Disturbing trend
I find it kind of disturbing that some have the attitude that its "olds powered or nothing". If we run out of Olds power plants that the cars should be crushed and never driven again. Thats like losing your leg and not wanting a prosthetic. Since its not the original leg you aint walking no more.
I dont see the engine as the whole. Some may love the style of an Olds but want a modern engine that gets great gas mileage, makes awesome power, and does it on the cheap. Many people panned Lenos Toronado because it has a LSX under the hood. I applauded it because it brought attention to a stagnant car that no one under the age of 70 is building.

I dont see the engine as the whole. Some may love the style of an Olds but want a modern engine that gets great gas mileage, makes awesome power, and does it on the cheap. Many people panned Lenos Toronado because it has a LSX under the hood. I applauded it because it brought attention to a stagnant car that no one under the age of 70 is building.
I think what stbluesbrother wants is an "Olds Powered" forum. Because a power plant isn't the only part of a car.
Thanks, and yes, that is true. I think some of the more exploratory types can help the purists see the modern options.
Older guys are harder to change then the younger generations. I'm 36.
I'm all about the new generation of hot rodding. This 1971 Cutlass LSX 455 600hp powered beast is totally badass IMO.
It's even got a Viper spec'd 6 speed in it. This thing is straight pro-touring modernized classic muscle to the hilt!!!
He was featured in Popular Hot Rodding several months ago. I want to go see it in person, his shop is 45 mins N of me.
http://www.schwartzperformance.com/p...x?projectid=15
Last edited by Aceshigh; Jul 25, 2010 at 11:07 AM.
Hell I own a Chevy Monte Carlo SS, and have owned many Chevys over the years but would never think of putting a Chevy Motor in My Olds. Its a special Car and a special Motor. The sound of an Olds Hot Rod is one of a Kind not worth giving up.
Someone brought up an interesting note and it's something I've been noticing with the Buick engines. What do you do when you run out of engines?
Every car that was scrapped with one back in the day, every engine that's blown up, evey engine that's in a museum or a private collection, takes away from the available pool. What happens when there are no more decent 455's and you need a big block for your car? I'm having that problem trying to find a Buick 455. They're getting hard to find and even ones that are siezed or have massive core shift are fetching $500-$600 bucks. To get one that actually runs will cost me about a grand. What happens when the Olds family starts to go through the same pains of aging?
Every car that was scrapped with one back in the day, every engine that's blown up, evey engine that's in a museum or a private collection, takes away from the available pool. What happens when there are no more decent 455's and you need a big block for your car? I'm having that problem trying to find a Buick 455. They're getting hard to find and even ones that are siezed or have massive core shift are fetching $500-$600 bucks. To get one that actually runs will cost me about a grand. What happens when the Olds family starts to go through the same pains of aging?
Try to find a replacement gear set and carrier for a 67 - 70 Olds "O" rear end. The faux 12 bolt.
They are asking $975 at the CHEAPEST for used sets.....


