Am I gonna be banned from this wonderful site if I put a Chevy S/B in my 85 Cutlass?

 

Probably not, but we'll all look at you funny...

 

Please don't post pics

I might pitch my grits

 

Yes, you already have. All these posts you see are just a figament of or imagination. Actually no. But why are you doing it?

 

We will definitely make fun of you! You won't be banned though. Unless you don't post pics.

 

When the 22 inch rims go on it you will have to go....!!

 

Even in Australia we keep'm POWERED BY OLDS ... and they ain't an easy engine to find over here

 

?????
Chebby? Why would you want a chebby? This cross breeding thing was done by GM back in the 70's and it wasn't popular then either. What's wrong with the engine that's in the car? Is it time for a rebuild? If yes, heck you can create a monster rocket pretty easy.

???Chebby engine in Olds???? Gotta cold chill. Just say no.

 

It will being like the man without a country, nobody will want you and show no pity. Through your own actions you will be sentencing yourself to being the only passenger forever floating in a lonely ship on the sea of despair.

Allan

 

No worries, just never open the hood when there's other people around. Tell people that there's a 350 in it, and everyone will assume that it's a Rocket!

 

One question, Why? 455 of real olds power even in stock condition blows away 350 chevys

 

Agreed 100%

 

Yup, agree. But in 1985 the 455 in a Cutlass was not the weapon being produced. If you've got the 307, I really would suggest looking for an older rocket 350 or a 455. Shouldn't have any trouble fitting a 350 or 455 in the same space.

 

He could get "Fauxmobile" valve covers. They are Chevy valve covers that say "Oldsmobile." They are advertised all the time in Rod and Custom. That way he could fool people into thinking he has an Olds engine when actually it is a Chevy.

 

Oh! Yeah! I'm good at starting drama aren't I? Just kidding. But really, grab a cup of coffee and a seat cause this could take a minute.

I have given the Cutlass to my 13 year old son to work on so he has a car when he starts driving. My wife and I were considering puting a V-6 in it so it doesn't have too much power and gets good gas milage. But I threw that idea out because if he drives stupid, which I'm sure he will (cause I did), then the amount of power doesn't matter much. Right now I have a 78 403 in the Cutlass but it's on it's last leg. In bad need of a rebuild. I have a 455 but it is in worse shape than the 403. Besides that he won't be able to feed a 455. I have a 307 but damn it likes gas and I have other plans for that anyway. And being how the car needs alot of suspension and interior work, not to mention bodywork, I don't think he will have the money to rebuild an engine. So all this leaves me with an 89 TBI 350 from a truck. It's in good shape and I have the wiring and ECU to go with it. It came from the 89 1Ton crewcab I used to have and got about 12 or so miles to the gallon. After the truck was no more I put it in an 81 Monte and got 14-15 mpg. The Monte is no more because the frame was bent. So with okay power and decent milage, I think it would be a good car for him. And at this point in his life he would settle for a hamster and a wheel, he don't care. When he gets older we'll talk about the 455 which I would love to see in the car. It's more of an economic thing because he is going to pay for most of the repairs and such.

 

As we used to sat at US 30 Dragstrip "Run what ya brung". Sounds like good economic policy to me. I would do the same thing.

 

You still have to contend with engine swap issues from Olds to Chevrolet- frame mounts, brackets, radiator, wiring, all the little things that will make things harder than swapping same for same. (You're aware that almost everything on a Chevy is on the opposite side from an Olds, right?). Then when you go back to an Olds engine, you have to undo it all. Or was this a Chevy engine car to begin with?

If it was originally a 307 car, I say skip a step, and find an Olds engine for it. You can still find a decent runner 350 for cheap, if it means buying a whole derelict car to get it. He can save his pennies toward whatever the car needs and I think still come out ahead, esp if you sell the Chevy engine (there is ALWAYS a market for those).

While we're on the money subject, with everything you say this car needs, will it be more cost effective to find a better car to start with? Mechanical work is always cheaper than body/interior.

