Good day everyone,I am new to the olds 442. I am a camaro guy, but I just luv MY 1966 442..So my question: IS the 400 cu in. considered a small or big block. don't laugh. Also is the 1967 trac pac the same is the 1966. I know to you guys this should not even be asked. Thanks again for your time..

 

400 is a BB Track pack in 66 and 67 is a term for non factory W30 cars. The OAI package could be bought at GM dealerships and customer or dealer installed. In 66 it was for Tri carb models and 67 a Quadrajet.

 

Unlike Chevy, the Olds "big block" and "small block" really only differ in deck height. Yeah, the big blocks use larger main and rod bearings but the overall architecture is the same. The BBO has about a 1" taller deck height, which makes the intake manifold correspondingly wider. The tall deck big block motors are the 400 (short stroke), 400 (long stroke), 425, and 455. The small block motors are the 260, 307, 330, 350, and 403. Like the Chevy 400, the 403 uses siamesed cylinders.

 

HEY thanks a bunch. I thought as much, but chevy had a 400 small block so I was confused. Thanks for update on tracpack as well.. mine has the tri carbs. This site is great !!!

 

You sir know ur oldsmobiles.. Thanks again

 

Sorry one more question. Is the 400 a four bolt main then ?

 

No sir...

 

No

 

No Olds engines had four bolt mains. To stabilize the bottom end you need to use a halo girdle.

 

Thanks much !!

 

It's also worth noting that the "track pack" was at the dealer, over the parts counter, you put it on yourself, and, while called option W-30, it is not the advertised car "66 or 67 442 W-30." There were very few, drag racing only, 66 W-30s, like 64, I think. There were several hundred 67 W-30s. The 66 W-30 had the tri-carb option built into it. Both years W-30s had special rear ends, special transmissions if automatics, specific carbs, specific heads, and were limited number, special racing cars. They weren't Chevy style bragging rights cars; they didn't street well, and were for one purpose only.

Later W-30s with automatics were basically bragging rights only as they were effectively 442s.

The track pack, which is a coined term, is just the shroud system, the battery system, and the cam. It is not the rest of the factory W-30's parts. I am worried that factory W-30s are going to be the next clone wave for these cars, and the 66/67 track pack is going to be the next W-25 hood craze.

 

In 1966 the heads on a w30 and 442 or L69 were the same castings etc..the w30 valve springs were different, carbs on L69 and w30 were the same as well I believe. Trying to clone a true 66 w30 I believe would be extremely difficult if not impossible to get by guys like Curt Anderson and Mike Richards. Curt told me a few things but hardly the whole story on verification..those few things he did tell me stay with me. The 66 shroud hasn’t as of yet been reproduced nor has the 67 shroud..hopefully that will keep the deviants from trying to clone and sell as the real deal.. I cannot speak to the 1967 w30’s which I believe are your wheelhouse Koda..

 

Rare Nascar blocks base on the Oldsmobile Diesel DX block had four bolt mains.

 

Not exactly production car parts.

 

I think I know the most about 67s than I know about other years, but others know far more than me.