What did you do to your Olds powered vehicle today?

Intragration

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Apr 2, 2019
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Exactly. The engine seems to be pointing up towards the front, so the angled gasket gets the air cleaner a little closer to horizontal. It was also necessary in my case, as it was hitting the fuel inlet on the Edelbrock carb I'm currently using. Turna, I'm not sure which engine you've got, but the problem in this case is the 455 typically brings pretty much any air cleaner other than the most extreme drop base into contact with the hood. Compare the relationship between the air cleaner and the rear hood seal in your pics with this one.

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Intragration

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Apr 2, 2019
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So yeah, the top of your carb sits a bit lower than with the 455. Not sure of the exact difference, one source I have lists a 3.5-3.75" difference. Not sure if it's this much. Plus I've got an Edelbrock Performer, which I believe is taller than a factory intake.

That Camaro air cleaner you pictured, that would probably work well with a 455, in conjunction with the angled gasket. It would certainly clear the HEI, and it looks like the thickness of the cleaner itself wouldn't be a problem. I had even considered it, but I'm not sure which filter it uses, it might be the 11 7/8" x 2.5", which is on the small side. I wanted to maximize filter capacity. The SA324A is 13" x 2.8".
 

Olds 307 and 403

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Oct 4, 2018
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Melville, Saskatchewan
This is where the A body has an advantage. I fit my home made dual snorkel no problem, a regular 307 air cleaner with a 260 snorkel added fits with RPM intake, no problem. I have the raised "S" hood. I was going to use it with the 10" filter and top with my hood scoop on my G body with the RPM, no way it would fit. Obviously that dual snorkel is a drop base to work.
 

Intragration

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Apr 2, 2019
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You can also fit 275/60s on an A-body ha ha. But then, the G-body has a bit of a weight advantage.

Yes, the base has a bit of a drop, but not as much I don't think as the open-element one I used to have on there. The thing with the angled gasket it, it raises the rear of the base up at the back of the carb by about 1/2", which has the effect of lowering the front lip by almost twice as much.
 

Olds 307 and 403

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Oct 4, 2018
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Melville, Saskatchewan
I can fit huge tires in the back on my 70S. Since our track is closed for good:(, I will throw on the MT ET Street 26x10.5-15 on SS3's on the back for the fun of it. Unlike on my 88, they won't rub anywhere, room to spare.
 
Apr 27, 2019
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After a long stretch of "paying the bills", I'm finally in the process of putting new tires on the Cutlass. The ones that are on it now were used when I put them on 8 years ago, and I think they're 12 years old. They're touring 215/65-15s and traction has been somewhat of an...issue...with the 455. Unfortunately the rims I have are the exact ones I want, 15x7 SSIIIs, and my understanding is the backspacing is 4.25", which means the tires are already close to the frame. Did all the research, measuring, and math, and decided to go with 245/60-15s on the back, along with 1/4" spacers. Staying with 215s on the front on account of the Hooker 3203s. Thought about new studs, but it appears I'll still have almost 9 turns or 13.5 mm, so it should be fine. This setup should still have 3/8 to 7/16 of space between the tires and frame, compared with 5/8 now.


I need some help I have found the unicorn 403 SMW but idk what specs it is because its so rare hard to find info on it but I do have it though I checked the codes on it my dad has been setting on it for years saven it for a rainy day and I guess the day Is here and he wants to sale it probably gonna action it off soon after we figure more out about it but deff needing some help tho finding right prices specs what it came out of among other things

554990 4A is block code
 

JAMCAR223

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Apr 20, 2019
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Here's an example of the replies you're likely to get..

Have you ever wondered how, if 2500 of the mythical SMW 403s were really made, no photograph or other proof of existence has ever surfaced in the last 30+ years? I have one of 912 69 H/Os, one of the 1700 1966 tripower intakes, even one of the handful of experimental factory cross ram intakes, but no one has ever seen a SMW 403. I don't care what Mondello says, the SMW 403 doesn't exist.


I've heard of gents finding 403s with "solid main webbs" but in reality they were "windowed" but the window was smaller than normal, so there was more "beef" around the crank saddle. If you find a solid web 403, by all means keep it and hide it away in a safe deposit box cause you just hit the mother load. That block would cause quite a stir amoungst the Olds crowd! Good luck


All "4A" blocks don't necessary have solid main webs. #554990 has been found to have open webs.
 
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Olds 307 and 403

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Oct 4, 2018
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Melville, Saskatchewan
Ha ha, very funny.
 

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