I don't hate Olds at all obviously,......but that's ridiculous.....there was nothing special about that rear end at all.
Last edited by Aceshigh; Jul 25, 2010 at 11:49 AM.
I agree an Olds should have an Olds motor.I got an Omega and an omega with a Chevy motor is just a.......well lets not use the"N"word(Nova).But if it comes to getting another Olds on the road or just setting in the garage or rotting in the back yard.No its not for sell I'm going to fix up some day.Than lets get another one on the road.
Older guys are harder to change then the younger generations. I'm 36.
I'm all about the new generation of hot rodding. This 1971 Cutlass LSX 455 600hp powered beast is totally badass IMO.
It's even got a Viper spec'd 6 speed in it. This thing is straight pro-touring modernized classic muscle to the hilt!!!
He was featured in Popular Hot Rodding several months ago. I want to go see it in person, his shop is 45 mins N of me.
http://www.schwartzperformance.com/p...x?projectid=15
[/quote]
May I whisper ,looks very nice .Then again I know very very little about cars ( but learning )
FWIW.In fact as I own a mid 80`s cadillac with a 307 and another Olds motor was the easier upgrade option, is the reason I frequent this site .(Initially, The cadillac boys suggested a BB Olds instead of my thoughts ( a 472 or 500 cad .))
The guys on here have been great; patient,learned and encouraging whilst I am trying to rebuild my 66 toro motor
MIKE
I'm all about the new generation of hot rodding. This 1971 Cutlass LSX 455 600hp powered beast is totally badass IMO.
It's even got a Viper spec'd 6 speed in it. This thing is straight pro-touring modernized classic muscle to the hilt!!!
He was featured in Popular Hot Rodding several months ago. I want to go see it in person, his shop is 45 mins N of me.
http://www.schwartzperformance.com/p...x?projectid=15
[/quote]May I whisper ,looks very nice .Then again I know very very little about cars ( but learning )
FWIW.In fact as I own a mid 80`s cadillac with a 307 and another Olds motor was the easier upgrade option, is the reason I frequent this site .(Initially, The cadillac boys suggested a BB Olds instead of my thoughts ( a 472 or 500 cad .))
The guys on here have been great; patient,learned and encouraging whilst I am trying to rebuild my 66 toro motor
MIKE
Let's have a look at what could have happened if the R&D money had been there, and if the Corvette weenies hadn't squalled to the top of their lungs when they found out about them.
http://72.22.90.30/phpBB2/viewtopic....111&highlight=
Hm. 40 years ago. What a crying shame these engines never saw production, though a carbureted version of that Hemi-Olds was ready to drop into the 1970 Toronado until "emissions" supposedly killed it off.
But I keep fergittin'- Chevrolet didn't design these engines so they couldn't have been any good, right?
http://72.22.90.30/phpBB2/viewtopic....111&highlight=
Hm. 40 years ago. What a crying shame these engines never saw production, though a carbureted version of that Hemi-Olds was ready to drop into the 1970 Toronado until "emissions" supposedly killed it off.
But I keep fergittin'- Chevrolet didn't design these engines so they couldn't have been any good, right?
Older guys are harder to change then the younger generations. I'm 36.
I'm all about the new generation of hot rodding. This 1971 Cutlass LSX 455 600hp powered beast is totally badass IMO.
I'm all about the new generation of hot rodding. This 1971 Cutlass LSX 455 600hp powered beast is totally badass IMO.
. But hell, people like what they like. For me it depends what mode I'm in. If I am in my everyday "real world" mode, I can see a Ford, and appreciate the time and dedication the owner put into it. But if I'm in my Friday night car guy mode, GM rules, screw Ford. In the end, does it really matter? On your deathbed are you going to look back and say "Man, I've done some great and wonderful things in my life, but I've always regretted putting that Chevy 350 in my Olds. I think we should all be grateful that we are blessed enough to be able to squabble about something as ultimately trivial as swapping engines....just my 2 cents.
Japan won WWII ?? Or Germany ???
The endless options to that sentence beckon eternal fantasy conclusions that never became reality.
The "Coulda shoulda woulda" syndrome.....
Can't live in the past....have to live in the here and now. Olds COULD have been the GM performance
leader IF they had more R&D money put into them. So could have Saturn. So could have Buick. etc etc etc.
You have to play with the cards that fate deals you. Olds wasn't the only engine producer that made
badass engines that NEVER saw production. This is life in the Auto Industry.
The endless options to that sentence beckon eternal fantasy conclusions that never became reality.
The "Coulda shoulda woulda" syndrome.....
Can't live in the past....have to live in the here and now. Olds COULD have been the GM performance
leader IF they had more R&D money put into them. So could have Saturn. So could have Buick. etc etc etc.
You have to play with the cards that fate deals you. Olds wasn't the only engine producer that made
badass engines that NEVER saw production. This is life in the Auto Industry.
Last edited by Aceshigh; Jul 25, 2010 at 11:24 PM.
i sure am glad that some oldsmobiles came with chevy 12 bolt rears. i'd sure hate to be chastised over that too.
this thread is totally pointless. if you don't want to help someone out because they aren't building their car the way you would build yours, fine. where is it written that once you open a thread you must reply to it?
i've seen stuff on this forum that i would never do to a car of mine in a million years. but i don't feel the need to start a thread just to complain about it. are you that bored? i mean........ really.
this thread is totally pointless. if you don't want to help someone out because they aren't building their car the way you would build yours, fine. where is it written that once you open a thread you must reply to it?
i've seen stuff on this forum that i would never do to a car of mine in a million years. but i don't feel the need to start a thread just to complain about it. are you that bored? i mean........ really.
this thread is totally pointless. if you don't want to help someone out because they aren't building their car the way you would build yours, fine. where is it written that once you open a thread you must reply to it?
i've seen stuff on this forum that i would never do to a car of mine in a million years. but i don't feel the need to start a thread just to complain about it. are you that bored? i mean........ really.
i've seen stuff on this forum that i would never do to a car of mine in a million years. but i don't feel the need to start a thread just to complain about it. are you that bored? i mean........ really.


