sandrews

Hey guys, I was wondering what all is involved with putting a 350 crate motor in a C1. Will the existing motor mounts work? Will the old 4 speed tranny bolt up? I am not familiar with the old generators, how much trouble is it to change to an alternator? What else needs to be changed? I want to have a great running, reliable driver am I not concerned with keeping the car all original.

Thanks
Seth

gary6696

You can have a "great running, reliable driver" with a 283 or 327 for a helluva lot cheaper than a crate motor.

If you don't like that idea, why don't you sell it to me and buy a C4 or C5 with the money?

62fuelie

A 350 crate motor will bolt right in. Some of the crate motors with Vortec heads limit the type of intake manifolds you can use, and in some cases the availale manifolds can cause hood clearance issues. The main drawback to a 350 is the lack of a rear breather connection. It makes it difficult to use the aluminum "Corvette" valve covers which a lot of folks like to use to give the engine an original appearance.

As previously mentioned, you can build a real nice, reliable, powerful 327 that will also bolt right in and have a "period" look. There are LOTS of options. :auto:

A generator isn't difficult to mount or maintain on any of the smallblock family. If you must have an alternator, get one of the ones with the built in regulator. I took just such a setup off my 62 that a previous owner had installed. If your C1 is not a 62 or a fuelie, you need the generator to run the tach. :steering:

kellsdad

Some 350 crate engines will bolt right in and some are quite different. Any time you start changing out components such as the generator, it is possible to encounter other problems such as the wiring harness and the mounting brackets. The bottom line is that with some good advance research, it is not too hard to put a crate 350 engine and alternator in a C1. ... BUT, if your goal is to have a "great running, reliable driver" you'll need to consider a lot more than an engine swap. A 40+ year old car, even with a new engine is still an old car. ... In my opinion, a C1 with a competently built 283 or 327 would run as well and be as reliable as one with a crate engine.

tommyn

An 1985 and older style crate motor will bolt right up using many if not all of your existing parts. If you go to a new style center bolt valve cover cylinder head you will need a new intake manifold and exhaust manifolds. This may be a problem for hood clearance. Some of the newer intake manifolds sit the carb up to high to install a air breather. GM offers several of the old style engines in different power ratings. Bolt a engine in that thing an drive it!!!!!

mel e foye

Highlights have been hit already. Your motor mount is the plate that goes between the water pump and the block. You need to add a spacer that goes on the crank that locates the crank pulley forward the same thickness as that plate. Think of a big old washer. Think dealers still carry.
Mel--running a small block 400 in a 62 since 1973.

Cruzmeisters

I put a '76 350 from a wrecked "civilian" lo-mileage Chevy in my '62 in 1978 with no problems.
I replaced it with a ZZ4 in 2000 that I bought - brand new, in the crate - from a private owner who needed $$. They were going for $3395 at the time, I got it for $2500. The 330 horse crate DOESN'T come with an intake manifold; last time I looked, there were 2 available to fit, one @ $209, one @ $229. The ZZ4 DOES come with an intake. The (1962) "Feulie" exhaust manifold bolted right up, though they sell set-ups with a "D" inside "hole" (?) to match the engine. ZZ4 comes with a long-shaft water pump, so I hadda get a "short shaft". I had to buy a flywheel, as the one on the 350 wouldn't match up. ZZ4 comes with an HEI distributor, but I had to get a tach-drive distributor to make the tach go "roundy-round". IF you're gonna use ANY kind of original distributor, ya HAFTA put a "melonized" gear or the original bottom gear WILL get chewed up. A melonized gear is only about $29.95. Lotta info about "crates" & accessories from: http://www.paceparts.com That's all I can remember. Am VERY HAPPY I did it.
For you "purists": when I bought it in 1967, it no longer had the "feulie" block OR the FI unit; it had a 283 (1962 was FIRST year for 327).
One of the previous owners musta "blowed it up"...this was well before "matching #'s" or the NCRS was invented!
Criticize me all ya want, but I'm the one who paid the $1600 for it, and - the last time I looked - MY name was on the title. I DON'T wanta sell it and buy a C4, C5, C6, C7 to INFINITY :nono: :nono: :nono: :nono: :nono:
:steering: Cruz"

gary6696

You are absolutely right. It's your car and you can do whatever the hell you want with it. That's what I tell people who don't like by '67 BB hood and rally wheels on my '66.

But if somebody is going to tear up a C1, they ought to know
a) it ain't just a matter of a couple bolts,
b) an original C1 is getting rarer and rarer and more expensive by the day,
c) even with a ZZ4 it ain't gonna ride, handle and brake like a C4 or later.

ghostrider20

Just curious, what are the reasons for going with a more modern engine over one that is 30 years old? Say both had zero miles on them.

Most guys are looking for 350-400 HP and reliability and they both offer that.

Other then just wanting something different or a custom, what are the motivations?

Not criticizing, just interested in all the aspects here.

My buddy has a 58 and we are in the process of returning it to a period correct configuration. We are not NCRS gurus by any means and even entertained the idea of a crate motor or something FI.

After running simulations on DD with a 283 block and various cams, and configurations I really penciled out no obvious benefits to a crate motor. On the reliability issue, I think they level each other out.


Mark

Cruzmeisters

ghostrider20: IF mine STILL had the original block, I woulda had it rebuilt. I bought the correct fuel injection unit 9 years ago, because I didn't know which way I was gonna go: "stock" or "crate" (paid MORE than 2X what I had originally paid for the Vette! :rolleyes: ). Some buds wanted me to "go original" and find a correct engine...one that's "build date" falls into the criteria to make it "#'s matching", but I KNEW I wouldn't allow myself to tell anyone who asked that it was "original"; I'd feel it's a lie (just like "re-stamping" a block). AND... I'm NOT mechanically inclined!
Just this one person's reason... :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:
Cruz

mel e foye

Crate vs original, first thing is on a crate there is zero miles on everything rather than a rebuild where rods, crank may already have 100,000 miles on them.
Most crates come with a 3 yr.? 50,000 mile warrenty? Hard to get that on a rebuild.
To get to 350hp a 265 or a 283 will likely be a peaky motor and less street friendly than a 350ci.

sandrews

Thanks for the responses!!
This car is going to be for a friend, and I am checking out the different engine options that are available. He wants one that doesn't have an engine, or one that is not original, so he doesn't have to feel guilty about ruining an original C1, even though it will be his car and he can do whatever he wants with it. I like the idea of a new crate motor because it is new. I haven't ruled out using a different sized block, but I still want to have 300+ horsepower. I also realize that having a new motor will not make it drive and handle great, but that is another topic for a later.

What about trannys? Will an rebuilt 4 speed be able to handle a 300 hp engine? Also what about rear end?

Thanks for all of the help!!

Seth


[Modified by sandrews, 2:19 AM 3/8/2004]

Pierre

What about the bellhousing? The old C1 Cast Iron bellhousing had a bracket bolted to them to hold one end of the clutch shaft. Newer aluminum bellhousing, like you find on most 350, don't have provisions for that bracket.
Not sure how you would hook up clutch mechanism with these aluminum bellhousing.
May be someone else that has been through this could clarify

Pierre

62fuelie

The bellhousing should bolt up. At least to the pre 85? style blocks. Probably to the later ones as well, but I have no personal knowledge of them. :auto:

66BBCoupe

In 1970, I dropped a brand new factorty long block LT1 from Baldwin (Motion) Chevrolet in my 1961. Just changed the water pump to stock and put on headers. Everything bolted up perfectly - motor mount bracket, bell housing etc.. Needless to say - that 61 was an unbelievable performer :smash: