I built a couple 409 into Tri 5's. The last one I did was a 57 Belair 2dr sedan. The whole job can be done using all stock Chevy parts. You need a 6 cyl. rad support an idler arm and pit man arm for stock power steering. C-60 truck front motor mounts, you have to drill and thread the block bosses for the front mounts, and a 283 bell housing and rear mounts. You have to drill out the top bell housing bolt and enlarge the dowel pin holes. The steering box needs to be moved to the left by sectioning the chassis 3/4 of an inch. You also should add a rear trans mount and cross member. You can add power steering with an after market steering box that directly replaces a manual box. When using the stock suspension, I recommend HD front coils. You have to use an electric fuel pump which I mount in the trunk behind the spare tire. It's a real easy swap, good looking and great performance. Doing the swap this way is the least expensive and easy.
You guys kill me ! I ran many tri five chevys with 396 and 427s with stock style motor mounts, never once did i ever have to cut the firewall , , never once! The stock mounts never broke ! Never ! I used blow proof bellhousings with the stock rear mounts also . Never had exhaust , steering or oil pan problems ! You guys kill me with your side mounts and lowered suspension !
Going to be coming back to this video. Currently have a 348 at the machine shop getting rebuilt and stroked to 427ci. It's going into my son's 56 Chevy. Already bought the Sanderson block hugger headers.
I put a 409 in my 55 Chevy, was scratchin my head why you cut out the firewall on the pass. side? I did have to dimple the firewall on the drivers side. Yes I modified the oil pan for clearance, yeah it was tight but didn't rub, was in the car for 28 years.
Funny, my first car was a 55 chev two-door post that came… I was told, w/ a 348cu. torquing truck engine, but had been bored out to a 409cu. In it's trunk I found two intake manifolds, one for a 4-barrel and the other for a three deuce carb setup. I paid $250 for it back in 68 w/ monthly payments of $40 at 8.25% interest. It took a while to pay it off making $ 2.50 an hour as a box boy at Piggly Wiggly, hahaha. I ran it out at the Puyallup, Wa. drags or 1/4mi. strip once used as an air strip runway. Back in it's day, it was part of the race car circuit and met greats as Don Garlett w/ his B.F.D. (Big Fueled Dragster), Big Daddy Roth and "Mad Magazine" w/ Alfred E. Newman. My best time was 13:83 recorded on the clock. Not much today, but then… I felt like the baddest cat in town, lol. That was w/ a Isky 3/4 racing cam, Baby Moons up front and Cheater Slicks mounted on deep dish chromes in the rear. With dual exhaust headers, I was about to install a blower, but good ol Uncle Sam's "draft for Nam" was taking guys out like flies, so I enlisted in the Navy before they could get me. Much better than sleeping on the ground. Sorry, I don't get out much. Now retired and bored to death! Have fun, I envy you and good luck!
Couldn't you use a power R&P system to avoid the steering box/manifold hassles?…I've seen R&P on a few Tri Five Chevys…I'm not sure just who makes the conversion kits, but that's the way to go here.
Looked through the comments section thinking everyone's going to bitch about no guard using the death wheel. LOL everyone of us has used a cut off disk with out a guard. Had to go out and see if I could of reversed the fire wall on the '57, like you did. No go. Engine set back was to extreme, installing '69 C body front clip on the '57. As you already know, some people notch out the oil pan, and the extreme end of things, weld a tube through the oil pan for the drag link. Great video showing people it doesn't just drop in. For a long time Dodge had front sump oil pan for trucks, and rear sump for cars.
Good video, I know you don't like new stuff and I'll probably get hate mail but I just want to throw this out. A few years ago I helped a friend with an old '56 Chevy drag car being converted back to a driver, he also put in a 409 4spd, since he wanted full length headers and the front rails were already modified (more like butchered) we installed a power rack and pinion steering unit which eliminates the clearance issues. I fabbed a decent crossmember for the rack and boxed the rails, it goes straight and easy to drive. I don't remember where he got the spindles from, they were two inches drop with the tie rods in front.
Great Video as always. Back in the early 70s I would put Big Block Mopars in Barracudas. A few modifications and on the Oil Pan we would install a 2in piece of exhaust tubing thru it for the Drag link. Not really to hard of a job, could be done with a Stick Welder also. I really Enjoy your Chanel.
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I built a couple 409 into Tri 5's. The last one I did was a 57 Belair 2dr sedan. The whole job can be done using all stock Chevy parts. You need a 6 cyl. rad support an idler arm and pit man arm for stock power steering. C-60 truck front motor mounts, you have to drill and thread the block bosses for the front mounts, and a 283 bell housing and rear mounts. You have to drill out the top bell housing bolt and enlarge the dowel pin holes. The steering box needs to be moved to the left by sectioning the chassis 3/4 of an inch. You also should add a rear trans mount and cross member. You can add power steering with an after market steering box that directly replaces a manual box. When using the stock suspension, I recommend HD front coils. You have to use an electric fuel pump which I mount in the trunk behind the spare tire. It's a real easy swap, good looking and great performance. Doing the swap this way is the least expensive and easy.
