455 Olds Swap

[rsr]

I've got a 18' 74 Glencoe with a 455 Olds with Bassets, Edelbrock manifold, 750 Holley, and a Jacuzzi Pump. Recently threw a rod and am ready to retire the Olds. Question is how much trouble will it be to swap in a 454? Have been told by many that it is a simple swap, told by others that it might be more trouble than it's worth? Any advice or leads as to where to get started would be much appreciated.

[blueskiller]

I also have a 73 Glencoe. Just wondering what yours looks like, not many people have them.

[gstark]

I had a 73 18' Glencoe 455/Berk JC-A for 18 years and ran the daylights out of it. Traded it in this year. Actually miss it. I may buy it back just to have a 2nd boat. Excellent for waterskiing, turns hard and leaves hard.
My neighbor has a newer 19 footer with cocktail seating. 454 with a Jacuzzi. I drive it and felt right at home.
RSR, for what I've heard, a 454 swap is a whole bunch of work. Then again, that depends on what one thinks is a lot of work.
Basically, you'd be rigging a new engine installation, need a complete 454, exhaust, mounting system, etc... The list gets rather long.
I've got a whole bunch of pics of mine that can be scanned.

[slotracer]

i just finished a swap from 455 to 454 apox. cost $5000.00. motor 1000.00 with exhaust rebuild 3500.00. misc parts 500.00 if you like the boat do it if not sell it and buy a boat. the way i looked at it was now i have a new motor in mine and i know what is done to it

[jaqquuuz]

Hey gang Ive got a 73 Glenco with the Olds what does anyone know about this hull Im sorta intrested.

[gstark]

My 73 18' Glencoe was a fine boat for 18 years. It would turn hard, and the 455 would pull 2 widebodies out of the hole on a deep water start. I had a spreadbore 650 dbl pumper that provided crisp throttle response. I added an Airguide speedo, never GPS'd it, but I could bury the needle at 50 and have throttle left. Never put a diverter on it. Never wanted to spend the $$. So instead I traded it in on a new Caliber1 pump boat (I really saved $$$) with a 502.
I had 2 fwd facing seats, and fore-aft seats along each side. The doghouse was rather large, and I reupholstered the boat about 6 years ago from an old guy in Sanger, CA, for about $200. I did all the woodwork, and fab'd a stainless steel ski pylon mounted in front of the engine. The doghouse tilted fwd on a stainless piano hinge. Pretty slick.
About 2 years ago, I was at the river and smelled fuel. My feet started to burn. I realized that there was a fuel leak coming from the under deck mounted fuel tank. I had just filled up with 25 gal. Well, I pulled the boat out of the water and onto the trailer. When I got home the tank was bone dry. So I pulled the tank, all supply lines were fine, and I had hardlined with stainless 1/2" dia tubing. One corner of the tank had evidence of rust. As I looked further, I found a pin hole leak and I took a pin and pushed right thru it.
Where did the 25 gal of fuel go? Under the floorboard, soaked up by the already water logged foam shot into the cavity. I drained as much as possible, and flushed with water for hours. I gutted the interior, and carefully cut 99% of the way thru the floor with a skillsaw and confirmed what I thought. I pulled all the foam out, scrubbed the hull, which had two partial length stringers and a center stringer not quite glassed to the hull. I bought 3/4" marine plywood and rebuild the floor and glassed the area in. I cut the bottom off the tank and TIG welded a new stainless steel bottom to the mild steel tank shell. This repair significantly stiffened the hull, and the boat felt a great deal more solid in sloppy water.
Just a word to the wise. Keep an eye of carbon steel fuel tanks.

[Hondo Jet]

I just put a 455 and Berkeley pump in my boat that was set up for a 454 and Jacuzzi. Swapping engines is no problem. Put all the engine mounts on the 454 set it in the boat and hook up the drive line. Pull your carb off and set a level on the intake manifold and another on the stringers when they are both level start drilling holes in the stringers for the engine mounts.

[rsr]

gstark: Thanks for your help. Still searching for the elusive 455 and deciding between the swap or fix. Was wondering if I could get a look at some of those pics of your Glencoe. If possible feel free to drop those pics at my email (rsrrose@hotmail.com).
Again thanks for the info.

[rsr]

blueskiller: I've got a few pics that I can scan if your interested. Basically mine is old school with white hull and brown/gold deck with red pinstriping. Interior is classic white with red piping. The hull is clean and the lines are smooth. I like the ride alot, that's why I'm considering the engine swap.

[luvmyboat]

RE: 455 to 454 swap. I hope that I'm not shooting my mouth off too soon, but; I had a tired 455 and a friend with a 454 out of his race car. Seems the nitrous messed up (stress cracks) the pistons. He sold me the engine. I went to Eliminator boats and the parts guy sold me a bell housing, motor mounts, exhaust manifolds and tips for $300.00. Damn near got in an accident getting back and forth from the ATM. He said that they were "take offs" and the owner wanted to get rtid of the x-tras. A Divorce slowed up the motor build, I need pistons, gasket set and hoses to make it run. I hope and figgure about 700.00. Oh well, next year maybe I can run with y'all.