231 to Buick 350 swap

Discussion in 'V-8 Buick Powered Regals' started by KGB, Oct 21, 2017.

  1. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Hey folks. Got my parts the other day from TA Performance and finally got my swap started. Its an 86 regal with a N/A 231 v6 (thats leaking oil terribly) and a metric 200. I've got a Buick 350 out of a 69 skylark I'm planning to stuff in. My question right now is, whats the best way to setup a tv cable on a rochester 2 jet? Do I just cut my old bracket from the v6 and swap over? What have you guys done on your setups? Maybe not with the weak metric but any ideas at this point would be greatly appreciated.
    dt.jpg I'll have more pics up later on tonight.
     
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  2. MrSony

    MrSony Well-Known Member

    Step 1: Toss the metric. Don't even think about putting a V8 in front of that thing. TH350 (1975+ with the kickdown cable, short tailshaft) is literally a drop in swap. If you swap to a TA intake/holley or qjet (edelbrocks suck) there is room to use them little brackets that hang off the carb base. Stock intakes are too flat to use that setup. Stock bracket won't work as they don't have the extra hole for the kickdown cable.
     
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  3. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Sure glad I asked before I went any farther. So now I've got a few more questions if you don't mind. I know the TH350 is a direct swap but, B.O.P 350's aren't easy to come by near me. If I can get my hands on a Chevy pattern 350, how much will an adapter plate throw the transmission from the crossmember? Now, I've only got one wrecker in town that keeps anything past 1990. If I'm lucky, they'll have some B.O.P's sitting around. But if not, what cars should I be looking for to snag one? I know they came in tons of vehicles so I'll do some reading later on to find the right models, but if you've got some ideas I'll gladly take em.
     
  4. sean Buick 76

    sean Buick 76 Buick Nut

    I would find a 2004R trans... Have you confirmed you do if fact have the metric trans???
     
  5. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Oh yeah. METRIC right on the pan. I'd asked a few people how it would handle the 350, but most of them said "metric 200?" One said don't beat on it, it'll be fine. But I'd much rather do this right the first time, and not leave the insides of my trans on the street.
     
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  6. MrSony

    MrSony Well-Known Member

    Literally any midsize and smaller car with a BOP small block from 1970 to 1985ish would work. If you have a column shift, I'd avoid a 200r4 if you don't mind the shift indicators not lining up. Or if you want to get bucket seats, console, a new column and cluster from a floor shift car as well. Th350 with 235/60/15s and the probably 2.41 gears you have would put you at around 2k rpm at 65mph, maybe lower. I know my setup with 3.42s and those tires would be at 2500, right in the meat of the torque curve for a SBB.
     
  7. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Well the Buick gods may have smiled upon me. There's a B.O.P 350 11 hours away, for $150. If he can ship it to me I'll be laughing. Thanks again for all the info. Clearly my ducks weren't all in a row for this one.
     
  8. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Alright folks, I've got an update. I got that transmission shortly after my last post, and just got it back from the shop. My intake came in the mail a couple weeks ago. I just need the last few small things that stop me from firing the engine, before I start the swap. So I decided to change the intake and oil pan gasket before I start ripping the car apart. Start pulling the intake off, everything went super smooth. Get all the new parts lined up and looking happy. Apply my RTV and hit the home stretch. Start tightening bolts nice and easy. One was getting a little too tight for where it was, and just as I did one last push. Snap. So that's where I'm at. On the plus side, from what I can see this engine is pretty clean. Aside from some spots on the cam, and the snapped bolt. I'll grab a pic of the bolt later on today.
    20180309_221102_HDR.jpg 20180309_221730_HDR.jpg 20180309_221738_HDR.jpg
     
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  9. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Well here's my handy work. Not too proud of it, but its a good lesson in taking your time and not rushing. Had I stopped the first time and shut it down for the night, I wouldn't be in this mess. I'm going to get started tomorrow after work, with some experienced help. I'm hoping I can get this thing buttoned up before my last parts get here, and maybe start the swap this weekend.
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  10. 1987Regal

    1987Regal Well-Known Member

    If it were me I would use the old trick with setting a nut on top and Welding it to the bolt the only thing that might stop you from this working is the fact that it went in hard so you might twist the nut right off backing it out. The other thing is if it's down in the hole too much that might stop you from using this idea. Josh
     
  11. techg8

    techg8 The BS GS

    Just an fyi, for anyone researching this swap

    a th200-4r does say metric on the pan.

    A th350 is a valid swap in as well, but a 200-4r will handle a stock 350 without complaints.

    Search the 200r4 swap summary thread in the juice box forum for more info.

    Good luck with the swap! Gbodies with v8s rock!
     
