Hey guys. I am currently restoring a 84 H/O. I am having Dick Miller build me an Olds 496 and he sent me his headers that are supposed to bolt on for my Application. However the shop that is doing the work is telling me that they won't fit??? Also, the shop is using a small block olds to fit the transmission, exhaust, etc...while we wait for Dick Miller's big block to be ready for installation. Although the blocks are the same, isn't it true that the deck height of the BBO will make it impossible to use a small block olds for the mach up? Will Dick Miller's headers fit once the big block arrives? Also, I am putting in a AOD ford style transmission which is causing issues with the collectors fitting around the transmission. What should I do here? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks
Headers for a BBO in a G Body???
- Thread starter hurstolds6
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The BBO is taller, so it can cause issues. Ask the shop what the headers are hitting and we should be able to tell you if it will be an issue with the BBO. The headers will sit lower on the SBO, so I am think they may be hitting the frame. Not sure what to tell you about them hitting the trans. You may need to have them modified once you get your engine in.
Find another shop, any reputable shop would use the correct parts for a mock-up.
It's not the headers but the people... A big block Olds is technically not a big block in the sense of what the other manufacturers produce. It is a small block with a 1.2" taller deck height. Intakes are the ONLY exterior part on 400, 425 and 455 Olds motors that don't interchange with 260-403 motors. WPs, Distributors, Heads, timing covers and chains, cams, lifters, pans, Oil pickups and pumps etc are all the same... basically the rotating assembly and intake are different.
As for the trans... sounds like totally custom job and non-GM on top of it... I wouldnt be surprised if you're the only person that's ever put one behind an Olds motor in a Cutlass.
Again, custom setup, find a reputable shop that can handle a custom job.
My guess is your gonna need a BBO for a correct mock-up and will have to do some custom exhaust fabrication to the collectors and probably a custom crossmember as well.
Good Luck, would love to see how this comes out.
The headers are very close to the oil filter, but i am thinking that once they are on a taller, big block, that the headers will end up further away towards the frame. The main problem is the the bell housing on the ford style transmission is much larger, so the collectors are pretty much right against the transmission. Hoping that once they are on the taller engine they will end up further towards the side s of th car and clear the transmission. The guy doing the work is trying to convince me that the headers will sit in the same spot for a small block or big block...I disagree since the blco is a V shape, as it gets taller the heads end up wider apart and closer to the fenders...RIGHT???
i should also mention that Dick Miller is NOT using the Edelbrock Heads...he was able to find a set of the bulldog heads which I believe are even taller than the normal Edelbrock heads...Maybe even more of an issue??? For those of you that know the vendors and parts I have listed below that are going into this car you can appreciate how frustrating it is to have a shop telling me that Dick Miller headers don't fit the Dick Miller Engine?? This guy has done so much work to the car that its too late to go elsewhere...just need to figure out how to make this work. He is trying to use my old hedman headers from the Mondello 350 that was in the car previously...
Unfortunately you won't know until you get the motor but it sounds like you'll be fine since they'll be pushed more up and out.
Welcome!
Post some pics of your Olds!
He is wrong.
Don't waste another second trying to mock-up the exhaust without a BBO in there.
If you can't find one for mock-up, than just wait until you get your motor back.
If He wants to learn the hard way, tell him that he can re-do it all for free when it doesn't work...
You also may have to run a smaller oil filter.
I use an off the shelf filter for the original '85 307. It's smaller and it clears my headers, though mine are from Hooker...
It's worth a shot if you need the extra clearance.
Post some pics of your Olds!
hurstolds6 said:
He is wrong.
Don't waste another second trying to mock-up the exhaust without a BBO in there.
If you can't find one for mock-up, than just wait until you get your motor back.
If He wants to learn the hard way, tell him that he can re-do it all for free when it doesn't work...
You also may have to run a smaller oil filter.
I use an off the shelf filter for the original '85 307. It's smaller and it clears my headers, though mine are from Hooker...
It's worth a shot if you need the extra clearance.
Thats what I tried to tell him several times. Even Dick Miller spoke to him over the phone...but this guy insistes that it will work. Very frustrating. I guess I will just let him figure it out on his own when he has to redo all of his exhaust work. Thanks guys!!
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