Hey guys, I'm new here. I recently acquired a new project. I got a 1987 caprice estate wagon. It has been restored in the past, but it's now in need of a new engine. It had an olds 307, and I have a 454 that I'm going to swap in. I've got the engine torn down to be built now. I do have a few questions though. Has anyone here done a 454 swap in a box caprice? Do I need a swap specific or model specific set of headers or will standard headman's or similar work? Will any of the accessories (eg: alternator, ps pump, ac compressor) work with the 454? I will need new accessory brackets as well. We're there any truck or car models that had a serpentine setup with a 454(cant really afford to buy a march kit or anything), and if not, are there any 454s that were set up with a driver side alternator and passenger side ac compressor? I am keeping ac in the car, so would I need a short or long water pump?

Should be a fun project. The car is in great shape. Clear coat on the corvette blue paint job is all peeling due to a hail storm last year, but otherwise almost mint.

 

Oh, also are there any accessories and/or brackets that are swappable between a SBC and BBC?

Thanks

 

I'd look for a Chevy/GMC truck in the JY that has a serpentine accessory drive set up off a BB. I don't think any of the Olds stuff will fit the BB Chevy brackets. The a/c compressor might fit, as long as the accessory drive set up comes from a '87-'92 model year. In '93 GM went to a different refrigerant, and compressor. GM Performance Parts has a BB serp. belt set up in a complete package with all new bracket, pulleys, tensioner, alt., wp, a/c comp., and p/s pump. Check Summit racing, I've seen them there too. Good luck, it will be a fun car to drive when your done with it.

 

I think I'm gonna stick with v-belts at least for now. I'm gonna have to run with no ac for a little while anyway. To get the motor in the car what motor mounts do I need? Will mounts for an earlier model big block b-body work?

 

So hopefully someone here knows 454's more than I. When I had the motor down to short block, I could crank it over with a breaker bar on the crank. Now that I've got the heads on I can't get the thing to budge. Is this normal, or what the hell may have gone wrong?