  12. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Well it's nice knowing people that'll do you a favor. Got to the shop to start the battle, but a friend of mine beat me to it. Got it out while I was at work. It was in there too far to weld a nut, so he drilled and ez outed it. I also didn't know the 2004r had metric on the pan as well. If I could've found one close to me, and for a good price, I would've gone that route. Where I live, I don't have too many places to pick for parts that doesn't include a five hour drive one way. I should move.
    20180312_165204_HDR.jpg
     
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  13. techg8

    techg8 The BS GS

    that came out clean!!! good work
     
  14. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Yeah he did a great job. I was hoping to have pictures of an empty engine bay tonight, but in my mad scramble to get all the final parts I forgot one thing. I still gotta live. So I'm out of parts cash until next weekend. But I've got some pictures, and a bit of a rant. I'm not sure about other people living in Canada, but where I'm at I've got three places to get parts. Two are chains, one is a local deal. Recently when buying my parts, I'll cruise Summit and get part numbers first so I know what I'm getting is right for my application. Sometimes I can get parts next day. Most of the time its a week wait. Which isn't my problem. My problem lies with the price. This last package of parts from Summit was $124.78 USD($161.11 CAD) including shipping, three parts and a shirt. Only one place in my town could get the same three parts, minus the shirt, at a three-to-four week wait, for $130.84 USD($168.93 CAD). And that's with a discount. Almost $200 USD without one. Another example, I bought a 2 1/16" tach the other day. From Summit it was something like $178 USD($230 CAD) after shipping. I called around and got one the next day in town, for $165.74($214 CAD). Without a discount it would've cost me $232.35 USD($300 CAD). I mean, I understand the exchange rate, I get shipping. But when I can order parts from another country, and get them shipped here for cheaper than any of the parts stores I have access too, and get a shirt on top of it, it boggles my mind. Alrighty rant over, time for some pics.
    20180314_164402_HDR.jpg The Bad
    20180314_193534_HDR.jpg 20180314_194333_HDR.jpg 20180330_115842_HDR.jpg image3.jpeg 20180311_171128_HDR.jpg The Good
    20180330_191411_HDR.jpg 20180330_191418_HDR.jpg And The Ugly. This one's temporary.
     
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  15. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    20180407_115614_HDR.jpg 20180407_115638_HDR.jpg 20180407_115653_HDR.jpg 20180407_170254_HDR.jpg 20180407_220918_HDR.jpg
    I'll post the story about how I got here a little later. If everything goes to plan, I should have the engine in by tomorrow night.
     
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  16. 1987Regal

    1987Regal Well-Known Member

    I see you have a non AC car I m curious on the clearance is between the valve cover and heater box is. Josh
     
  17. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Alright, It's in. It took a bit of wiggling here, and yanking there, but it went in. Would've been a lot easier doing engine/trans as a whole, but the lift I was using wouldn't handle it. Also would've been starting and troubleshooting today instead of installing, but I got locked out of the shop until Saturday morning. But all things considered, I'm fairly happy with where I'm at. And Josh, there is barely any clearance. That was the only part of this entire thing I had no info on. Everybody seems to swap into an A/C car. But, its only against the heat shield. There's enough wiggle room between that and the heater box. I'm not worried about it. If anybody has any questions feel free to ask. And now I'm going to say what everyone else has said about this swap. It's so easy. This was my first attempt at swapping an engine and transmission. Aside from my exhaust, the dust cover, trans cooler lines, and a bit of hood insulation trimming, everything bolted up like it was meant to be. I'm just dying to fire this thing up.
    20180408_141642_HDR.jpg 20180408_164238_HDR.jpg 20180408_164249_HDR.jpg 20180408_164305_HDR.jpg 20180408_164046_HDR.jpg 20180408_164029_HDR.jpg 20180408_172846_HDR.jpg 20180408_173327_HDR.jpg
     
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  18. 1987Regal

    1987Regal Well-Known Member

    Here's what most of us deal with in a a/c setup car, far as clearence issues.
     

    Attached Files:

  19. 1987Regal

    1987Regal Well-Known Member

    Here was my out come, I used dual spal 11" electric fans with a northern aluminum radiator. Hope yours turns out good. oh one last thing maybe some people will chuckle at this but I used a ratched strap to "tie the engine down" so it doesn't hit the HVAC box under acceleration. Josh
     

    Attached Files:

  20. KGB

    KGB Well-Known Member

    Don't want your valve covers telling your heater core knock knock jokes. One of my motor mounts went about a week before I started, so I know the value of a ratchet strap. I'm sure glad I don't have an A/C car, that's a hell of a tight fit. I'm planning on driving it this weekend, so I'm just chipping away at it until I can get more than two hours in. I just need to get my old fan off the V6, which is easier said than done. And track down a kickdown cable that works. So far, those are my only hang ups. In that second pic, you can kind of see the space between the heat shield and heater box.
    20180410_174827_HDR.jpg 20180411_171353_HDR.jpg
     

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