360scamp

...disregard. The 55 was a pile. It has been punched in the back end, "fixed" and repainted. There wasn't a strait panel on it including the roof. The quarters were doing the tri-five dance (tri-five chevy quarters are supposed to be strait and not bulged out. So many of them have been hit in the rear that some resto companies don't realize this and sell new quarters that have the "factory bulge" in them). This 55 olds was whacked pretty good at one point in its life, the whole back of the car is pushed down just slightly and there was a 3/4" gap at the rear of the driver side door but the doors just clicked shut with no problem. It is a good parts car and that is it!

http://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/pts/2880937447.html

I may have a line on 2 56 parts cars about 2 hrs away!

360scamp

Not bad for only half the floors welded in, no front seat, sitting on a folded up blanket, only the ignition wired and parts flopping around when I hit the brakes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7V1c6WGCks

Olds Dad

Love that video - first rides are the best - got caught driving my '71 convertible around with no nose, doors roof, decklid - body on frame with radiator support propped up with 2x4's. Went around the block sitting on a milk crate, cop saw me & did a 180 - I screamed into my garage and was closing the door as he pulled into my drive - "Don't think because you put it in there I can't have it towed out" - in the end, given that the car was technically registered & insured, and he was pretty interested in all I was doing (a little politeness and a garage tour goes a long way), he gave me the "next time I see that it better be a car" line, and all was good.

360scamp

Picking up a good running 62 394 and tranny for the 56 tomorrow!
The 324 keeps dumping coolant into the crank case and I'm pretty sure it is through the block!

Thanks to this webpage I found it should be a quick swap!

http://webpages.charter.net/dhomstad...me1Source1.htm

360scamp

We went and picked up the 394 yesterday!

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pulled off the intake and found this....No carbon build up at all, wiped it with my finger and it didn't even get my finger dirty!

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Then pulled the valley pan, looks can be deceiving because there was at least a 1/2" of grease and dirt on the outside of the engine in places.

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Olds Dad

Nice find - although the rear springs in your Dodge might have a different opinion!

360scamp

Ha, yeah its been lowered a bit.

okie88

What was the 394 in before you got it ? it looks like someone had already gotten rid of the slim jim.

OLD SKL 69

Just came across your thread on the Olds you're working on and I have to say I like the truck too. Looks like a really nice and fun dd.

Tedd Thompson

Looks like a Jetaway on the back of it are you sure it's a 394, could it be a 371 out of a 62 or earlier? After 40+ years anything could have been swaped though....Tedd

360scamp

Told that it came out of a 62 Starfire. It's replacing a 324 and a the slipping 4 speed in my 56 with the help of this page.... http://webpages.charter.net/dhomstad...me1Source1.htm

The tranny being swapped just mskes it that much easier for me.

59-59-59

If it came from a '62, I find it strange why he used a pre '59 power steering pump on it. And the water outlet on the rear passenger side is wrong for '62 - it should have a vacuum operated valve there. Not just an outlet like in the picture. Think only pre '57 had just a water outlet like that

360scamp

Soon as I get home I will start running numbers and find out for sure. Either way it is going in my 56.

360scamp

Just checked and all the numbers from the block to the exhaust manifolds are 1962 394. The guy I got it from was also going to put it in a 56 olds so that might explain why the power steering pump, transmission and temp sender have been swapped out. Check out that link I posted, it explains it all there.

okie88

Sounds like the prior owner saved you lots of work. That's a nice bonus! Keep us posted on how the swap is going.

360scamp

Started the cleaning process.

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360scamp

Some more clean up pics...

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