[truckboy61]

I have a 1961 Chevy truck that currently has a 283 in it. I just picked up a 454 and am looking to swap motors, I have talked to different people regarding the swap and get different answers about the 454 mounting up with or without modifications ? What parts can be used, such as alternator and radiator? and will my msd box work with hei on big block ?

[fast68]

any msd is usually for hei afaik yes

stock hei is perfectly plenty enough as its at least 45k volts in stock form

no real need for anything more unless youre drag racing or some other crazy thing like that or for some stupid reason running a larger than stock park plug gap.



alternator will work in the truck if you wire it to the battery wires under the hood since a 61 was originally a generator truck

anything before 73 in the trucks was driver side alternator/generator

so if you want driver side still then you will need short water pump styler alternator brackets for pre-73 trucks, or car,

whichever style accessories you are going to run

as they changed and varied a few times over the years

as they did for the sbc engines

69-up in cars were long pump

the trucks carried old swp style accessories longer


good luck