V8 Swap on Baby Blue

[Rcollins]

Hey everyone,
Long time no post. My father (Dcollins) and I are embarking on a V8 swap of his 1967 “baby blue”. He will start posting I’m sure after his log-in stuff gets sorted out.

A little background: this was a 100% resto we did probably 16-17 years ago (woof). It had a rebuilt 250 I6 that never quite ran right. Always burnt too much oil. I think the engine shop messed up the rings. Anyway, Dad has a 350 ordered from Blueprint engines arriving in a few weeks. I’m going to do my best and search the archive as most of this on an I6 to V8 swap has (in my experience) been discussed ad nauseum over the last 15 years, but I’m selfishly using this as a reason to start posting again.

So, Baby Blue like I said has the 250 I6, with the original radiator but re-cored to a 3 row. Of course the question is: can the I6 radiator re-cored to a 3 row keep up with cooling a V8? This V8 going to have all aluminum top end so cooling is going to be super important. The van does have the original lower scoop which should help.
We are thinking of installing a puller fan on a thermostat as well.

Additionally, Does anyone know if there will be a problem with not having the expansion tank if using the I6 radiator with a V8? I think we’d be ok since the V8 is lower than the I6 so air should still make its way to the top of the radiator, but I’m just guessing here.

Attached are most recent photos I have of Baby Blue (2018 yikes!)
RC

[BILLS66]

RC welcome back ! Can't wait to see some posts on the engine swap. Bill

[66BeachCruiser]

I know. It’s been tough to getting in the groove of posting on a regular basis. I’m going to try as well. The site down and back up has gotten some getting used to. I recently did a 350 sbc swap on mine. A little hiccup on this past Nats attempt. Had heating issues to take care of using a factory V8 crossflow and tank. Hit 230 on a steep hill. Charging system was acting up. And finally after a timing adjustment had the engine backfire bending pushrods and shaving off a valve tip. Long story short, after putting it back together, replacing the valve and reinstalling the heads, I’m just now getting ready to button up the radiator. But I’m not sure I want to use my stock crossflow right now. I’m thinking of a suitable aluminum radiator that can be put in its place hopefully dissipate heat better (larger tubes with aluminum). Following to hear some good advice.

[xjamesx]

I hear you. I have the van under the knife again this winter and have been meaning to post more also. I’ll get on that.

As far as radiator, hope my experience might help a little. I added a V8 (LS1) in my ‘66 right before we met at the Nats and I have an aluminum 3 core radiator (an eBay Cougar one) and have had no issues cooling my motor but I did install an electric puller fan. I wired it on full time but am about to upgrade the harness to a Terminator X so it’ll end up on a thermostatic wire relay soon enough. Oh and I have a tunnel added for extra air flow but no belly pan.

So I would think a re-cored radiator would be fine.
Good luck. Let’s all post updated progress pics this winter.

[Rcollins]

Dad and I will be pulling the 250 the weekend of Feb 4th so I'll have some photos fresher than 2018 available then.

Long story short, after putting it back together, replacing the valve and reinstalling the heads, I’m just now getting ready to button up the radiator. But I’m not sure I want to use my stock crossflow right now.

Thats a bummer. not to get off track on my van as opposed to my Dads, but years ago when Dad and I built Vanna Black, the black 67 in my profile pic, I had over heating problems constantly. this was with a 350, stock V8 cross-flow and a big scoop. after a ton of tinkering around I ended up having a bad/wrong thermostat and a junk fan clutch. A new fan clutch and t-stat and it runs like 180 deg all the time now. so after killing the gremlins the stock V8 radiator worked well for my application.

[garagedoordennis]

I know. It’s been tough to getting in the groove of posting on a regular basis. I’m going to try as well. The site down and back up has gotten some getting used to. I recently did a 350 sbc swap on mine. A little hiccup on this past Nats attempt. Had heating issues to take care of using a factory V8 crossflow and tank. Hit 230 on a steep hill. Charging system was acting up. And finally after a timing adjustment had the engine backfire bending pushrods and shaving off a valve tip. Long story short, after putting it back together, replacing the valve and reinstalling the heads, I’m just now getting ready to button up the radiator. But I’m not sure I want to use my stock crossflow right now. I’m thinking of a suitable aluminum radiator that can be put in its place hopefully dissipate heat better (larger tubes with aluminum). Following to hear some good advice.

I have had sucess with both my vans in the cooling department but took some tinkering....in your case I would go the 92' corvette radiator that will fit into your stock location relatively well and use the fill tank.

