Thread: Looking for a BB - what is best?

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Car: 79 lincoln continental, 4900 pounds.
Currently: stock 400 2bbl and C6.
Want: mo power.

Here is the deal...i am not out to build a drag car, but the factory 400 has limited build potential and no HP (160!!).

I want to replace it and the trans, with a readily available (read cheap) boneyard sourced big block and trans, any brand, any year. Emmissions is not an issue. This car is huge, so anything will fit.

I can do a cam, perhaps intake and carb, and will likely upgrade the ignition. Torque is my objective. Budget is my limitation.

I like the Pontiac 455. a friend had one is a 70 bonneville, 10.5:1, 4bbl - beastly thing. I think these were plentiful in their day, and not in demand as a chevy 396 ot 454 might be, so easier to find and cheaper.
I had a Charger with a warmed over 400, a friend had a 440 Police interceptor in a big ass fury. Seemed to go good, the 400 was pretty good...the 440 broke the cam, died a horrible death. Not sure how plentiful 440's will be, or the performance hit using a 400.

I have no experience with buick 455 or big olds engines. I have nothing against a 460 or even a 390, but the 390s will be rare and most 460's will be smog motors, so a rebuild with pistons and all may be a budget killer.

Anyone have any specs or thoughts on this?

I know I will have to adapt the power steering pump (lincoln has juice brakes - GM did hat on the 80's diesel cars and trucks so one of those pumps might work on GM engine)
alternator can be GM/Mopar or adapted. I have hte GM style AC compressor now.

a 460 with a c-6 would be easy, but as usual Tech has the idea that makes way big torque and excellent driveability. Wish you would quit mentioning them 500 Caddys, Tech. Now ya even got me looking for one!!! See, I know where this 53 Ford tudoor is, and with all them cubes and all that torque...........Just gotta keep it hid from Streets or he'd have to put one of them chebbies in it..

...Don't be sorry Tech.....The Cad big block is a highly over looked "engine"... ...They make one hell of a work horse too...More than one parts yard in this neck of the woods has installed 500s into their ramp trucks....Lots of low end power........................................Hey Streets.!!...Only fifteen graduated from your class.??....Only one from my class............Yeah I know.....A lotta class but all ...LOW.!!!......Hardy Har Har....

Hmmm..forgot about the caddy engine. Friend's aunt had one is a 72 sedan de ville back when we were back in HS - the 'family vacation car'. Seemed good and if i recall got good mileage for such a large engine. I like the irony of a caddy in a lincoln too.

Now to get the money from the wife...we are still negotiating what the tax return willl get spent on. Some is earmarked for the linc - but not enough for a motor swap!

Lessee, last week she got a card and flowers, birthday is next month...jewelry. She wants jewelry...yeah thats it!

chris

i think the 460 with a C6 is the best

The Devil is in the details. Ford 460s with C6s are still findable. I suspect that there are factory motor and transmission mounts that will bold right in and the exhaust manifolds are all findable. You will probably be able to use the same wiring harness and maybe even the same cruise control. Fabrication for something else takes time and $$$.

A friend of mine replaced his stock 400 with a crate engine with roller rockers and a mild cam and a few other tweaks. It was a relatively gutsy engine. He sold it several years a go and the new owner is still driving it every day.

Forty-nine hundred pounds can get kind of hefty to start, stop and corner.

The only thing harder than choosing an engine is choosing a color.

Good luck on your project.

Rick

Going with a navy blue, nearly black. GM made several colors like this for buicks in '00. Have to make a final decision at some point, but the winter weather has postponed the need for a while.

Since the car has a C6 now, and the 78 came with a 460, not an issue to put that in.

Anyone got some specs (hp/torqe) for 460's? And some idea of what they put them in? I suspect it'll be easier to find a truck with one.

The torque on a 460 4V motor is 500 lbs. compression if 10.5. Don't know the HP

Screamers; Techinspector is exactly right that 1970 500ci caddy puts out 550 ft pds of torque and 400HP and only weighs 50 pounds more then a chevy 350. And this is stock,with a little work you could really have some thing.

Vegas

What about the new GM 572 crate engine, I have no experience with this engine, nor has anyone I know but heres a link to SDPC to check it out. http://www.sdpc2000.com/cart.asp?act...art&catid=3449

Matt167; I'm sure he said [ in lines ] cheap junk yard engine,and the 500 Caddy engine are all over the place.They also have a high Nickel content which makes them last longer. He can buy a after market rocker set up from the site that techinspector supplied him with and any other goodies. Dollar for dollar the 500 is the best. Now he's not going to turn more then 5500 rpm's but from 1000rpm's to 5500rpm's it's going to try to throw his head out the back window. He also stated that he was not looking for a drag car, but one that would produce alot of torque, may be for towing or some thing like that. Well this engine produces 550 foot pounds of torque, more then most of the big pick up trucks they make today.

Vegas

Hey Inline, who was it that graduated from your class????? Tee Hee Hee Somebody had to say it.

Originally posted by vara4
Matt167; I'm sure he said [ in lines ] cheap junk yard engine,and the 500 Caddy engine are all over the place.They also have a high Nickel content which makes them last longer. He can buy a after market rocker set up from the site that techinspector supplied him with and any other goodies. Dollar for dollar the 500 is the best. Now he's not going to turn more then 5500 rpm's but from 1000rpm's to 5500rpm's it's going to try to throw his head out the back window. He also stated that he was not looking for a drag car, but one that would produce alot of torque, may be for towing or some thing like that. Well this engine produces 550 foot pounds of torque, more then most of the big pick up trucks they make today.

Vegas

I know but, I figured it would be cool to check out being, it's GM's newest engine but, it produces 620 Hp but, in the same token it is $12,000 big ones. I was not really seriouse bout him using it. I to agree with the 500 caddy in that linclon.

Well Matt; I thought maybe you had misread it or some thing like that. And the other engine was a little pricey. Can we say budget! HE!HE!HE! Hey we all like to dream once in a while. I'm just joken with you, I hope there's no hard feelings, Kurt.
And the engine you showed us was a nice engine. And I'm always ready to see a nice engine.

Vegas