My daily driver has started knocking after 230K. The car is a 1987 Cutlass, good solid car drives nice AC works, need paint.
Options:
A - pull the 307 find out what is wrong and repair (turn crank resize rod, add bearings, etc. - whatever seems to be the issue)

B - Disassemble a supposedly good 403 I acquired and "freshen" Rings, bearings, gaskets, oil pump, timing chain) All on the assumption everything checks out on disassembly. Replace 307

C - put air in the tires on my bicycle and pedal everywhere. Just kidding - Today I am driving my 70 Supreme...

I do lose my job after 16 years on Friday, so this needs to be a serious budget build, it's also in all honesty a $1,000 car, so return on investment is non-existent.

What would you do?

 

Tough choice, maybe someone in your area has a running Olds engine you can buy for cheap and just drop it in. Sell the car and put the money in the 78 or 70 and drive it.

 

Call me stupid, but I like my 87 D.D. car... I also have waiting itn the wings a 68 Cutlass convertible that needs a little floor board work and paint. 350 2bbl single exhaust, 2 speed jetaway, 14 inch white walls and wire spinner hubcaps - rocket ship!

The 78 is not D.D. friendly 455 850 double pumper, 3000 stall, 3.73's - loud! I love it in small doses, but not every day - I must be getting old!

 

Sorry to hear about your job.


I'd go with option "B" but you sound a little suspicious of the 403. Is there any reason to think there's something wrong with it?

 

Option B. would be my choice.

 

I got the 403 from a friend who parts out cars. This engine actually came from a Indy Pace Car Delta 88 (silver & black), the car was really rusty and he shredded it, but kept the engine, because the original owner said it was good. My friend never heard it run, and it has been sitting a good while. It is carb to pan, still has the ps pump, starter, alternator and A6 compressor on it, it even has a bent 7 blade clutch fan still on it. It is a mystery, but I figure when I tear it down for inspection, it should reveal a lot. I got the engine for $100. I can spend a little on it.

 

The fine point is that it's simply not worth the trouble to do any serious work on a 307 with a quarter mil on it. That said ... I'd want to know what happened to it regardless. Might end up something relatively cheap.

I'm facing a similar decision sometime in the future .. not only with my 307 Olds, but with the 305 bowtie in my '85 Parisienne. In both cases I've already decided that the boat anchors go, to be replaced with more after market supported 350's. Since you've already got the 403 ...

That said ... upping the bore does mean a little more out of the wallet for gas each week. I love my big babies too, but that might just be enough to push them outside the daily driver budget realm.

 

The 403 is the right choice after an investigation.