Hey guys, I hope this is the right website for my questions, looks like it is. Im 19 years old, Live in St. Cloud, Florida, and I'll be enrolling into college around June. What I Have: 1987 Pontiac Trans Am ZZ502 (502 HP/567Ft Lbs) 700r4 (New, Built for the 502) Stock 10 bolt rear end (3.73's, Powertrax Locker) Griffin Aluminum Radiator, (31x19 I believe) Hooker Super Comp Headers (For BBC Swap into 3rd gens) 15x10 Rear, 15x6 Front, Torque Thrust II's 315x60x15 BFG Drag Radials Well, This car just isnt, The car that this motor should be in, Has a hard time keeping it cool :ball: (chin breather, no grille, ect..) My best E.T. is 12.3 @ 117 w/ a 2.3 60' even on the DR's, Im on a stock stall converter, and still cant catch traction. So, Now comes to fun. :3gears: I also have a 1972 Buick Skylark.... Buick 350, Blown head gasket, rod knockin, lifters tapping, slap worn out. BOP Pattern Turbo350 trans (new) Everything else, bone stock, and 34 years old. I would like to, Transplant the ZZ502 into my Skylark, Im either, an idiot, or just too lazy to pay attention, but im having a hard time finding some information on the swap. Do they make motor mounts for the BBC in the car? Clearance issues? (I had to do no clearancing for the motor in the TA, just ALOT of clearancing for the headers.) Anychance in hell, I could use the Radiator in this car? I tried taking a peek, but i cant tell if the Headers will also work in this car? I would also like to put the 700r4 In the skylark, I've read, if it is the short tail shaft Turbo350, that the driveshaft will work for the 700r4 (If its the same spline, the length should be fine) Im assuming just modifying the trans crossmember is all that will be needed? Will the wheels fit? (not worried about backspacing, I mean, bolt pattern) Anybody know how much these cars weigh? I do all the work myself, ect. (Cant afford professionals) Is this something that i'll be able to go in my garage/driveway? Like i did my TA? If not, im going back to my original plan, selling both cars, and buying a grocerie getter for College, but I dont wanna give up on them yet, lol. If this swap does happen, i'll be putting in a 2800-3200 stall converter also. I dont know how to upload pics to websites so, on my myspace www.myspace.com/bigblockta there is a picture of my skylark, and a pic of my 502 if anybody is interested lol. Thanks, Brandon Woll
the GS skylark is a GM A-body. same as a Chevelle,GTO,Cutlass. if that big block will go in a Chevelle it will go in a Skylark! you would need the frame pads and mounts from a Chevelle. Best bet would be to find a Chevelle 68-72 that has the mounts in it to see where on the frame they bolt up and bolt them in the skylark in the same location. If you cant find a car to use as a model bolt them to the motor get the trans mount lined upi correctly and then lower the motor down in the frame and the mounts should line up or be pretty close to some holes in the frame. I am sure you can make the 700r4 trans workwithout much trouble. mount may be in a different location? Measure back from rear of motor/fornt of trans to the mount and see if it is the same distanceif it is the same you should be able to just drop it in. if it is different you may have to move the trans crossmember back to make up the difference in length. the frames are usually drilled for more than one trans mounting location. The wheels are the same bolt pattern 5x4.75 let me know if you need any more info I would be happy to help. Most guys think poorly of swappin a Chevy into a buick but when you are poor you use what ya gots! Right! Chris
I mean no disrespect here but why wouldn't you just want to put that motor in a nice Malibu or any other Chevelle? It's your car and I support your freedom to do with it what you want, but in a Buick??? Is a decent shape A-body Chevelle hard to come by these days? I really don't know. Again I mean no disrespect, I'm just wondering why??? o No: Hope that aftermarket block would get out soon. If it's durable, and every bit as performance oriented as a BBC 502 then maybe guys wouldn't be dropping BBC in their Skylarks . Then again I could be wrong. John. Regardless of my opinion, glad you're a member and welcome. :TU:
Ya know its just a car, as long as its a GM motor what the heck is the difference? If you got the car why go out and find something else! and pay taxes on it and all the other hassels.
I think maybe I will get another Buick and drop a 440 mopar in who could tell the difference, front distributor looks pretty close!
