Going to go look at 77 Electra today. Could be a nice family car around town. 4 door and it's a limited. How can i tell if it has a 350 or and olds 403? I'm assuming the distributor placement?? How can I tell what transmission it has? I'm reading it could have a 2,3 or 4 speed auto? What's the mpg on both engines and your experiene with one of these? Thanks
Both have rear distributors. The Olds has a tall built in oil filler spout on the front passenger side of the engine. The Buick will have "350" cast into block facing up just behind the intake manifold. A local friend has owned both. The 350 is barely adequate. The one with a 403 is better but not a rocket ship. It is still a big heavy car and mileage will be 10-20 mph depending on how you drive. The trans in a 403 is a TH400 3 speed. The 350 powered 77 Limited is also a 3 speed. I am unsure whether it is a TH350 or 400.
It should have the engine displacement tag on top the core/radiator support 6.6 for 403 and 5.7 for the 350
That's good to hear, I might be getting this and selling the 87 Nissan I got free from the old owner of this house. I also got a 92 corola in storage I'm going to sell to the government with this program for cars that's can't pass smog. The Buick is for sale at 600$ but I'm getting it for 400 towed to my house. The seller says it's a good running car but he took off the carb for some work. Hope he's telling the truth about the carb situation but either way it's a good price for a grocery getter
The wife was cool with me buying it. I love it, she was so cool about it she always is when i buy another car. Took her for an ice cream cone and just before that she asked me " do you have a problem" with buying cars. Lol we laughed. But I Passed on the Electra. Mostly because of the engine. It was a blue 403 with the distributor in the back. The interior was white cloth and very dirty and the doors leather was all cracked. The car looked better in person. I told the guys thanks but I had to pass, as I drove away he told me they would do 250$ towed and everything. I still passed, I'm proud of myself I didn't buy what I didn't want. Oh well thanks for everybodys time . On to next one.
Probably best that you passed, it sounds like there was more missing than met the eye, if the guy was going to let you have it for $250. Sounds like he was desperate to get rid of it. An Olds 403 wasn't a bad motor, more powerful than the poor Buick 350, but lot better than the SBC or the Olds 307 they threw in those things later on.
