58 engine swap

Discussion in 'Classic Buicks' started by buickoz, Apr 6, 2016.

  1. buickoz

    buickoz Member

    I have a 364 that I have overhauled,it came from a 60 Invicta, it's slightly different to the original 364 in the 58,it know that the starter is different to bolt up (it have the 1960 starter to use) and it has a different oil filter housing and a different timing cover and water pump to the 58 version,my question is will I have any issues swapping this later model in and bolting it up to my dynaflow,the new engine also had a dynaflow behind it,just wanted any advise before I try to swap it over,thanks
     
  2. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    Basically a bolt-in.
     
  3. buickoz

    buickoz Member

    Thank Tom, thought that may have been the case but just wanted to check before I remove the old engine as then I would have had a car that does not go.thanks murray
     
  4. ttotired

    ttotired Well-Known Member

    How come your changing?

    Mick
     
  5. buickoz

    buickoz Member

    The original engine is worn out,noisy and leaking oil from rear main,late last year it blew a head gasket so I parked it for the summer (too hot to use it down here)I had this other engine I bought for a spare,thought I could recondition it swap it in and drive on,with the intention that I can rebuild the original engine down the track and swap it back in at a later date.dont know if it was the best plan now but I have this nice engine and I want to get the beast going again,I miss driving it.finding parts for these down here is virtually impossible.i don't suppose you know anyone th at has a 4 barrel intake or 2x4 they don't need?.I have a 4 barrel original but it's in poor condition and my car only had a 2 barrel on it.anyway,thanks for the post, happy to keep in touch if your a 58 fan.murray
     
  6. 66electrafied

    66electrafied Just tossing in my nickel's worth

    The only real difference is the fact that the 58 364 has a combination vacuum/oil pump, and the 60 has a conventional pump. So you may have to change your wiper set up to electric. The vacuum didn't work all that hot, and the pump is pretty much impossible to find anymore, so you'd be better off to probably modify it anyway.
     
  7. buickoz

    buickoz Member

    Hi Marc, thanks for the reply,yeah those crappy vac/oil pumps, I changed the one in the 58 a few years ago,holy cow what a difference it made (it was a pump out of the engine I've just rebuilt)it got a record pump of Russell Martin he didn't have a pick up so I'm either going to have to pinch it out of the other engine if I can't find one,or I might have to make 1.thanks for your reply.murray.....can't wait to get the old girl going again.
     
  8. telriv

    telriv Founders Club Member

    Why not changeover to electric wipers & be done with the vacuum???
     
  9. buickoz

    buickoz Member

    That's the plan ,I've never actually had working wipers on it,they didn't work when I got it,then I switched to a non vac oil pump in the old engine,man what a difference that made.but I do need to find another oil pump pick up for the later pump,Russell Martin didn't have one available when he sent me the pump last November.
     
  10. ttotired

    ttotired Well-Known Member

    I would hang onto the original engine, should have the same number as the body on it.
    The engine in (well out actually) of my 58 has a shattered #1 piston as well as other problems, but finance is the biggest problem right now
    Did your engine have the thin metal head gasket, basically looks like a shim? I think if they have what looks like a normal composite head gasket, it means it has been rebuilt before
     
  11. buickoz

    buickoz Member

    The engine I have just rebuilt had metal shim style gaskets in it,according to the guy I bought it from it had only traveled 60000 miles,it was in pretty good condition when I stripped it down ,I've just put rings,bearings,cam and lifters in it,did some machine work,resurfaced the heads to make sure they were flat and had the crank linished. I'm definitely keeping the original engine and plans are to put it back in one day, (like yourself it's all about finance)I'm pretty sure it will be getting the whole treatment,re bore pistons etc,basically top to bottom.i can bet too it got metal shim gaskets in it.i can't wait to see what the engine I'm putting in makes the car go like as the old one was really really tired,it had a good inch of metal/sludge in the sump when it put t he oil pump in it.im kinda excited as it turns heads wherever I take it,I've been told from the buick club down t here that th e y think t here is only about 12 or so of these cars down here in australia, that I like!.keep in touch.murray
     
  12. bhambulldog

    bhambulldog 1955 76-RoadmasterRiviera

    Mine broke a piston and scored the cylinder.
    We sleeved that cylinder , and it's been fine since the rebuild in 1975.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  13. ttotired

    ttotired Well-Known Member

    Not many here at all that I can find. Mine is rhd as well

    I really wish I could get stuck into mine, I might have to see if I can sell my dodge to get things moving
     
  14. ttotired

    ttotired Well-Known Member

    Just wondering with your engine swap, I thought the 58 engines were balanced with the torque converter, so wouldnt you need to have the torque converter for the new engine as well for the swap?

    No one else has mentioned it, but I was warned to not mess the torque converter mounting up, unless I wanted a vibrating engine
     
  15. buickoz

    buickoz Member

    I had better look into that,luckily I'm still waiting on a few bits to arrive from t he states
     
  16. John Codman

    John Codman Platinum Level Contributor

    There are electric vacuum pumps available if you don't want to switch to electric wipers. BTW - you probably know that the 364 intake manifolds are 364 only.
     
  17. buickoz

    buickoz Member

    Yes,I've learned a few things about the 364 in the 5 years I've had it, I managed to aquire a 4 barrel intake a while ago,not in the best condition ,but it will work till I find a better one.ive just been looking t o nite at the car and seeing how to extract the old engine,I think I'm going to have to pull the engine and trans as one as there is limited room ,any suggestion, do you know if what any othe r 58 owners have done ?thanks
     
  18. ttotired

    ttotired Well-Known Member

    You really should call me, pulled the one from mine a couple of months ago. I found there was nothing in the workshop manuals to help in engine removal and when I asked around, the only response was "its pretty basic, thats why no ones replying", far from basic, bugger of a job, took 2 days (going slowly and double checking), you need a better than average engine hoist (damn thing weighs a ton by itself, let alone with the trans as well). There is very little room to work. I left the trans in because I didnt think there would be enough space to get them out together anyway. I had a lot of trouble with the temp gauge sensing bulb (back of l/h head) I had to get it out once the engine was swinging (had to remove to the core plug so I could pry the bulb out from inside the head) Almost no room to get at the capillary tube nut for the oil gauge, there was other stuff as well, but a **** of a job, especially when your winging it
     
  19. buickoz

    buickoz Member

    I've done a few engine removals but this one looks tight,there just seems to be very little room to get the bellhousing bolts out and exhaust manifold bolts,I just threw it out there just in case it's easier to pull them as one ,I don't want to do that ,as long as I can get it out with limited swearing.and of course I don't want to break or damage anything as can't allways just go to rep o A ND get the replacement parts,at the moment I'm waiting on 1 rocker tip and it's gone astray and it's now travelling thru Canada, that's all that I'm wai ting for now ,unfortunate but that's life.it you want to shoot me your member I will give you a call , or email it to me on murraym@tyres4u.com.au. talk soon murray
     
  20. BUICK 57

    BUICK 57 Well-Known Member

    for what it's worth as I have only worked on a 57, take the front end sheet metal components all off, cross member, radiator etc off including the front grill and grill bar and lower shroud. This will give you complete frontal pull away access for the engine and trans. If you do not have a lift, winch the car up onto 4 wheel stands as they are usually about 6 inches tall. To increase height use a 4 x 12 block and a 2 x 12 under each wheel stand as a solid lift base. The car already has 9 ices of ground cleanse and this would give and additional 11 to 12 inches of height and bottom clearance room. I have done this many times before I got a lift and it helps out a lot.
     

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