No disrespect taken, I've planned on alot worse (I Read some other thread, about a guy wanting to dump a 502 into a skylark, and everybody gave him a hard time, only difference was, he was going to buy one, I already have one.) Well, theres two reasons why I want it into the Skylark. One, I have the 502, Two, I have the skylark. Lol Im young, 19. Soon to be going into college, Like I said, If not this, im getting out of performance cars, untill im out of college. Meaning, I dont want to spend too much, more money on all this, when im saving for college, ect. If I had the extra bit of cash, to buy a used chevelle/malibu,80's style monte carlo, ect... I'd be buying a cavalier..... Gas mile, Cheap, ect. So, im trying to work with what I have, on a budget. Right now, I dont trust driving my TA for long distances, 1-2 hours, its good for back and forth to work, 20-35 minutes... Right now, it isnt that bad, 65-75 degrees right now, in florida, but when you start averaging in, 90-95 degree days, she dont like to run cool. Then, my skylark isnt drivable, for reasons stated above. So its either, Cash in, buy a reliable car, Or, Try to make a reliable car, out of what I have. Im all for, keeping it original, numbers matching, A track, Ect... But... That isnt my situation right now. Moparcolt, Thanks to your post (this never hit me untill i read yours, DUH!) I have a very good friend, altho we havnt talked, in about... 6-8 months, He has a 70 Chevelle, with a 396. With garage full of parts. I actually got a "fender support" off of him, that slim rod, that connects from the fender, to the frame. His dad has a El Camino (spelling?) with a 396 also, I need to go over there and speak with them, im sure they could help out with info also. But anyhow, No harm taken, Im sure i'll get worse, But thanks for the responses guys! Thanks, Brandon Woll
Sounds like a good plan to me...I'm 19 also, and I'm going to college this fall too. I have a 68 lark with a Buick 350, th-350 tranny and a chevy 10 bolt, 3.73's...Personally, I like to keep a car mostly it's own brand...but in your situation, it makes sense to drop the 502 in the lark, and save TONS of money as opposed to getting a 455, etc... The only thing I would do is to put in a 12 bolt or 8.5" to back up that torque...You'll find that unless you have tons of money in a 10 bolt (7.5") and a good build, that the 10 bolt might last about a year (if your lucky and drive like papaw lol) and give out. I know what the money situation is like. You shouldn't have nearly as many cooling issues with the skylark as, like you said, it has a full grille on it...I'm not sure about the older F-body cars, but my brother had a '98 SS Camaro, and the wheels were the 5x5 bolt pattern, which wont fit cause the Skyalrk is a 5x4 3/4. The tranny x-member will need to be moved back AND the driveshaft will have to be shortened...the 700 is longer than a 350 shorty. All in all, it's a good idea, and it would probly cost you $300 or less to do the swap yourself...Hope that helps and good luck with the swap!
BTW, college chicks dig musclecars...just a thought that might make all the hard work worthwhile lol... :beer
Yeah, College chicks dig muscle cars, but... my girlfriend hates it. Lol. She hates the color more than anything (probably because the whole car stands out) Sunshine yellow, black racing stripes, ect. Last I checked, (I havnt done any research on this car, for about a year and a half, I bought the car when i turned 17, drove it for like 8 months, and parked it) I thought the 72 Skylark came with the 8.5 rear end? And I know this has some WICKED HIGH gears, maybe 2.56? LOL Do those numbers ring a bell? Trying to pull em out of my head, from when I was 17 or so. I knew close to everything about the car, but, after the TA (BTW, I bought the TA when i was 15, lol) and the 502 swap, I've kinda lost all knowledge about the skylark. Yeah, I know about keeping it all original, same brand, ect. Im like that too, most of the time. But, put yourself in this scenario.... You have a decent looking/sound 72 Skylark, with a non running motor (Well, it'll start, and move around the yard/garage, but... i wouldnt take it for groceries) And, You have a brand new, ZZ502, and 700r4 (both have about 4500 Miles) Sitting in your garage. And you have very little funding. Anyhow, Is there a different forum that maybe I should copy/paste my original post into? I kind of left it all into my hello post, because I wasnt too sure where else to put it, I want some help/info/support ect, and im afraid all im going to get in some of the other forums (from searching, lol) Is, OMG UR AN IDIOT! GO BUICK! Ect... Its a GM Crate motor into a skylark, Its not like im on a mustang forum, asking how to put the 502 into a fox body ou: Thanks Guys! Brandon Woll
Silver87TA & 350Skylark I still aplaude both of you for sticking with American Musclecars and not going with these annoying crap boxes with the ridiculous graphics, pathetic useless wing on the on the back, and the fart can that always looks about ready to fall off. What good is a four cyl. that makes 450 hp and only 195ft/lbs. of torque? uzzled: uzzled: uzzled: Happy you guys went with American V-8 power. :beer :beer :beer :TU: John.
