Yesterday the wife says a friend of her's neighbor has an old Oldsmobile for sale. Do I want to go look. I'm sure it was just to drag me along to meet her friends. Anyway away we went. We rock up at their house and there is a 68 Cutlass in the drive next door. We go in, do all the things required, I was bored and anxious to see the car. Finally the husband leads me next door. The owner was a nice guy, easy to talk to. The car looked good, the interior clean and pretty fresh. He pops the hood. The first thing I see is a crossed flags over 350 decal on the air cleaner. I ask him is this a Chevy engine. Yep, that's the way he bought it 5 or 6 years ago. Don't know why they would of done that. It is more complicated putting in a Chevy 350 than an Olds 330,350,307, 455. He suggested taking it out for a spin. I must admit it drove well with plenty of poke.
When we got back, asked him if he was selling it. He replied he was, but wasn't so sure he wanted to now. I know the feeling. I gave him my number, I probably won't hear from him, but that's OK.

 

I would be a little disappointed to see that too. Sadly, its been a common recipe to just put a chevy in for years. I think common is a key word here. People just see what they want to see on their own terms. You can't change that. Any more I don't get too worked up about it. Its probably a fun ride as you alluded to.

 

I always remind myself that it hasn't been crushed.

 

Could be worse they could have put in a Ford engine!

 

At least THAT would have been interesting. Belly button motors put me to sleep.

 

Ford engines by and large have front oil sumps, think distributor in front. I knew a guy once determined to stick it to the Chevy guys, he wanted to put a 460 Ford in '56 Chevy I sold him. Tried to use the van oil pan and pump pick-up, but much like a Chevy-II that results in a pick up tube about 14" long, very bad for HP.

There was a 72 Cutlass around here for sale years ago, it had a Chevy also, was for sale and met with groans and eye rolling with guys I knew. Imagine the shock when it was found the Chevy engine was not a 305 or 350 but instead a passenger car 427. I would have been all over that like free lunch.

 

Buy it, drop in LS, have cake.

 

I passed on a '72 that had a lot of otherwise good and valuable parts on it because it had an SBC. Four speed, bucket seats, wing, etc...at a very decent price. If I had known then what I know now I wouldn't have hesitated on it as a parts car. I wound up buying some of the individual parts later on, but man I hate doing that.

 

Scared of old engines?

 

 

OMG LOL Perfect post . Right there with you.