You guys kill me ! I ran many tri five chevys with 396 and 427s with stock style motor mounts, never once did i ever have to cut the firewall , , never once! The stock mounts never broke ! Never ! I used blow proof bellhousings with the stock rear mounts also . Never had exhaust , steering or oil pan problems ! You guys kill me with your side mounts and lowered suspension !
Going to be coming back to this video. Currently have a 348 at the machine shop getting rebuilt and stroked to 427ci. It's going into my son's 56 Chevy. Already bought the Sanderson block hugger headers.
I put a 409 in my 55 Chevy, was scratchin my head why you cut out the firewall on the pass. side? I did have to dimple the firewall on the drivers side. Yes I modified the oil pan for clearance, yeah it was tight but didn't rub, was in the car for 28 years.
Heck, I just realized this was in 2016, what's it look like today or how about an update?
Funny, my first car was a 55 chev two-door post that came… I was told, w/ a 348cu. torquing truck engine, but had been bored out to a 409cu. In it's trunk I found two intake manifolds, one for a 4-barrel and the other for a three deuce carb setup. I paid $250 for it back in 68 w/ monthly payments of $40 at 8.25% interest. It took a while to pay it off making $ 2.50 an hour as a box boy at Piggly Wiggly, hahaha. I ran it out at the Puyallup, Wa. drags or 1/4mi. strip once used as an air strip runway. Back in it's day, it was part of the race car circuit and met greats as Don Garlett w/ his B.F.D. (Big Fueled Dragster), Big Daddy Roth and "Mad Magazine" w/ Alfred E. Newman. My best time was 13:83 recorded on the clock. Not much today, but then… I felt like the baddest cat in town, lol. That was w/ a Isky 3/4 racing cam, Baby Moons up front and Cheater Slicks mounted on deep dish chromes in the rear. With dual exhaust headers, I was about to install a blower, but good ol Uncle Sam's "draft for Nam" was taking guys out like flies, so I enlisted in the Navy before they could get me. Much better than sleeping on the ground. Sorry, I don't get out much. Now retired and bored to death! Have fun, I envy you and good luck!
no face shield or gloves – safety first
All that money it would have had headers,to much bullshit to get the manifold off.
You this is a 1955 Pontiac I don't know what it is not a 1955 Pontiac
In my mind, if you have to cut up the exhaust manifold anyways… just go with headers.
Thanks for the tips. Stock manifold on the W-Block is the rite choice. Headers are not much help making power on that engine.
Nice to see someone that has better than half of a idea about building cars with class and style ehhh
Couldn't you use a power R&P system to avoid the steering box/manifold hassles?…I've seen R&P on a few Tri Five Chevys…I'm not sure just who makes the conversion kits, but that's the way to go here.
Looked through the comments section thinking everyone's going to bitch about no guard using the death wheel. LOL everyone of us has used a cut off disk with out a guard. Had to go out and see if I could of reversed the fire wall on the '57, like you did. No go. Engine set back was to extreme, installing '69 C body front clip on the '57. As you already know, some people notch out the oil pan, and the extreme end of things, weld a tube through the oil pan for the drag link. Great video showing people it doesn't just drop in. For a long time Dodge had front sump oil pan for trucks, and rear sump for cars.
Good video, I know you don't like new stuff and I'll probably get hate mail but I just want to throw this out. A few years ago I helped a friend with an old '56 Chevy drag car being converted back to a driver, he also put in a 409 4spd, since he wanted full length headers and the front rails were already modified (more like butchered) we installed a power rack and pinion steering unit which eliminates the clearance issues. I fabbed a decent crossmember for the rack and boxed the rails, it goes straight and easy to drive. I don't remember where he got the spindles from, they were two inches drop with the tie rods in front.
some torque chains on order?
1955 canadian pontiac 348 4 speed east van in the eighties no prob
Nice job Rick great info.
Hi Rick, thanks for that interesting Video. It's really good to get an small how too install a bigger Engine.
is that 1/4 inch thinner or thicker from the out side in ? will it restrict the flow of the gasses slightly …
just asking thats good to know thanks
Great Video as always. Back in the early 70s I would put Big Block Mopars in Barracudas. A few modifications and on the Oil Pan we would install a 2in piece of exhaust tubing thru it for the Drag link. Not really to hard of a job, could be done with a Stick Welder also. I really Enjoy your Chanel.