Chevy 350 into 68-69 Skylark Instructions

Chevy 350 Engine Swap

Well. After almost a year of headaches I finally managed to put a Chevy small block into my 68 Skylark. Not all of the headaches involved the actual installation. Many headaches involved looking for the proper information on this swap which wasnt forthcoming from Buick Fans. So I'll attempt to outline everything I did and a few of the problems I had.

Step 1: Buy a small block Chevy engine. Go with a crate engine. Will save alot of hassles that I encountered buying a used engine. Year doesnt matter but may want to stick with a pre-86 small block for ease of cross referencing parts. I used a 4-bolt 350 from an 84 Chevy truck.

Step 2: Find a short shaft TH350 transmission. I used the intermediate shaft one that I had on hand because I wanted to junk the old two piece drive shaft for a more durable one piece. Had driveshaft made, bought a new yoke and new u-joints all for about $250. If you can find a short shaft tranny your stock driveshaft should be a direct fit. You can use your old tranny crossmember and bolts.

Step 3: Order motor mount adapter plate from Trans Dapt retailer. I ordered from OPGI I believe but dont quote me on that. Think price was $50. Weld some reinforcing onto the actual ears that the motor mount bolt passes through. Otherwise you will bend the tabs trying to reach the specified 60 ft-lbs of torque. These mount directly to the crossmember but are extremely difficult to get to through the small holes in bottom of crossmember. Taking off suspension would make this step 100 times easier. I did it the hard way with deep well sockets, extensions and swiveling intermediate pieces on socket wrench.

Step 4: Heres where it got a little tricky. Had trouble finding the correct motor mounts to fit the trans dapt plate. Tried Chevelle from same year and they didnt work. Had to go to auto parts place and just start measuring motor mounts. Ended up using mounts from 70-72 Camaro. They worked great.

Step 5: Exhaust. I steered clear of long tube headers because I wasnt sure how they would fit up to my Buick exhaust all ready in place. I used short tube headers from an 84 truck and they worked perfect. I think it made installing the engine easier as well. Cost $50 for exhaust shop to fab tubes from headers to exhaust.

Step 6: Installation. This was a monumental pain in the ass. Definately have a friend or two help you with this step. Clearances are tight and trans dapt plates may need to be moved about a bit to make engine fit. DO NOT INSTALL DISTRIBUTOR PRIOR TO INSTALLING ENGINE. If you havent reinforced the trans dapt plates be very careful torqueing down the mounting bolts or you will bend them as I did to one of them.

Step 7: Accesories. I used the same voltage regulator which crossed to 68 Chevelle, the same alternator and the same power steering pump. I switched to March Serpentine belts cause I knew there would be no belt alignment problems. I also kept the radiator that was in the car because it was brand new. I just went to parts store, bought 6 lower rad hoses that were close and found one that nearly fit. Needed to be trimmed on one end but worked great. I used flexible radiator hose for the upper hose. Need about a 24" hose for the upper. Was able to use all my Buick wiring. I did delete my AC so I have no advice on that subject.

Step 8: Distributor. I went with an HEI unit and had to go at my firewall with a hammer so i could adjust it for timing. The unit fit, BARELY, into the small block but had no clearance to turn either direction for timing purposes. So if you dont want to dent your firewall I would use a unit with seperate coil cause I believe they are smaller diameter.

Step 9: Dont forget to find all the holes in your new block and plug them if you are not going to be using them. Spent alot of time doing this and still forgot one. If a guy at parts store wants to know year of vehicle just tell him Chevelle from early '70's. I seemed to have the best luck using those years when looking for parts I needed.

And to all you Buick fans who will read this. I now have a sweet running 68 Skylark that is easy to find parts for if I have engine problems and if you are ever in northern michigan drop by the dragstrip and we can line em up. Buick parts always need to be ordered, at least around here and I hate waiting. If anyone has any questions about this swap please email me directly as I probably wont check this posting anytime soon. dallas121469@yahoo.com Ask for Steve

 

At least it was a skylark and not a GS...
I guess different strokes for different folks...

No harm intended I think we all can agree buicks are expensive and hard to find parts!

 

Very interesting account, I am researching into putting a 350 Chevy into my 68 Le-sabre ,would the same information on engine mounts etc apply to a 68 Le-Sabre ?

John

 

You probably had a hard time getting info from Buick folks, because we mostly run Buick engines in our Buicks and have no experience dropping in sbc's. ou: Glad to hear you found your way thru your swap though, I'd rather see that Skylark on the road/strip than the junkyard.

 

AMEN BROTHER!!! I have been toying with this idea for the past couple of weeks. I work lots of hours and it has been difficult to get ahold of TA Performance so I can get some advise on my 455 buildup. I am planning on buying the parts that they recommend, but everytime I have time to call, I get a recording or they are closed. I wish they would get their online ordering up and working-it would make life a lot easier! I also keep getting so many different views on this website, that I dont know what to believe any more. I guarantee that the 8-12k that everyone on here says is required to make a Buick 455 run, would not stand a chance against the same money-dollar for dollar- put into a small block chevy! I have a 400 small block chevy all machined along with a set of new edelbrock heads in the box-SCREAMING to be assembled everytime I walk by it in my shop! All I want to do is build a decent "street" engine to cruise with. My first choice is the 455 but..........wtf? TA Performance could be HUGE if they were more "available".

