BBC into 62 Impala Advice needed.

PA Impala

Member
Hello all,
I have a 62 Impala SS with factory 6cyl engine. She's getting tired and I will be replacing it with a 402 BBC that's already rebuilt and ready to go in. I'm trying to figure out what water pump to use Short/Long since I need to make that decision to order brackets , wiring harness etc. I was leaning towards a short water pump since I'm not sure how the engine will sit in relation to the radiator. My thoughts were to use the short pump and if needed work with fan spacers to get the fan where it needs to be to the shroud etc. I'll be using Sanderson BB1 headers and a Turbo 350 trans so the swap should be pretty smooth... I hope :) Any thoughts from folks that have done this swap .
Thanks
 

Jim Sullivan

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
I'm thinking you'll need the short water pump. Also, do you need a specific oil pan to clear the cross member? I'm sure others with more knowledge than I will reply with the correct information.
 

nana1962409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I had a 454 in my 62 and I was cheap and ran the long water pump and power steering pump setup that was on it when I got the engine. No way a mechanical fan would fit with the long pump I used a electric one. The pan was the stock one with just a single dip in it and believe it was the original that was on it from the 73 4x4 pickup it came out of.
 

425/409ER

Well Known Member
I did the swap back in 1993, put a 396 in our Biscayne, went pretty good. The biggest problem back then was lack of exhaust manifolds or headers. The Hookers cost too much and the damn pri tubes are too big for street cars and the only manifolds that work were the factory Vette ones otherwise it was a drop and play. Not much different than putting in a 409. Totay there are a lot of shorty headers that take car of all that.
 

63impalass409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Ya stay away from the hookers as I did a blown 396 into my kids 62 about 12 years ago and they fit like crap and the collectors dumped right in front of the transmission crossmember so now I believe he has the Sanderson units.
 

Mearl

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
I bought a set of ceramic shorty headers for the 61 and tried them with the big block. They wouldn't clear he steering shaft so I had to go back to the side exit headers.
 

425/409ER

Well Known Member
I've got a set of those Hooker "Super Competition" headers, I think they are 2 inch primaries:

View attachment 76837
At one time I was planning on stuffing a 454 BBC in the now BA409 car, but plans change, don't they?

Anyone need a set?

Best, TomK

A few years ago I would have jumped at a chance to get a decent deal on a set of those. This year I was at a swap meet and there sat a set of the Sanderson shorty BBC headers HPC coated for $75 so I scooped them up.
 

Iowa 409 Guy

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 15
Ya stay away from the hookers as I did a blown 396 into my kids 62 about 12 years ago and they fit like crap and the collectors dumped right in front of the transmission crossmember so now I believe he has the Sanderson units.

I put hookers in the Crusher around 1993. They fit well. I had them coated 10 years ago. One of the tubes fell out this year and I cobbled it up to get through the year. Have Wilson's on order.
 

PA Impala

Member
Thank you everyone. A short water pump it is. I have the Sanderson BB1 headers and Borgeson steering. Looking forward to the swap.
 

63impaloligist

Well Known Member
I have the hookers, out of my car with "S" turns. They're up in the loft above one of the 2 cars. They went from 3.5 inch to 3 inch S turn into the 3 inch mufflers, then dumped out before the rear tires. It was loud floored with the old 396. There is a straight down Moroso pan, the only one that fit. 6 or 7 quarts. I currently can't see the pan part number. There are double flanges on my old setup. So, the S turn will come off the headers and 1 just before the mufflers, and that is how the changed over to one of my 327s was so easy. Removable leading pipes, and both use the same mufflers. I was thinking about selling the BBC headers with the S turns. These setups were in my 63 Impala. The SBC still is. If I can find the part number of the pan, I will post it for you.
 

63impaloligist

Well Known Member
Come to think of it, I also have block huggers with leading pipes. Leading pipes have manual dumps and flowmaster 40 series mufflers. They are cut after the mufflers. Nice shape.
 

63impaloligist

Well Known Member
Ok, so I ran the Moroso 20451 pan. 9 inch deep, 7 quarts. It's currently on my Musi 454, on a cradle. I had it in the 63 impala with the Hooker 2 1/8 primaries 3.5 collector Super Comp headers. I ran a Muncie 4 speed, with a scattershield and block plate, Centerforce dual friction clutch. They are the headers with the S turns. I did twist the spines on the axles in the rear, with the wheel hop. The car even had/has the Hotchkis dual upper control arm boxed trailing arm setup. I have (2 sets) and didn't install the NMW ladder bars. I did use the 8.2 drop out setup though, with 4.11. I was gonna put the Musi 454 in the car, and built it for the car, but I am not gonna do it anymore. I'll use the BBC in another chassis, since I don't want to mess up a nice ride. I think I'm on the 4th engine, 4th trans and 3rd or 4th gear set in the car now. That old 396, had cam issues. At the time I was unaware about ZDDP in our engine oil and that it was being removed. I learned the hard way. Though it didn't go right away, I think I got about 50 miles out of it. At the time I had a Nextel brick, so I only have 1 picture with that engine in there, if the phone would even come back to life. And then 5 days after the 396 "coughed", I had the 327 from my 63 SS in it. Which is this car and the 3rd drivetrain.


 
Top