I can get a super clean 83 Regal with a blown up 231 for virtually nothing. My cousin has a 74 Buick motor and trans out of an electra (It is a 350-2/TH350) The motor has 60K but has sat for 10+ years. What should be done with it in order to get it ready for the regal? How would I cheaply freshen this up? What do you guys recommend that I have for this swap??? Do you need poly turbo motor mounts? What snags have you ran into?
Regarding the motor mounts, we just installed a SBB in my Son's 84 a couple of days ago. Despite what we have read we found that V8 mounts DO NOT work on the V6 pads. Ran up to the local auto parts and got a set of V6 mounts just to get er done. We'll see how they hold up and order a set of poly$ in the future if needed. Everything else has been a breeze, and our trans should be here within the hour so were getting close to firing up. I'll have to have my Son comment on the other issues as I'm just helper (and occationally loan dept.) Good luck, Sean
When I put my '70 Buick 350 in my '76 century, I just used the V6 motor mounts off my 231 V6 oddfire and bolted them onto the 350(well, I did have to order one new motor mount because one was broken, but if the one wasn't, I could have used it as well)(direct fit) and then dropped the 350 onto the the stock v6 frame pads, and the motor bolted up to the trans w/ not too much difficulty. However, we did have to shift the weight of the car around by using two jackstands to get the trans. bellhousing to get the pins on the motor to slide into the holes of the trans, but it wasn't too hard to do once we figured out that we had to do so. You may not run into this problem. Just a little food for thought if you did though. :TU: The snags:I had to get a different fuel pump, but that was no biggy; and the only other major problem I ran into was that I had to "splice" the wires coming out of the wiring harness, because they were stuck by the exhaust manifold and I didn't want to catch them on fire, so I spliced them to get them up and over the top to lay on the valve cover/or intake manifold(which neither one get nearly as hot as the exhaust). I did run in to a few other little snags here and there, but nothing real major. I will lead you to my long thread on my v6 to v8 swap, which may help you, as I asked many questions, some stupid, some reasonable, so you may learn all you need to in order to do the swap. It's pretty straight forward, and from what I've heard, it's one of the most common motor swaps that are being done(v6 to a v8). Any questions that you can't search up on here, don't be afraid to ask any questions you still haven't gotten answers to. :TU: Here is a link to my thread on the swap: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=87249
Are you using all the accessories from the V8, like the Alt, Power Steering pump, etc.? Your fan shroud will need to be shortened or swapped out for an older Oldsmoblie V8 shroud or similar. What are you doing for exhaust?
I planned on using everything from the v6 What years of olds cars should I look for? I was thinking of modifing the crossmember to get it to work. How do I get passed the HEI problem? Is there anything you suggest on a motor that has been sitting for 10 years?
If you haven't read through the thread Mr. Buick provided, you should. I think I pulled my shroud out of a 78 or 79 Olds Cutlass with a V8. I went back later and grabbed the radiator as well. Everything will work from the V6 but you'll have to use SAE bolts on the V8 because the accessory bolts on the V6 are all metric. Use the HEI. Pull it out of the V6 and drop it in the V8. If your motor isn't seized up, you might be able to get away with just replacing some key gaskets that have dried up.
Now that won't work ou: Even if you'd change the gear and pick-up to 350 V8, you'd still have a computer controlled crappola distributor. Seek a Buick 350 HEI. If you can't find one and are stuck with points, wire in a Ballast resistor. Not hard. Good luck!!
Not that I can do this since I hacked my wiring to peices......... But technicly if you swaped in a v8 pickup couldn't you use a Buick 350 on the computer for a V8 Chevy or Olds motor? could be pretty interesting, hell you could probly mock up a TBI intake for it?
But technicly if you swaped in a v8 pickup couldn't you use a Buick 350 on the computer for a V8 Chevy or Olds motor? could be pretty interesting, hell you could probly mock up a TBI intake for it???? no but if you get pickup coil and the reluctor for an 8 cyl maybe but i wouldnt count on it as far as no hei use the point dist and convert it to magnetic or led with a pertronix or mallory conversion kit it only around 80 bucks, accel and others might have stuff also-call summit or send your pionts dist to trishield performance and get a complete rebuild with a conversion. he does that kind of stuff a
Oh that's right, he said 83 didn't he... :error: It's been too long since I've done this. Anyway, if you get a Buick 350 HEI, all you need to do is find the pink wire that went to the old HEI and plug it in. Swap the oil pressure sending unit over to the V8, plug it in and then find the water temp sender and wire.
I am grasping at straws but it would be a cool idea, did TBI chevy's use a fullsize HEI style distributor ? if that was the case everything should switch over to the Buick distributor housing, of course this is one of those free time and money situations and unless I get a job as a writer for hot rod magazine I don't think it's going to happen p Anyways back to the point. I bought a used HEI off a member of this bored for 35 bucks, installed a new coil, cap, rotor, and vacuum advance and was good to go work great in my 84 Cutlass. I was looking online and apprently Accel makes a brand new distributor for 215-350 Buicks and the BBB's aswell, I think it was like $200
I don't believe it did but I can't verify that. Can you read the tag on it? Give me the two letter code and I'll tell you what it is.
Best that I can recall, the 200r4 was only used in the diesel and 3.8 turbo (and don't quote me on that), but never behind the 3.8 "A" engine. If the pan has "metric" stamped on it you have a th-200, if nothing on the pan it's a th-250. If the RPO label is still on the decklid look for the "M" series codes (mxo, mt1, or something to that effect) That will be the trans code. You may be able to use a 200r4 from the 84-87 turbo car with the matching crossmember, but you'll have clearance issues with the exhaust.
get the trans crossmember or a custom one (g-force,jegs,summit or custom) 2004r mostly has dual bolt pattern so most will work. the come behind 4.1 v6 in regal,turbo regals,monte carlo and SS,cutlass caddillacs,some big wagons with olds eng,olds delta 88/regency 98 grand prix. almost a bolt in except for crossmeber and you might use the 350 one if you dont mind only one bolt lining up on on side 350/200c driveshaft is same as almost anything else if you have a vacumm modulator its a 350. most common
Careful now, many of the Chevy's used the 700r4 which is NOT a direct bolt in. Also, did the 83s have the extra crossmember mount on the frame? I know my 85 did so I could use different crossmembers. As for modifying my crossmember to work with duals, I just used a sledge hammer on the driver side of the crossmember to "make room" for the exhaust. It worked but it's not the best idea.
my 83 didnt have the extra mount but i have heard the some cars did i have a cheap dual crossmember is parts section from a parts regal 50 plus ship it was set up for 400 but should still work
Well, here is an update! My wife said no on the car, so I made sure a good buddy got it . The engine that my cousin had is frozen but I found a running 350 for 200 bucks. We are looking to pick that up soon I'll post pics later.