 

Wow. If you even mentioned something like this on the Olds board, they'd tear you up and spit you out......used to be a fun place.

They don't even like the D.R.C.E. engines developed and built by Olds at Batten, based on the BB Chevy. Even in a pro mod Olds body........

Talk about anal. Not everybody, in fact very few recent blogger types...ruined that site as far as I'm concerned.....too bad.

 

Im just agreeing with the fact that it is very easy to get mixed views on building up a buick. I am also agreeing that there are not enough sources for us to get our Buick parts and it makes it real difficult when restoring them. Ever see what a used grille for a '68 buick gs goes for? I am planning on sticking with my 455 but it is getting very frustrating in concerns with finding parts and getting accurate information. also, Im not bashing TA Performance..they have the best stuff out there but I have had trouble getting ahold of them--8 to 5pm monday through friday does not cut it in the working world....I wish I had a 8 to 5pm job!:TU:

 

I don't know why you couldn't use SBC motor mounts and frame pads from a 68-69 Chevelle. The holes should have been there in the frame to bolt them up. Even if they weren't, you could have mocked it up with a bare block and trans and marked the hole locations, then drilled new holes in the frame. Why use adapters if you can use stock parts?
Oh well, you got it worked out, and are driving the car. If you don't open the hood in public no one will ever know it isn't a Buick engine anyway, so who cares whats under the hood.
It's your car, enjoy it! Post some pictures so we can see it sometime.
Later, Randy

 

My 64 vert i bought from a friends dad had a 350 Chevy that used a qt every 250 miles. I had the car 2 years and I felt shame so I had to pull it and go big. It cost more but I sleep well:Brow:

 

why didn't you buy chevelle frame mounts and motor mounts. . the frame is already drilled for it. you wasted a lot of work and effort there. its a bolt in thing.

 

Amen and thank you for that !!! :gp: Lately it seems if you disagree with putting a Chebby in your Buick you get yelled at by some people here. A person can put a Chebby in their Buick but I don't have to like it. I enjoy having a motor and a car that's not the same ol same ol. John B.

 

Good post.

I put a 69 327ci in my 72 skylark awhile back. In my case you needed frame pad adapters because the cross member was too far back and would not completely support the chevy frame pads. Also I wanted to be able to change back to a Buick motor if I wanted. I suppose you could weld about anyting in place too, but it certainly was not a stock parts bolt-on.

I also found that the headers were a problem, had to use short tube headers and "clearance" the crossmember a little to get the drivers side to fit.

Some similarities to the original poster's 68-69 experiment.

In the end it was a fun project.

But I went back to a Buick 350, and am enjoying it just as much.

 

Just say NO!
Chevy engines have no place anywhere near a BUICKou:

 

Now Dont Get Mad At me, I have a 64 Skylark Id like to put a SBC in, What engine monts do I need to do this switch.
Shawn

 

Your right.....why would you want to be able to build a reliable engine that could easily put out 400hp, have good oil pressure, be easy to work on, find parts in stock at your local auto parts store, drive anywhere without a worry.....ect.. Build a buick engine and hope you can make it back and forth to the grocery store and have oil pressure by the time you get home. I have beat the tar out of many small block chevys without an issue! I am currently building a buick 455 for my GS400 (It did not have the original engine in it when I bought it) and If it had a small block in it when I got it, I would have built up a small block chevy for it. Unless you are building a numbers matching show car, build it the way you want it. I like to drive my cars so I generally dont care about the numbers matching game. My suggestion: Build it the way you want...then drive the tires off it. It is no fun having to fix your car anytime you take it out. If that is the case, the hobby will grow old very fast and you will loose interest.:bla:

 

I thought the skylarks shared the frames with the chevelles?o No: My '68 frame looks the same as any chevelle frame I have seen.

 

Was the 64 vert a big block car from the factory???...If not, whats the difference? Im just saying, If you want a reliable, easy to work on cruiser, build it the way "YOU" want. I dont think the locals would frown at the local cruise nights. The show are a different story...:laugh:

 

I assume Buicks (and Pontiacs) followed the same pattern as Olds where I worked back then. The cars built in the various BOP plants can have many differences from the ones built in the home plants at Lansing, Flint, and Pontiac.

So not all Buicks are the same, not all Pontiacs are the same, and definitely not all Olds were the same. The only ones that were built exactly the way the designers wanted were at the 3 home plants for that division. That's why the Assembly Manuals (called Product Information Manuals at that time) only are 100% accurate for home plant built cars, and why some parts sold by the aftermarket vendors don't always fit...........:beers2: :beers2:

 

Jeg's has mounts for putting a Chevy in a Buick.

 

I went through 3 350 buicks in my first 69 Lark the last one I installed a Crower "Beast" cam and tweeked the big 2 bbl and went to Buick days at Union Grove Great Lakes Dragway and I ran 14 flat and came home with the trophy . Then I built a small block Chevy and went to the bone yard , grabbed some 69 chevelle frame mounts . Bolted them on and put in the motor . I used Chevelle headers with no clearence problems at all . Used a short shaft turbo 350 trans , same driveshaft and crossmember. It actually was a very easy transformation . I did use Moroso solid block mounts.

Dave
Stitcher