I have a complete 1968 w-30 automatic engine and would like to use some other heads on the rebuilt engine. I have some "e" heads. Will any letter head work on this engine? Don't want to run the "D" heads on the engine. Thanks Lee

1970 442
1971 442
1970 Vista

 

Heads'll work, but you just killed the W-30 part!
I'd pocket port, port match, and do a valve job on the originals.
Use a thicker head gasket, if you're afraid of the compression, and it'll still run better!

 

Yup, any BBO heads fit.

 

I could probably start a new thread and it would be interesting to see the opinions of the group members. The value of this real 1968 w-30 engine is only in the heads, unless I had the car to go with the numbers on the block. Since I don't have a 68 w-30 (I do have a 70 and 71) the engine is just a low mileage standard bore with original w-30 pistons and cam. Will be a nice runner but I hesitate to use "d" heads on a car that does not need them. It might be better to sell the whole engine with heads and get one without all the original w-30 internals and keep it together for a 68 w-30 that would want a real engine.

Lee

 

I agree, sell the engine to someone who could use it for their W30 or Hurst and then get a 455 and put some modern heads on it

 

How much are D heads worth?

 

from crazy....the guy on ebay trying to get $7k to a low of probably $1600 or a bargin from uninformed owner of a few hundred if you are in the right place at the right time.

 

Lee,

Could you post the partial VIN off the block.......you never know, it might be worth a lot of money to someone......

 

I like the direction your going in... and on the off chance you find someone with the rest of the correct car, way cool. But for your car I'd use a set of C or Ka heads to grind on leaving the D's virgin. Or go for the Edelbrocks, depending on what your goals are. I'd love to have the heads for my 1969 W30 car, but couldn't spend the cash they're worth. Are you needing much you'd take in trade for your other cars? Or even a complete project car? John

 

I have a set of c to make a trade . could use a set of d's on my 69 h/o .

 

I will post the vin #here and on the Journey with Olds magazine. If you can let me know some other sites I will do that too. I know the car started its life in California. I am sure there are not many engines with standard bore original w-30 pistons and cam. Would be a cool story to find the original car since I am not going to be crazy priced like the guy on ebay with the $7,000 heads. Mine are easily as good as his because they have never been cut or modified and the engine includes specs with all the tolerances/clearances and is freshend with new rings, bearings and seals.

Lee

Lee

 

Have yet to see a set of D heads sell in the last year on ebay that guy has had them on there for over a year the other ones have been up in the 25 to 27 range some of that has been shill bidding . Did you ever get the rims you were looking for?

 

Chris Witt Posted this a few months ago. His auto W30 was from California

38M252205

http://www.realoldspower.com/phpBB2/...2916&highlight=

 

Got the rims, steering wheel and a NOS w-27 cover. I am going to Colorado next Thursday to see my car 75% finished painted on the rolling frame. My carry on luggage will be a bunch of parts for the restoration. Go to levelonerestoration.com and you can see the current status. It is very exciting to my family to see the car get finished.

Lee

 

engine # is 38m263410

Lee

 

Are the exhaust shrouds different for a 1968 w-30 and a stock 442?

Lee

 

How did you come across the engine? So the owner did not have any info on the original car?

Gene

 

Was the W-30 automatic available with a milder cam when ordered with power brakes like in 1970? I saw that on 442.com and had thought they all received the 328 came till 1970.

 

You are correct, Diego. The 68-69 W-30s got the 328 deg cam with either trans, and neither power brakes nor A/C were available on any W-30 in those years as a result. Only the 1970 cars got the milder cam with the AT, mainly to allow the installation of A/C and power brakes. The 328 deg cam was gone by 1971 in any case.

 

Your name even is tied to that "fact" on 442.com. Probably burns you up and down, right?

 

I did that years ago, saved the D's used a set of E's. Looking back made the E's nice but sorry I did that

 

Not mine

Google returns zero results for
344678M263-410
344778M263-410
344878M263-410

w/o the dashes of course
added the dashes here so that it won't show up in a similar search

 

I have a 1968 Olds 400 442 W30 that I'm rebuilding. The heads are the best part of the engine, flow test great. The block should've been more square, so I bored it out to a 4"bore (lots of meat on the block)and now its a 427, much better. Proper cam, highrise intake (to fully utilize the "D"heads) and 9.5CR pistons produces a very clean Dynoed 459 hp with 535ft lbs of torque. Trying different intakes/carb combos for better results, will let you know when tested.

 

Dynoed 459 hp with 535ft lbs of torque
=================
Really??

Out of a bored G400?

Damn cool.

Now, put a forged 425 crank in that thing and de-stroke it

Well, hell, then it's "just" an E400 in a G400 suit.

 

FWIW - my former '68 W-30 4-spd w/3.91s hardtop was 38M178809

 

1968 W30 4-spd w/3.42 hardtop, black with light blue interior. frame off in process.

 

What do you want for the engine? or just the heads?

 

Good numbers from a G block 400

 

Not for sale, going into my 68 W30, full frame up resto.

 

I'm very interested by this. Did you sonic test the walls after boring that much?

 

Yes, I tested one hole and found out that there is plenty of meat in those blocks, so I bored the rest checking all the rest just to make sure. That with a little grooming of the "D" heads (great flow witout any grooming) with intake port matching and a 521. lift cam with a 289 duration (1800-5800 rpm range) really allows the engine the breath. Pending intake, carb and exhaust combo you will/can produce 440-460hp and over 500 ft lbs of torque, great for a street machine. If you use Harland Sharp rockers (no modifications to the heads) the stock covers will fit, paint the intake and it will look like a stock engine with headers, that sounds great!!

 

Not yours was asking about the original post 68 W30 400

 

You might want to message leepear as his post is almost 2 years old.

 

My mistake I thought it was a current thread.
On another note I have a 69 G block that is .060 over, I should get it sonic tested I would like to know how thick the cylinder walls are on a 400G.
How much was left after a 4.00 inch over bore.

 

Would you happen to have before and after thickness numbers?

 

Prior to boring out the engine the wall thickness for the cylinders were 340-450, 450 being at the top end where needed.

 

Sorry, I bored it out 100 thou, now 240-350.

 

I'm really interested in seeing how this motor performs. There have been many, many threads here and ROP on boring a G block this much. No one has ever documented doing it. A lot of people have known someone who knew someone, blah, blah blah; etc..... but you're the first that I've ever read about that's actually done it.

 

test

 

Our 400 G block was .060 over and had great TQ and spun up real quick, I always felt it was a good engine. It might not make as much hp/tq as a 455 but it is 55cu less. I don't know why there is so much negative posts on this engine. Same heads,crank,rods as a 455. The engine pulled hard through a 1/4 mile and spun past 5500rpm with easy ,so easy it spun rod bearings.I know every one posts that the valve's are shrouded but they got them to run in the 12's in stock eliminator back in 69. When stock was stock in the glory days before the fall of the class.