother, imo.

ditto with dan. enjoy it in the truck. get the kinks out and see if it swamps well!!! could be fun if you leave the truck alone at just swapping engines. at least you can say it's a running bbc and not on jackstands like me!!! that way you can start it for your dump run. gotta truck like that here. a couple of times a month i get my 70 chevy to the landfill or arround town a bit. keeps the battery charged and the carb from drying out. change the oil when it looks like it's getting dirty. at least it's not sitting.

I am leaning that way... I put too much coin in that thing to just let it sit.

I wanna hear it.... no FEEL it run occasionaly.

You gotta really enjoy doing engine swaps to bother, imo.


Its a day to take the 350 out at a liesurely pace a weekend to put the BB in. a year worth of killer dump runs... OK I have talked myself into it.. I just needed someone to hear me.

Yeah, I enjoy wrenching...

Keeps me outta trouble;)

I did basically the same thing in reverse. The 350 in my Camaro was built for my Blazer, when it was all done I wanted to break it in, it was easier to drop it into the Camaro rather then the Balzer, so that's what we did. After hearing it with open headers and driving it around the yard a bit I have no plans on pulling it back out. :D

I was considering buying a 80's malibu to dump my motor in last year just to give it some excercise but I decided I would be better off letting set as I would probably loose motivation if I had something else to play with.

I briefly considered putting it back in the donor suburban it came out of...

Dammit!!! I realy got the cart ahead of the horse on this project. I have to resist the temptation to bolt the body to the frame and make the car go.. I want to follow through with the full on resto, not just half way.

The only way I would leave the BB in the pick-up is if I built another one for the Camaro. It WILL be a BB car!!!

I'd be thinking strongly about how I could scrape up enough $$$ to at least get the 71 driveable. Both options you are debating have a down side.

I'd be thinking strongly about how I could scrape up enough $$$ to at least get the 71 driveable. Both options you are debating have a down side.


I could make it drivable in just a few weeks but if I did I would have to take short cuts on detail. I have grand ideas for this car. It will likely be going on a rotiserie so I can detail the underside in just a few weeks. It is stripped to a bare shell and almost to bare metal. I mocked up the rear end just so I can move it around.
I put the engine in the frame just to make it run. It does:D
Now I have a need to have it move me...

I appreciate the input though..

I could make it drivable in just a few weeks but if I did I would have to take short cuts on detail. I have grand ideas for this car. It will likely be going on a rotiserie so I can detail the underside in just a few weeks. It is stripped to a bare shell and almost to bare metal. I mocked up the rear end just so I can move it around.
I put the engine in the frame just to make it run. It does:D
Now I have a need to have it move me...

I appreciate the input though..

Why can't you sell the engine and build another one when you need it? If you can get a fair price for it that is. Problem solved. :cool:

another vote for putting it in the truck. You will enjoy it alot more!

Why can't you sell the engine and build another one when you need it? If you can get a fair price for it that is. Problem solved. :cool:
That would be a big loss. No friggin way would I get out of the motor what I got into it.Thanks for the input though.

another vote for putting it in the truck. You will enjoy it alot more!


I am leaning that way James,
Better than just letting it sit. Of course the 350 thats in it will end up sitting but thats ok too. I have gotten many miles from her.

I briefly considered putting it back in the donor suburban it came out of...



Wouldn't that be the easiest route to get it into something you could run around and keep the engine cranking?

That way you wouldn't spend time pulling the engine out of the pickup or the expense of the exhaust. And the Suburban is already set up for it....just drop it back in and go.

Running pickup and running Suburban - sounds like a plan to me! :)

Sounds like the voice of reason April.
Thanks, I will give it more consideration.

simple ......... just sell the 01 camaro and take the funds to finish your 71 camaro , just use the 78 GMC 4x4 as the daily driver

problem solved !!!!!!!!!:) :)

Like anything,,,, if you let it sit around for a year it get's fat and lazy. I don't see that as a luxury you can afford when it comes to these pigblocks <grin>

As tempting as it may seem, I say bag it and save it for it's final destination. That's unless you don't mind freshening up the pretty work before it goes into the car. Drive time does take it's toll and you know it.

And you know you are gonna drive it more than just 20 miles a month.. ;)
But I would also drop it in and enjoy it..

Muscle,

That is just not an option. My commute is 40 miles each way to work. The 01 gets 25 mpg the p-up gets 12 ok maybee 15. And there is something to be said for comfort.

Marv,

You crack me up... No I dont mind cleaning it up when the time comes.
Besides, the burb has waaaayy to much rubber left on her tires;)

I am thinking thats the way to go. The burb will be an easy install having lived in there its whole life....

I need to git off my arse and clean up the shop and get busy.

I got an idea that you havent mentioned, nor has anyone else.

You could always let me put it in my Camaro and I could keep her nice and fresh for you.

