i just want to know if any one has so that i can get some more ideas for my truck and see if their are any people out there that have done the same as me

 

I'm looking at a Caddy 500 to put into mine. It'll be interesting to shoehorn into my little truck... I can't wait to pick it up if they guy still has it, MWAHAHAHA

 

good luck they are not very long the block is about the same as a small block chevy but they are about8 inches wider than the chevy and i had about 2 inches clearance between my framerails and the manifolds. Me and my buddy put a Olds 455 which is the same block into a 78 chevy 1/2 ton pickup he had about 1/2 inch clearance whereas a standard engine has about 4 to 5 inches. later he put headers on it and they were so close when he torqued up the engine it put a nice dent in them. But dont get me wrong it might be able to be done with alot of fabrication but it will have crap loads of power.

 

I'm going to skin out the fenders, remove all in the inner fender well and such. I know it's going to take some fabrication, but if a guy can stuff an Isuzu turbo diesel into one, I don't see why I can't get a Caddy 500 in. I used to be a fabricator, so I have all the know how and skills. I just don't have all the tools at home... yet.

 

Hey Z28, I like your way of thinking. I have a "plan" that I want to do for my B2500, after I use it like it is for a while. What do you think of this "plan"? Using a crashed Mercury Mountaineer 2001 or earlier, transplant the 5 litre V-8, automatic transmission, & FT 4WD, AWD into the B. Since the Mountaineer, MAZDA B, Explorer, & Ranger are all the same chassis, I don't think this will be too difficult. It's possible that I may get the leather seats along with the running gear!

If you are with me so far, this "plan" could go one step further. Sub the Mountaineer's 5 L. V-8 with a 5.8 L V-8. The 5.8 can be stroked to a 430 or so with over the counter stroker kits.

This would result in a 400+ cu. in. V-8 putting it's power down through all 4 wheels, and using proven components. I think it will be almost bolt in, particularly if I can just buy the crashed Mountaineer intact.

If I do this, you can believe that I'm leaving the B2500 chrome plates on the fenders!

Good luck, Z28

 

sounds like it is just crazy enough to work. i actually just got another 350 engine and turbo 350 tranny and an extra set of heads for $100 and there are all good enough that im goin to put it all back into the mazda and have my hot rod back again. when i put those heads on it will have about 330 H.P. and 310 Torque which is stock then i am going to put a cam intake carb and build custom headers. then i will be pushing almost 400 H.P. which will be awsome. Just one piece of advice measure twice cut once. lots and lots of measuring. i was actually suprised i got the truck going in 5 months from start to finish. engine tranny and rear end and everything worked great. it is well worth it to put in a bigger engine. even though i had the 350 i still got 18 MPG on a good day. but you will have fuel injection so that will be awsome well we will talk to you later.

 

Hi "DR. JECKLE" , with your long list of Chevys I can see why you are working with the 350s. If you are familiar with an engine family you are way ahead to stick with it. There's no reason you can't make as much hp as you want with that 350! If you are doing anything special to hook up with that much torque, we'd all like to know. My B2500 is so light in the rear that I usually carry ballast in the winter time. I guess that's why I'm interested in using AWD out of the Mountaineer.

Since I posted last, I found several salvage Mountaineers with engine, tranny, and running gear from $400 to $1500. The $400 Mountaineer is in PA & was flooded, it is not wreck damaged. If I do a complete rebuild or a least a complete teardown & inspection, that should not be a problem. The $1500 trucks are the usual collision totalled jobbies. I also found some bore & stroke kits that make a bored 0.040 over 5.8 liter into a 426 cu. in. motor. That's about the same as making a 426 out of your 350. I don't know what you think about stroker kits. I have a friend with a 1971 Torinto Cobra and it has a 429 Cobra Jet bored & stroked out to a 488. It runs good. It may be that the Ford engines are a bit more agreeable to stroking since they run a longer stroke anyway. If I find out any more details about this "idea", I 'll post again.

Thanks for your favorable comments. You're right, it may just be crazy enough to work!

Wolf

Let's Roll !

 

yah i have been working with small block chevys for almost ten years now and i love them i have thought alot about building a small block 427 you use a 400 engine and use the stocker crank and bore your engine. the kit all in all for parts about $1200. that would be some crazy stuff or i could just get a big block 572 but they get a little pricey. but yah i love those small block chevys everything from 72 till 95 was all basiclly the same. and they are easy to work on and get parts for and it is cheap. and for my traction why i didnt burn out much is that i had 2.56:1 gear ratio that is really high. it takes a litlle to get it going but soon as you are moving you MOVE! but i would not go that drastic with a V6 3.50 gears would be good or what ever it has would probably work fine.

 

i believe mine is going to get a late model four bolt roller block and a set of late model vortec heads and quite possibly a chipped TBI system with 2inch 454 tb and oversized injectors. ive got a t-5 to put behind it and since its already a standard ive got the hydrolics for the clutch already in place. now the only question it the rear end. any one konw of an easy swap? Ive seen a disk brake lincoln versii rear end under one.
Flores

 

what i am looking at for a rearend is an early modle mustangII 9 inch they might be just about right. i have a 75 olds 98 rearend right now and it hangs out bout 3 inches on each side.