Also, I'm an old man, and it's been over 100 deg.F for the duration of this thread! Can't work outside because they keep giving heat warnings for old people and kids so I take their advice and stay inside. Because I'm stuck inside, I await each and ever post to see who can come up with the best posts.
After another week (or if the thread just Peters out because everyone that has a comment is finished with it,) I'm going to go through all the posts (remember I'm stuck in the house) and select the top FIVE quotes of the thread!
I'll probable post the results in the General Discussion Forum so everyone can see who had the very best remarks during this period. I will be impartial as to content, motive, and other criteria that I deem useful to arrive at the Top Five Quotes!
Thanks for contributing to this fun!

--Don
Disturbing trend
Read all the posts and feel it is best to let those who want to switch there 455 out for a 454 Chevy have at it. Will be kinda funny when he takes the car to a show and gets asked why he would do something like that! lol!
Man, that SBC thing really gets under some people's skin.


That LS powered G-body Cutlass was a BadAss ride I'd be proud to own. I probably would not do that to a 64 - 72 Cutlass though.
Here's a pot stirrer though. What's the opinion on a built 500 Caddy motor in a Cutlass?



That LS powered G-body Cutlass was a BadAss ride I'd be proud to own. I probably would not do that to a 64 - 72 Cutlass though.
Here's a pot stirrer though. What's the opinion on a built 500 Caddy motor in a Cutlass?
It belongs in a Cadillac or oldschool hotrod, and truth be known I'd rather see it used there than the ubiquitous small block Chevy.
I'm a preservationist for the most part. You take the manufacturer's original engine out of a car you have effectively cut out it's provenance. It is then no longer what it was.
Plus as far as I'm concerned swapping a Chevy mill into a BOP performance car is a calculated insult.
But since it seems I'm in the minority here vis a vis putting Chevy engines in non-Chevy cars, do what the hell you want with them. Your car, your money. Just remember that not everyone agrees with your line of thought, same as not everyone agrees with mine.
And John, whose opinions I have always respected here- by some people's line of thought, your Cougar should have an LS9 GM engine transplanted into it to ever be viable in the modern automotive world.
I'm a preservationist for the most part. You take the manufacturer's original engine out of a car you have effectively cut out it's provenance. It is then no longer what it was.
Plus as far as I'm concerned swapping a Chevy mill into a BOP performance car is a calculated insult.
But since it seems I'm in the minority here vis a vis putting Chevy engines in non-Chevy cars, do what the hell you want with them. Your car, your money. Just remember that not everyone agrees with your line of thought, same as not everyone agrees with mine.
And John, whose opinions I have always respected here- by some people's line of thought, your Cougar should have an LS9 GM engine transplanted into it to ever be viable in the modern automotive world.
I recall a 68 or 9 Cutlass back in HotRod mag in the late 70's with a 426 Hemi wrong but kinda cool back during the Street Freak days.I best lose the Corvette wheels on my Cutlass LOL