 

You bring some very good points. It was a Buick 231 car. However, I already have the frame stands and motor mounts I had to buy when I put the motor in the Monte. I also have the 3 core radiator from the Monte which has a plugged hole for a nipple for the chevy heater hose. The battery was origianally on the pass side and cables are still in place. The wiring don't matter becase I have to change out ALL the wiring for the engine to work anyway. That's not too hard, done it a few times before. The only other thing I have to contend with is the fuel lines. They are on the pass side were they need to be but I have to adapt them to the throttle body lines and install an electric fuel pump which I bought for the Monte.

As far as bodywork and interior, I may have made them sound worse than they really are. Sorry. The bodywork is close to being done because I did alot of that a couple years ago. And he cleaned up the interior yesterday and it looks suprisingly good except for the factory center console. It could use a new one. The suspension isn't all that bad. It needs a few new bushings and the typical brake job and better tires.

 

You will probably catch alot of$#&*, but its your ride. I'd probably put a small v6 in it if it were my kid. Maybe pull a couple plugs to boot. But I remember how I drove and I am amazed that I'm still above ground.

 

Actually you probably have a good plan. But promise us you will teach you son the true meaning of Oldsmobile and put an Olds engine in it some day...

 

Yes, I promise, as long as he doesn't total the car, an Olds engine will go back in eventually. I personally don't like the crossbreading thing either. Every spring we have the Street Rod Nationals and my family used to go to it religiously. But out of 500 '32-'35 Fords, 400 of them have small block Chevys in them. Gets old real fast, so we don't even go anymore.

Anyway, I'm guilty of crossbreading only once. I used to have a 307 Cutlass. The 307 was beat to death when I got it. So I yanked it and put a mildly built Pontiac 400 in since I didn't have any Olds engines. Damn that car was fun. I couldn't keep tires on it. Or gas in it. With the shift kit in the TH-400 and when the planets were aligned just right, I'd swear the tires chirped going into 3rd gear.

But enough rambling, I promise an Olds will go back in the Cutlass.

 

Shoot, sometimes you can't even find an Olds at some shows. Today I had my car in a Labor Day Parade. It was the best Olds, the ONLY Olds out of thirty cars. Talk about Chevy's gettin' old. I have one, but it's in a 71 Vette so it's cool by me. Small blocks in everything and anything is the cheap and easy way out. Just look what I went through to finish my car all Olds. It's not even dare to be different it's just the right thing to do IMO. I too am guilty of crossbreeding. I once ran a 454 Chebbie in a 1971 Buick Skylark. It had a th400 and a 4.11 12 bolt. It was a hybrid but man that sucker ran!

 

Several of my friends thought I was nuts when I decided to install a built 455 in my 57 88. Heard several stories about buying a 454 crate engine, cheaper and just open the crate and install. Couldn't do it the Olds 455 just kept calling. Wouldn't change it for anything. I also built both of my older sons cars. One was a 52 ****** pickup with a 327, the other was a CJ5 with a built 231 V6. They both dove them to High school. Both were in volved in track racing. Never had a problem (At least that I heard of) with the street racing. Give the kids the chance to race on the track and most likley they won't race on the street. Just a thought

 

You're right about that. That's a delima I haven't figured out yet. I am currently building an 84 Shortbed Chevy with a 454 that I plan on taking to the track from time to time and letting him run it too. But the problem I see with that is racing your dads car is one thing but racing your own is a whole different ball game. It's a hurdle I haven't cleared yet. The main reason for the Chevy 350 is that it's ready to go and is TBI. No repaires are needed and will be better on gas. Less initial expense and less expense in the long run.

He really likes the 3rd gen Camaros. So what I am hoping is that once he gets a job he will save his money and buy one, then give the Cutlass back to me. If that happens then it's on.

 

At least with the chev in it , it wont get nicked by a car thief. They will wait for a proper Olds.Andy