Thread: BB in '57 Chevy--a long post

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i have been buying stuff from classic chevy for 18 years
and i have no complaints,you will need there bb chevy
installation kit and there turbo 400 trans kit along with
lots of other costly stuff for your bb chevy, i would go
with a 427 if i was going with a bb for a 57.

Rick,
TCI makes both stock and 3/4'' forward mounts, super simple setup. All you have to do is remove 2 rivits and drill 1 hole on each side, then your mounts bolt right in. Just one thing to remember, by moving 3/4" forward that will interfear with your core support and radiator mount if you have the V-8 core support. If you have a 6cyl. core support that will mount your radiator on the front side and you shouldn't have any problems. The TCI tranny mount will handle most all trannies 350, 400 or 700R4. The best part was installation, 4 self threading bolts and your done! They definatly got their Sh*t together!!
Once again Good Luck!

Thank you for the suggestions. Mike ordered the mounts today. He went with the 3/4 inch forward. The TCI cross member sounds good but I am having trouble finding it tonight. Mike likes that idea. I will have more time to search in the next couple of days.

We talked to some one who had done the conversion in the past. He said that you did not need to worry about the pan tie rod clearance if you cut a large diamond shaped piece out of the firewall. Mike's body is fairly pristine and he nearly cringed at the thought of that. I talked with a fellow named Ernie at Danchucks this morning he was knowledgeable and helpful. He recommended the forward mounts too.

Delray, thank you for mentioning the radiator position. To my memory, in the cold weather when I was in high school the guys with shoebox Chevy V8s could put beverages in the area between the grill and the radiator and chill them while they were driving. That area looked like it was made for that. The 6 cylinders did not have as nice a space since the radiator was moved forward. .

Dotgone, your '57 in the gallery is beautiful. The John Deere (B?) in the back ground was interesting

Rick,
Sorry I'm just getting back with you. Computer crashed and I'm just getting back with you. www.totalcostinvolved.com is their website, check them out I'm sure they will have what you need.
Also check out www.hhclassic.com for 55-57 car parts. Good bunch of guys!
Keep me posted on your progress,
Alan

Delray, thank you for the post. I had looked for a transmission cross member in TCI Transmissions rather than Total Cost Involved—silly me. A quick glance tonight at the sites you suggested has shown both have nice looking cross members. I will have to call them to see if the members will fit the Tremec. Either company’s product would look much better than our home made stuff.
Thanks again, Rick

Hey Rick,
How's the '57 project going? By the way you said you were putting a 9" out of a '80 or so Bronco. How does it fit? I'm curious, I think 60" overall is the stock width on '55-'57. I'm looking for a good rearend to run in the 'ol Delray. I've been told that a '68-74 Nova 10 or 12 bolt will work great. Any thoughts? I'm running 8"X17" wheels and would like to stay with that on the back. I put Mcgaughy's dropped spindles and 1" springs on the front. I also used their 2 1/2" lower springs on the back. Sits just right!

Keep me posted,
Alan

Delray, sorry to be so slow to answer your post. Mike and I talked about it while we worked on the ‘57 today. Mike had Moseners (SP?), a company here in Indiana, to make a rear end housing to ’57 specs except that he ordered it one inch narrower than stock. This should allow him to fit larger tires in the 60s profile size. He also sent the Bronco axels to them. They cut and resplined the axels to the correct size and redrilled the hubs to fit a Chevy bolt pattern. As always, they were great to work with. The larger Bronco rear drum brakes bolted right in. I put a couple of pictures of this in the gallery for you. If you would like other views, please let me know. I would be glad to send them to you. Mike was told that he could narrow the rear end more but would have to move the springs and shackles inboard, to the inside of the frame rails. That seemed a little on the excess side to us red neck old hill billies. A quick tape measurement today showed the housing flare to housing flare to be about 53 3/4 in. and outside hub to about 59 1/4 in. I will try to do it again and be more accurate if you need it. Moseners has the exact specs for a stock ’55-57 housing.

I do not know about the 70’s Nova rear ends. I have read that they will fit fine but I believe that the spring perches should be from a ’55-57 and the perch positions will have to be moved outward for the ’55-57. Mike originally considered that option but I talked him into the 9 Inch. It did not take much talking because in his wilder youth he had torn up enough Chevy rear ends to know that it was the right way to go. Chevy verses Ford 9 Inch—there is no shortage of heated debates on the subject. I won’t go there, but just to say that I know of several who have switched from Chevy to Ford 9 Inch rear ends and none to switch the other way. Also I do not know of a car that has decreased in value by having a Ford 9 Inch. Besides they look more original in a Shoe Box than a 10 or 12 bolt any way. I am sorry I cannot help you any further but that is all I know. Hopefully one of the gurus on this forum will know more.

We bolted the engine mounts on to the frame and fitted the engine today. They fit reasonably well and looked nice against the frame. It “looks like” the oil pan will clear the tie rod without modification but neither set of headers will clear the steering gear box. Mike decided on the transmission mount from HH Classics, thanks for suggesting them, and hopefully I will get a chance to order it Mon

Rick

Hey Rick, looks like the motor swap is progressing well. That's some real nice work on the chassis, congrats on a great job !! Looks super.

Thanks, Dave, Mike had the frame powder coated. The other parts were either replaced with new or sandblasted and painted. He had to quit for a while but is having a chance to get back to it. He works hard and he also has the gift of doing things fast--something I envy.

Rick

Thanks for the info! Sorry about the delay, Just been up to my ears in alligators. Keep me posted on your progress.

___________________
Alan