454 swap in 85 El Camino

Bar50

Royal Smart Person
Jan 1, 2009
1,180
870
113
Tulsa, OK
I have been using a CC162 aluminum radiator from Champion coupled with Dodge Intrepid electric fans and an Oldsmobile upper radiator support. I am in Oklahoma it keeps up. I also us the CVF racing deep groove pulley set. The radiator is stock style replacement, in a fabricated aluminum fashion. The Intrepid fans fit the radiator core like it was made for it.

Hooker 2241s are dedicated G-body big block headers and fit nice, have to trim a motor mount. The will require tilting the motor out of the mounts for installation. They also can be difficult with kick-out style oil pans. These have several slip tubes. Will fit with raised port heads.

Hooker 2455s will fit with some love or trimming of the passenger side rear lower a-arm mounts. Some guys have flipped the a-arm bolts around for additional room with both style headers. With -861 Bowtie heads and raised ports I had to alter a tube that curves under the lower a-arm for additional room.

I have also taken the brake proportioning valve off of the frame and ground the bosses off of the back side to tuck the proportioning valve in tighter to the frame, gains about 1/4" of room.

Both sets of headers are 2 inch primary tube that are 30 inch length, and have 3.5 inch collectors.

Street car use a G-force crossmember.

Racecar I prefer the Iceman style crossmember.
 
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Detroitz1903

n00b
Supporting Member
Aug 31, 2022
4
6
3
Louisiana
I have a Griffen 31" x 19" aluminum radiator in my Monte, these have 2 rows of 1.25" tubes and cools my street driven 565 BBC and has even kept it cool in Dream Cruise traffic. I also am running the Intrepid dual fan set up.
It worked so well I did the same set up for my Regal except that one has the built in trans cooler.

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This build looks great and I'll bet it flys! I am building a 79 El Cmino that isn't going to be a race car. Just a good running streetable BBC El Camino. I have a factory four speed truck and want to use the stock M20 four speed that is in the truck. I know there is going to be header clearance issues. I saw one of your post a while back that covered the clutch pedal linkage issue and wondered if you could elaborate on this topic. I would appreciate any help and advise you have. Please!
 

Supercharged111

Comic Book Super Hero
Oct 25, 2019
4,908
7,669
113
Colorado Springs, CO
An A body radiator will require frame modification to fit, as previously stated it is wider. Mine came with a Griffin A body radiator, I don't recommend it. It seems to let off steam above 200 degrees where it's glued together. I think the headers it has are also for an A body, but I can't find a receipt or part number for them to confirm. They fit, but they hang really low. They're either Hooker or Hedman, I forget. If you do get an aluminum radiator, don't get a 3 or 4 core. They're junk. You want each row to be at least 1" wide or you lose the benefit that aluminum gives.
 

565bbchevy

Geezer
Aug 8, 2011
9,590
12,612
113
Michigan
saw one of your post a while back that covered the clutch pedal linkage issue and wondered if you could elaborate on this topic. I would appreciate any help and advise you have. Please!
That would have been someone else since I am running a TH400 in my Monte and eventually with a GV.
 
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SS Elco

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Aug 3, 2017
35
13
8
Oops! Sorry I am sure you are correct. There's a few Monte Carlos on here. Thank you!
This may be a title late for you, but I put a 454 with Brodix top end with tall valve covers in my 85 El Caminor. I'm running a TH350 w/ a GV od unit and I ended up going with Sanderson BB3 headers. They fit great with no issues and they say they will work with auto or stick. There looks to be plenty of room on the driver's side for clutch linkage. This is strictly a street car but I am running tubular control arms and I have about 3/16" clearance at upper rear of control arm on pass side.
 

Detroitz1903

n00b
Supporting Member
Aug 31, 2022
4
6
3
Louisiana
This may be a title late for you, but I put a 454 with Brodix top end with tall valve covers in my 85 El Caminor. I'm running a TH350 w/ a GV od unit and I ended up going with Sanderson BB3 headers. They fit great with no issues and they say they will work with auto or stick. There looks to be plenty of room on the driver's side for clutch linkage. This is strictly a street car but I am running tubular control arms and I have about 3/16" clearance at upper rear of control arm on pass side.
Information like this is never to late! Thank you, i appreciate this a lot!
 

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