Zillion Questions

[steven d. ferguson]

GMCers,
Does anyone who switched to Alcoas have an extra 6 stock lug nuts left
over? I could use them if you do and I'd be happy to pay whatever
they're worth. (For my spare).
I found a couple of '66 Toronados in a recycling yard and pulled the
engine-trans-final drive out of one of them Sunday. Both cars are/were
fairly intact. On to the questions I probably should have asked before
I turned my driveway into a Sanford & son replica. Are the '66 425
blocks the high-nickle ones that are so rare? Also, it appears that the
only difference between the 455 and 425 is the stroke. Am I correct on
this? That tells me that if I swap the 455 crank & rods into a 425, I
wind up with a 455.? Also, I have the final drives out of both cars and
haven't pulled them off the trannys yet but did the '66 Toros have a 3.2
something final drive. If so, does anyone know why this gear ratio
wasn't continued? Lastly, is there a length difference in the axles for
the different final drive ratios and also between the Toro & the GMC?
I'm a lot of miles from my GMC so I can't compare. I pulled the control
arms on one car but it looked like the drum brake knuckles and what we
have on the GMC's are two different animals. Oh yeah, and while I'm
asking a million questions, are the exhaust manifolds the same? The part
numbers don't match up with the GMC but from some photos on Scott's
site, they sure look the same. Both sets look good and don't appear to
have ever had any leaks. I might go back on Sunday and strip the motor &
control arms off the other Toro if I have time. There's a bunch of
Eldos in the same yard and I think I read somewhere that the lower ball
joint on the GMC is larger and if that is so, why can't the knuckle be
reamed out to accept a larger tapered mount?
Sorry about all the questions but this Olds stuff is new to this Chevy
guy.
TIA,
Steve Ferguson
San Diego

 

[tmaki1]

Steve,

Send me your address. I've got 48 of them just
taking up space. Only want 6? Take what you
want. Happy to see them go to a happy home.

Anybody else want any?

BTW, I seem not to have saved the post with the
name of the exhaust/muffler shop you use in the
San Diego area. Would you mind terribly
repeating that? I'd settle for that as payment : { )

Thanks!

Toby Maki
73 Glacier 230

> Does anyone who switched to Alcoas have an extra 6 stock lug nuts left
> over? I could use them if you do and I'd be happy to pay whatever
> they're worth. (For my spare).

 

[brent covey]

Hi Steve!

I'll take on a few questions;-)

>. Are the '66 425
> blocks the high-nickle ones that are so rare?

This is supposedly true- determining the high nickel content is a bit of a
mythical thing, but generally, you'll find pre '71 Olds and Cadillac engines
seem to wear bores very slowly. That said, there does seem to be a lot a
variation from batch to batch in a given year. I test Corvair cylinder
barrels by hitting them lightly while suspended by a wire to hear the pitch
of the 'ping' - high pure notes indicate the harder material, flat sounding
ones are softer. Maybe theres a way to check on the V8 castings- I've tried
a file test for hardness, but havent had conclusive results.

> Also, it appears that the
> only difference between the 455 and 425 is the stroke. Am I correct on
> this?

Well, yes and no- thats basically the major difference. Thers a LOT of good
info on the Olds site regarding all the little changes, some engines had
different cam angles/lifters, and the 455 crank isnt a drop in as I recall,
some grinding etc I think is needed. Go look at the site
(http://www.442.org)? Theres a ton of information about all the
changes/updates/interchangabilty.

> That tells me that if I swap the 455 crank & rods into a 425, I
> wind up with a 455.?

I'd be strongly tempted to use the 425 entirely- or rebuild as a 425. The
425 has a steel crank, and is a substantially stronger engine. 455's have
cast iron cranks excepting a very small number of '68's, apparently. The 425
was a very very good quality engine, might be a possibility- not sure what
might be required for changes to tolerate 87 octane fuel and the degree of
interchangability, but most items should fit fine. The Toro 425 was the
creme de la creme of the 425 family in any event.

> Also, I have the final drives out of both cars and
> haven't pulled them off the trannys yet but did the '66 Toros have a 3.2
> something final drive. If so, does anyone know why this gear ratio
> wasn't continued?

Seems GM wanted to pull some money out, and the 455 and 472 engines in the
'68 Toro and Eldo were torquey enough that the switchpitch and cool diff
could be abandoned to save a few bux. By the early seventies, running big
engines slow was all the rage. Might have been better for emissions,
certainly helped EPA ratings ultimately. The '67's would outrun thier '68
counterparts at the time anyhow, it did affect performance, but not by too
much. The 1966-67 style differential is also substantially stronger, altho
thats overkill.

> Sorry about all the questions but this Olds stuff is new to this Chevy
> guy.

Hopefully this will be food for thought- I have a '66 Toronado;-)

Brent Covey
Vancouver BC

 

[steven d. ferguson]

Hopefully this will be food for thought- I have a '66 Toronado;-)

Thanks a lot for the answers Brent and all the other responses I've
gotten. (Two of the past days downloads didn't make it so there may
have been even more of you to thank.) The answers were what I was
hoping to hear plus the web sites I was referred to are now part of my
bookmarks.
I think I'm gonna go back Sunday and get the running gear out of the
other Toro. The cars been sitting since May and is due for the crusher.

Thanks again,
Steve Ferguson