500 Cad into my 71 GMC C2500

[Mr48chev]

Well the 350 finally gave out after about 80 K miles on an 80.00 rering job so it's time to upgrade to the Cad 500 and turbo 400 my buddy gave me a couple of years ago.
Here it is with the nose off and all covered with oil and grease before I pulled the engine.


The frame and firewall have been pressure washed at the car wash and I picked up a pair of mid 70's frame mounts that I hope work.

When I got the engine I test fired it:


I've been hunting through my stuff trying to find the 425 pan I thought I saved to do the swap with but so far it's either still evading me or it didn't get saved when I pulled the engine it was on out of my 82 Deville.

[Mr48chev]

After a rather tedious towbar trip to the car wash in town the engine compartment is somewhat cleaner.


I picked up a set of mid 70's frame mounts to mount the Cad engine the way a few others have done it.

Update on the 3rd of July. I got a care package from Wes with a new cowl to hood seal to replace the mess of one I had and the outer rocker panel for the passenger side. I'm not sure that the rocker panel will be on before vacation though.

[busterwivell]

It's all good progress.....thanks for posting as you go.

[WES]

Looks great! It is a wonder what a little washing will do. WES

[Mr48chev]

I needed a shower after that trip. I think the grease jumped off the truck onto me.

I worked on it all day and almost all weekend but didn't seem to make as much progress as I wanted to.
My never fails parts guy who I have gone to for the past 30 years got me the wrong timing set. I guess he remembered that I had a 350R in my 51 Merc 25 years ago.
After I pulled the pan to change to a 425 pan and pickup tube I discovered that it had plastic teeth on the cam gear that were pretty old so I want a steel gear in it. I had a heck of a time getting the distributor out but managed to not break it so all is good there.
With the 424 pan bolted on with six bolts for the first trial fit.



This is it coming back out after the first trial fit.

[WES]

Looks good. What are you going to do about the oil filter? Mount a remote filter? Or cut a hole in the crossmember? The ones that I have seen have always cut the hole in the crossmember. WES

[Mr48chev]

It has been a while since posted on it or even worked on it due to the weather here and no garage to work on the truck in. I think I am going to try to reform the crosse member enough to clear the filter or use a 425 oil pump that sets it at a better angle. I also have to lower the engine and trans about a half inch as the bellhousing is hitting the pinch weld on the cab. New correct 3/4 ton two wheel drive cab and core support mounts might take care of some of that problem though.

Snow days aren't just for school kids.

[Mr48chev]

I finall yback on it and found out what the engine problem was. a small foreign obiject had found it's way to #8 piston when I swapped carbs.


I think it got stuck to the bottom of the carb when I sat it on the work bench.

I have the gaskets and a new piston and rings are on the way.

[WES]

Man, sorry to see that. Let us know how it goes... WES

[Mr48chev]

The rings came in today and the piston is supposed to ship on Monday. Saving 30 bucks by buying it online may have cost me a week but I'm not pressed for time right now.

The weather didn't cooperate last weekend with wind blowing hard Saturday and Sunday.

I need to get it out and apart Saturday and rework the motor mounts and crossmember to drop the engine a half inch or so on Monday as I have a Command presence to be at my son's place on Sunday.

[Mr48chev]

Still not a lot of progress to brag about as I got distracted by life and a work schedule that doesn't allow time for the projects.

I did buy a set of stainless headers for it though.

[busterwivell]

It's just amazing to me how much time flies as we work on our projects........and between project spurts.........

[Fast68Chevy]

awesome! yeah ive had a couple different 403 and 425 engines, youre doing what i ive always wanted to. to put one in one of these engines into one of these trucks, over the years, but i never had a truck and one of these engines sitting at the same time to put them together. so it never happened. but all u need are the 73-up frame mount stands from a truck and the olds/caddy style engine mount clamshells and block brackets. like the 78-85 diesel 350 ones in the B body cars and C10 trucks. i just had a 77 buick electra 403 car daily driver i shoulda maybe kept it,. i am picking up a late 70s or early 80s big GMC 6000 soon locally for cheap cheap to ply with and drive, and it if needs engine replaced by chance then i want to put an olds v8 in it. with a hi torque camshaft and milled heads for extra torque output that these trucks need. bellhousing for the 4 speed and Z bar clutch pedal linkage mounting woul dbe interesting though. id have to fab up weld up brackets. and probably couldnt do it if its got a 13" clutch. unless i downgraded to a 12 i guess. hmm..