521 v8??

[willey878]

i used the search and didnt come up with 2 much

iv seen afew 521s with v8s and im thinking of mabe swaping one into mine and i was woundering who on heres done it befor and tips for me doing it

[yellowdatsun]

Mine has a Chevy 350 V8, with a TH350 3 speed. Installation is a HUGE project, and requires cutting a very large portion of your firewall and transmission tunnel out. Even by doing this, Fitting a radiator up front is not easy. My radiator is currently in the bed, and I'm trying to figure out a way to get it into the engine compartment. But even this, is going to require more hacking into the body. I had to modify an already thin air cleaner to get it to fit under the hood. I'm sure flow isn't great at the moment.

 

The best thing is being able to go down to your local parts store to get anything you want, for cheap. Well that, and being able to spin the tires really easily.

[yellowdatsun]

[fiveNdime]

why dont you put the radiator under the truck with some fans. I seen it done on a custom hot rod at a show. They ran the water through the frame then to a radiator in back. they biult a very nice shrowd to cover it with twin electric fans. Very trick.

[yellowdatsun]

I have toyed with the idea of mounting the radiator flat in the bed, and cutting a hole in the bed of the appropriate size. I also may just dig in, do some cutting and fab a spot up front for it. The water pump creates a LOT of pressure at hing RPM's trying to push the water through the long tubes.

[tnip]

electric water pump?

[yellowdatsun]

Yeh, I need to find and inline style unit, if they even make that. But if I can move the radiator up front, all my problems will be solved. Although the extra weight of the radiator moved from the front, to the bed, does help traction a bit.

[tnip]

this one claims to be an inline pump specifically for air to water intercoolers... http://store.wpsracing.com/reelinwapu.html

 

and i know this is designed to mount on the front of the block, but what prevents you from mounting it to a framerail? or where ever you want?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CSR-BLACK-ELECTRIC-BIG-BLOCK-CHEV-WATER-PUMP-W-FITTING_W0QQitemZ290200434441QQcmdZViewItem

[73super]

This is why I like the idea of a Buick V6 instead. Lots of power, looks like a little V8 sitting up there and you don't have as many clearance issues.

 

Just my thoughts. Toodles. :D

[patrowan]

I put a radiator out of a 87 PU (D21) with a v6. I don't know if that would be enough cooling for the V8 but is way more than enough for the V6 (temp always at thermostat cracking point). I had to trim a little of sheet metal and lower the frame front crossmember. I can't tell from the picture if your water pump is in about the same place, but it looks close.

[72 327]

How much smaller is the 521 engine bay than the 620? Cutting the inner fenders worked well for my truck. Also 8 inches back on the firewall. for the dist. If you use a earlier ford dist is on the front.

 

[1fstdat]

Just finishing up my V8 conversion in my '71 I did it without cutting the firewall or fender wells, its got a 350 4spd, the radiator is a aluminum one under the bed the pully for the water pump is 1/2 from the back of the grille, that let me save the fire wall including heater ect... I used the datsun slave/master for the clutch seems to work, I installed a toyota 4x4 (strong and the right width) rear, I aso fabbed up headers they look like bat wings they go up and drop down on the top back of the fender wells in 2", also a grand cherokee throttle body hat with a 3" pipe to a cone filter work/fits well.