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Necoa #: 12009
Location: 13(TX)
Joined: Jun 30, 2008
Posts: 4
Year: 1975
Model: El Camino
Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:47 pm Post subject: turbo 350 to turbo 400?
well ive got a 75 elky with a turbo 350, i want to get a turbo 400.
right now its a auto with shifter on the column, i want to convert it to a turbo 400 with a b&m shifter in a center console or somethin like that.
what all would i have to do for that?
i have a bench seat currently and would want to convert to buckets.
also the tranny crossmember only has 1 bend for an exhaust, anybody know where i can get one for dual exhaust maybe? i have been junkyard diving for a few weeks with no luck heh. =[ _________________ 1975 el camino classic 350 .60 over flat top pistons, 4 bbl q-jet carb
Necoa #: 2321
Location: 15(AZ,NM)
Joined: Jan 30, 2004
Posts: 1168
Year: 1974
Model: El Camino
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:12 am Post subject:
I didn't have any issues with the crossmember with my dual exhaust on my 74. I've never had a Y-pipe so it's duals from front to back. I never had a catalytic converter either though since they didn't install them on El Camino's till 75 and mine was a California Emissions car too and ran on regular gas (leaded that is)
So maybe find a crossmember from a 74 El Camino or Malibu Wagon.
As for the tranny I switched from a TH350 to a TH400 and had to move the rear crossmember back about 4 inches and drill new holes in the frame. I also had to get the driveshaft shortened and rebalanced. The TH400 is longer than the TH350 hence the driveline mods.
You may want to check into parking brake cables too as the TH350 and TH400 cables are different because of where the cable is in relation to the tail housing of the transmission. You can move the cable around to minimize interference with the tail housing by trying different combinations of the cable hooks but it's best to get the right part for the job. El Caminos did come with TH400's as an option so the TH400 parking cable is available, the hooks are likely a salvage yard item though.
While the TH400 is a beefier transmission it's stock first gear ratios are a bit less aggresive than the TH350's so it may not fry the tires quite as easily.
Good luck with the mod. Not much help with the seats as I kept the bench
and the column shift. I'm pretty sure you're going to have to drill and tap holes for the bench seat frames though.
_________________ 74 El Camino Classic - project car #1
96 Camaro - RIP, Traded 10-16-2007
2008 Mustang GT, It ain't a Chevy but at least it's American!
Do a search on the double hump cross member. There are two different lengths for the 4th generation. The easy way may be to notch your current cross member. There are pictures on this site of altered cross members and even if it is a 5th gen. picture you can see how it is done. Really rather simple once you know where the exhaust will run.
On the parking brake cable I don't think it would use a shorter cable but instead a shorted cable hook at the cross member.
I just stole this picture from a post by Truckedup! Hope he don't mind! _________________ "Still Just Truck'in"
"Johnny"
Bradley, Illinois
Necoa #: 2321
Location: 15(AZ,NM)
Joined: Jan 30, 2004
Posts: 1168
Year: 1974
Model: El Camino
Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject:
Quote:
On the parking brake cable I don't think it would use a shorter cable but instead a shorted cable hook at the cross member.
When I bought a replacement cable at Original Parts group there were actually two different cable sets one for a TH350 and one for a TH400. The hooks don't really help because you have to get the cable out of the way of the tail housing and there just wasn't enough slack. The factory manual shows a different routing as well. I ran into this and had a heck of a time. The Th400 cable is only about 6 inches longer by my estimation but it's enough to get it out of the way.
And with that I've finally done 1000 posts. I know some on here get that in a month but it's a neat milestone anyway...
_________________ 74 El Camino Classic - project car #1
96 Camaro - RIP, Traded 10-16-2007
2008 Mustang GT, It ain't a Chevy but at least it's American!
Necoa #: 12009
Location: 13(TX)
Joined: Jun 30, 2008
Posts: 4
Year: 1975
Model: El Camino
Posted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:24 am Post subject:
looks like i am going to try notching the crossmember pretty soon.
i got another question, i got some headers that fit perfect until i put the starter in, they then lacked about about 1/8 inch of clearance, anybody got any idea if a mini starter might gimme that small amount of room? _________________ 1975 el camino classic 350 .60 over flat top pistons, 4 bbl q-jet carb
I don't know what type headers you have but I used short tube headers and they worked good. I had a friend that tried to use long tube headers and they wouldn't work. The first pair of short tubes headers didn't work but the second pair did.
On the bucket seats I used a pair of bucket seats out of a 3rd generation camaro. They will work but you will need to swap the seat tracks off a pair of el camino buckets or a split bench. You can use the stock seat track off the camaro but you'll have to drill a hole and modify them to work in your el camino. If your el camino came with a split bench seat you are in good shape. If not you'll have to find a set of seat tracks from a slit bench. You'll also have to weld a pair of nut plates down to the floorboards so you will have something to bolt your new seats down to. You can find those nut plates at OPGI.
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Do a search on the double hump cross member. There are two different lengths for the 4th generation. The easy way may be to notch your current cross member. There are pictures on this site of altered cross members and even if it is a 5th gen. picture you can see how it is done. Really rather simple once you know where the exhaust will run. 