I promise no more than 1,000 miles a month on her and I will keep the oil looking like new!!

Deal??

Ok Dan, ya got a deal, only one thing.. 10 miles a month, any more is a dollar a mile.

Ok Dan, ya got a deal, only one thing.. 10 miles a month, any more is a dollar a mile.

mark,, can he do those miles 1/4 or 1/8 mile at a time!! he he!!

Ok Rat, time for some serious backpeddaling LOL,....

I think the engine will go in the burb. for now.

I'v been putting together a plan in my head...

Leave the 4X4 alone. It works well and good for dump runs.
I could picture myself stabbing the go pedal with a load of trash in the back....Then spending the rest of the weekend picking up garbage along the side of the road.

The burb would make a good safe storage for the motor. And I would only put a few miles a month on it so it wont rust in the cylinders.

My workshop is only 20' X 24' and I need the space while getting the body striped preped and painted. I realy dont want the engine in that atmosphere even if bagged.

I dont mind rolling the subframe outside and covering it with a tarp leaving the whole worshop for the body and sheet metal work.
Heres my shop:
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t116/triangle5/DSCN5845.jpg

I realy apreciate the input it helped me work out a plan..

I even considered (allthough briefly) putting the 454 in the 01;)

"My workshop is only 20' X 24' and I need the space while getting the body striped preped and painted. I realy dont want the engine in that atmosphere even if bagged."


ohhhhhhh you poor baby.

You see this? This is my workshop.

It is called outside and a 10X12 shed to build my big block in.

quit whining! LOL

(just givin you a hard time man)



http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/2395/danscamaro005pv5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

"My workshop is only 20' X 24' and I need the space while getting the body striped preped and painted. I realy dont want the engine in that atmosphere even if bagged."


ohhhhhhh you poor baby.

You see this? This is my workshop.

It is called outside and a 10X12 shed to build my big block in.

quit whining! LOL

(just givin you a hard time man)



http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/2395/danscamaro005pv5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Ya wanna put my motor in that dan??

I'll let ya have it for six months. terms to be determined...
get it rolling and get it up here? we can talk.. Ill trade for labor!!!

sill it up good it will be fine don't put any oil in it if u hadn't already i let a 327 sit almost a year it was fine

If you put it back in the suburban Ill shoot you myself:crazy:

here is another option, get a engine test stand and you can fire it up anytime. good way to break in the engine too.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/allenpwan/HPIM0188-1.jpg

Leo,
does that mean you wont help me with the install?

73rz, I havent yet found an engine test stand that does burnouts;)

Leo,
does that mean you wont help me with the install?

73rz, I havent yet found an engine test stand that does burnouts;)


Yea but it will probably cost you twice as much beer

Yea but it will probably cost you twice as much beer


I'll buy two cases!!
Gonna go clean up the shop a lil today.

I also have a bottle of Glenfiddich single malt that needs to be molested..
($43/bottle scotch)

Honestly I'd move that table on the right put that motor in the corner.Its to nice to ding up in the suburb and we mangled the wires and lines and stuff pulling that motor out.And putting in the blue truck will be just the same.either way its goin to cost money to get that motor running right in what ever vehicle. not to mention time and effort.I would put a car port on the side of the shop and do the body work there.



Im goin up that way next month with a friend to yosemite I plan on showing her the sights on that road of yours

Honestly I'd move that table on the right put that motor in the corner.Its to nice to ding up in the suburb and we mangled the wires and lines and stuff pulling that motor out.And putting in the blue truck will be just the same.either way its goin to cost money to get that motor running right in what ever vehicle. not to mention time and effort.I would put a car port on the side of the shop and do the body work there.

I dont know what I am doing... just making more work for myself I guess:screwup:
What I need to do is spend the weekend getting the shop cleaned up.
You are right leo, I need to spend a grand and get the concrete placed for the carport...


Im goin up that way next month with a friend to yosemite I plan on showing her the sights on that road of yours

You better stop by to visit...

Ok this is all fun, but let me ask the question I shouldda ask in the first place..

Is it realy detrimental to let the engine just sit?? I have fired it up but have not yet run in the cam. The carb was just rebuilt so there is no gas in it as of yet. should I run in the cam? or just leave it? If I run in the cam I will worry about the gas going bad and gumming up my fresh carb.

Should I pull the plugs and squirt some oil down there and turn it over a couple times in an effort to lube the cylinder walls?

The thought of it just sitting makes me sick to my stomach but I dont want to half ass putting the car together.. It will take a year to get the body ready to receive the engine.. cart...horse...:screwup:

http://img1.putfile.com/thumb/9/25304524394.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=3367539)
i'm doing the test stand mentioned above. 30-40$ in metal can make a basic one. frees up the engine build stand and allows the engine to be cranked here and there. i'd do the carport also....then you can close it in later.