Hey V8Buick Gang, I just purchased a 1973 Apollo and certainly will be putting a 455 in this thing. For those how have done this before, what obstacles will I need to overcome? Will I need to put a rack and pinion in this thing? I am thinking to put a Stg2 headed engine in this or will it be much easier to use a Stg1? Thanks....
From my experience the things you will have to be concerned with are size and cooling. I have a 5" cowl on mine to allow for the SP1 intake, took off the AC so that I could get to the passenger side of the engine and run a flex fan that I have to remove the radiator to access the bolts. Other than that, not too much to worry about. Headers are a problem though...so I don't have any still. There are also many posts on the subject, so if you search for Apollo you may come up with most of them.
I'm workin on the same project but its on hold for now. I'll post up when things get going again but my 462 is all done! Good luck and keep the info and updates coming.
2nd gear shift at 45 broke loose , and 3rd broke at 60mph, lot of power after fit. can give you how I did install and exhaust at gear box. hood used a TURBO 78 regal breather on carb top, to front filter tube, and ram air under bumper. Soon converting to GS hood ram air hood vents and flex tubing to hood.
I used 71-72 cast manifolds Electra, take off tin shield, and is a concave in manifold perfect to gear box. sorry car in storage right now , dont have fit pics. sorry. It takes the move of the motor forward. to clear gearbox. But as you know a 455 is 2 inch longer than 350. so front room is tight, battery went to hatch via frame rail battery cables. AC is in car from 350 on 455 ac brackets. went into the battery box. Hood , used stock intake 455 electra 72, plugged cross / pollution tube heat. ran a regal turbo breather to front radiator support. Used in Pontiac car they had a breather on the support , find a 400 car pontiac, and get breather off support by radiator. Also used a 69 z28 radiator 4 core. This was tight fit measure first when ordering. the cross member to tranny moved forward used only 2 screws, using back hole in front hole of cross over fit perfect for mount of tail shaft. used 350th, switching to 375th, which is a mid 80s option in olds and lesabre tow package. as a 400 with the short tail, 350 tail. Bop bell . send pic I have in file best can do now
I just did this swap, no moving the batteries or rad trouble or anything really. I was curious what you guys thought would be a good converter. I have a rebuilt 1971 455, comp "thumpr" cam, stock gears for now. Any ideas?
use at least a 2800 stall, replace with a good corvette servo and shift package on a short tail 375 ( late 70s short tail 400 ) or a 400 long and just build a driveshaft. what exhaust did you use to clear gear box, I had to move motor forward and use a 455 electra cast manifold with concave to clear box? My AC is out of original apollo and the compressor ended up into far into where battery was to far right pass side engine bay and had to move battery to rear with cables. I used 455 brackets off electra to fit AC , Alt and power steering off early 70s electra. I burned clutches out of a new rebuilt 350, replace with a new 375 with full shift kit and bigger servo and new seals and springs.
Electra manifolds, no a/c, and full B&M th350, didnt have to touch a driveshaft, or relocate transmission and cross member
Does anyone have a preference on converter companies? Something that I wont have to sell the car to afford ou: haha
Looking good John! Any new updates? I'm seriously thinking of putting something like this together as well.
Hey Drew, No updates... Dad is going to put his 57 Chevy into storage soon and then get back on the Apollo.