[AzDon]

I installed an ebay aluminum radiator and lowered it and put an 86 z28 electric fan on it.......I installed a thermostat housing with a radiator cap and put a 32 lb cap on the radiator and a few other cooling tricks that have worked for me in the past......
So far, I have not had to use the electric fan and it has yet to reach 180 degrees...

[Rcollins]

Pulling the 250 today. Always forget how nice this van is.

[van-itti]

Is that 250 for sale?

[Rcollins]

Is that 250 for sale?

I'm going to give it a freshening up and drop it in our 66 sportvan deluxe next winter. that one has a really tired 230 in it.

[Rcollins]

I was back at Dad’s last weekend and we got the new Blue Print Engines 350 dropped in and the th350 hooked back up. Initial first impression on the Blue Print Engine are great. Lot of high quality materials that look professionally assembled.

-Dad ordered an aluminum radiator for an early 90’s corvette. He had to cut out all the I6 radiator shroud and fab new, but the corvette radiator is really similar to the 2^nd gen V8 rads. Would have been easy with a V8 rad lower support. The flexalite fan fits up to it pretty well also.
-I’m taking this time to run all nylon braided lines with AN fittings for the Trans cooling as well. I did this a few years ago on my van and I think it is a worth while project.
-He bought ceramic coated long tube headers from Summit that fit nicely. Cleared auto shift linkage and “luckily” the trans cross member we made about 10 years ago. We’ll be doing a 3” stainless dual exhaust set up on this in the coming weeks. Not sure if we’re going x-pipe or h-pipe yet… Summit Racing SUM-G9101 Summit Racing™ Metallic-Ceramic Coated Headers | Summit Racing
-For throttle linkage; the plan currently is to use the push rod system in place all the way to the pivot arm at the back of the dog house, then run a Lokar cable from there to the carb. This might change, but for now that’s the path forward.

Dads done a ton of work on this so far on his own. I live a little over an hour away and with 2 kids its tough to get over there more than once every other week or so. Been a really fun project so far. We 1^st built this van when I was 16-19, I’m 35 now. Fun to reminisce about the previous build and make a couple new memories with this engine upgrade.

[Vanner68]

With a new engine and a new crossflow radiator, I wouldn't expect to see any cooling issues. I think results vary due to older/junkyard engines that may be full of rust or older radiators with clogged tubes. I know the 350 in my 68 with a 4 row core 6 cylinder radiator always ran hot, but both 350s were used engines. However, the V8's I ran in my 69 (the original 307, a 350 and later a 305) never went above 190 with a stock crossflow.

[66BeachCruiser]

Is it Ryan? Sorry, it’s been a long time. I also ordered a 90s corvette radiator to put in place of the crossflow. I’m actually filming a little run through of the radiator comparison and fitment for my YouTube channel 66BeachCruiser on my 66. https://youtube.com/@66BeachCruiser Video not up yet. I have to custom up some hoses. Did that on top radiator hose to include my existing T for expansion tank but I have yet to figure out the bottom radiator hose. The 90s corvette radiator hose outlet is a smaller diameter and the water pump inlet is bigger diameter. What hose or coupler did you guys use for that? I’m sure I’ll figure out something but if you guys already found a solution and possibly part numbers that would be a nice help.

Thanks,
Jose 66BeachCruiser

[Russell]

I bought this reducer for my upper hose, might be too small for your lower one but I'm sure you can find something similar.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224219794142

[66BeachCruiser]

Thanks Russell. I’ll check it out. Post a picture of that configuration if you get a chance. I actually have 2 Ts currently on Top. One for a BMW fan switch sensor and the other Tee to bleed the system connected to expansion tank like factory crossflow. They are on water neck side.I found a hose that is molded wider on one side to connect to my pipe tee and on the other end almost the diameter of the corvette radiator for inlet. I cut off excess to get that z shape . My water neck faces the center of the radiator to clear the AC compressor belt. I tested out the diameters for same hose from wider molded side connected to water pump and smaller diameter side to bottom corvette radiator outlet. Fits good. Just have to cut to size without cutting molded side. So essentially I’ll be using same part number for top and bottom. E71317 if I recall. The inlet for top radiator is a bit lose and not snug how I’d like so a reducer might be the ticket if I don’t find a better fitting hose. Now just trying to figure out the big outlet nipple from expansion tank to tinier nipple on corvette radiator. Definitely not plug and play radiator but some adaptors should work.

Jose 66BeachCruiser