Kidding.....looks like the majority don't care to keep them "all Olds" either.
QUOTE from Scr8p: "this thread is totally pointless. if you don't want to help someone out because they aren't building their car the way you would build yours, fine...
i've seen stuff on this forum that i would never do to a car of mine in a million years. but i don't feel the need to start a thread just to complain about it."
Yep, I have to agree. I see Oldsmobiles on Car Domain and a trillion other sites painted pink, some with 20 inch wheels, skeleton head gear shifters, lightining bolt steering wheels, etc. and though I'm thinking to myself, "that's not for me", I just move on. That's why I agree that this thread was un-needed and served no point other than for someone to say, " I'm not helping certain people with their car." Why bother to post it...just simply don't respond to posts from people who have made modifications to their car you have no appreciation for.
i've seen stuff on this forum that i would never do to a car of mine in a million years. but i don't feel the need to start a thread just to complain about it."
Yep, I have to agree. I see Oldsmobiles on Car Domain and a trillion other sites painted pink, some with 20 inch wheels, skeleton head gear shifters, lightining bolt steering wheels, etc. and though I'm thinking to myself, "that's not for me", I just move on. That's why I agree that this thread was un-needed and served no point other than for someone to say, " I'm not helping certain people with their car." Why bother to post it...just simply don't respond to posts from people who have made modifications to their car you have no appreciation for.
Last edited by 71 Cutlass; Jul 26, 2010 at 10:48 PM.
I don't think anybody got my point earlier.Putting a chevy engine in an Olds is not permanent! It can always be changed,Me I'd never do it. If it was a really nice car and I saw it at a show.When I saw the motor I'd think a lot less of it.But last time I checked they still make Vanilla and chocolate.If this thread is pointless why so many responses.
If nothing else I've made you think about it. There are some who see nothing wrong with sticking a Chevy engine in a non-Chevy car, then there are others like me who see everything wrong with it.
One thing I can ga-ron-tee you- MY classic Oldsmobile will always have an Oldsmobile engine in it, as R.E. and the good Doctor intended.
One thing I can ga-ron-tee you- MY classic Oldsmobile will always have an Oldsmobile engine in it, as R.E. and the good Doctor intended.
Look, there's nothing wrong with Chebby motors, especially the LS series, which produce INSANE amounts of HP easily. The problem is that they are BOOOOORING. They're like belly buttons (or, another orifice) - everybody's got one.
I continually hear the whining about how hard or expensive it is to find/build an Olds motor, particularly, a 455. All I can say is that I've found many 455s and 403s here in the DC area via Craigslist. I've grabbed every one I find for $150 or less (these are cores, now). If the motors are so unpopular, used parts should be FREE at swap meets. As it turns out, with a little judicious searching, parts are cheap. Performer and Torker intakes can be found for well under $100 each. Decent factory heads Cs, Gs, etc) can be had for $100 a pair. Factory HEI distributors are $15. Used headers are $25-50 (hey, you're going have to beat on new ones to get them to fit anyway, might as well do that first THEN have them blasted and HPC coated). Parts like accessory brackets, valve covers, front covers, etc are common through the 307s. And everything else on the car is common with Chevelles. What's the problem?
I continually hear the whining about how hard or expensive it is to find/build an Olds motor, particularly, a 455. All I can say is that I've found many 455s and 403s here in the DC area via Craigslist. I've grabbed every one I find for $150 or less (these are cores, now). If the motors are so unpopular, used parts should be FREE at swap meets. As it turns out, with a little judicious searching, parts are cheap. Performer and Torker intakes can be found for well under $100 each. Decent factory heads Cs, Gs, etc) can be had for $100 a pair. Factory HEI distributors are $15. Used headers are $25-50 (hey, you're going have to beat on new ones to get them to fit anyway, might as well do that first THEN have them blasted and HPC coated). Parts like accessory brackets, valve covers, front covers, etc are common through the 307s. And everything else on the car is common with Chevelles. What's the problem?
Nope. Exposing that a post is pointless restores sanity to to the board, and encourages an end to the post.
__________________
So all of you who think the post is pointless are gonna run right out and stick a Chevy engine in your nice classic Oldsmobile?
You want modern iron, buy one. It will help the carmakers. Me, part of the experience of owning and driving an older car is the simple fact that it IS NOT like driving a new car.
Yup. With the mentality I've seen thruout this post, there will soon be no Oldsmobile-powered Oldsmobiles. They'll all have Chevrolet engines, and everyone will think that's the way they're supposed to be.
Y'all really sadden me.
You want modern iron, buy one. It will help the carmakers. Me, part of the experience of owning and driving an older car is the simple fact that it IS NOT like driving a new car.
Yup. With the mentality I've seen thruout this post, there will soon be no Oldsmobile-powered Oldsmobiles. They'll all have Chevrolet engines, and everyone will think that's the way they're supposed to be.
Y'all really sadden me.
Let's have a look at what could have happened if the R&D money had been there, and if the Corvette weenies hadn't squalled to the top of their lungs when they found out about them.
http://72.22.90.30/phpBB2/viewtopic....111&highlight=
Hm. 40 years ago. What a crying shame these engines never saw production, though a carbureted version of that Hemi-Olds was ready to drop into the 1970 Toronado until "emissions" supposedly killed it off.
But I keep fergittin'- Chevrolet didn't design these engines so they couldn't have been any good, right?
http://72.22.90.30/phpBB2/viewtopic....111&highlight=
Hm. 40 years ago. What a crying shame these engines never saw production, though a carbureted version of that Hemi-Olds was ready to drop into the 1970 Toronado until "emissions" supposedly killed it off.
But I keep fergittin'- Chevrolet didn't design these engines so they couldn't have been any good, right?

Now, 38+ years after many of these cars were built, I can understand some movement toward the later powerplants but my preference is to keep my Oldsmobiles powered by Oldsmobile engines and my Pontiacs powered by Pontiac engines.
I'm a relatively new Olds owner (5 years) but I have owned my GTO for 27 years. Today, there is a lot of new technology that has been made widely available for the classic Pontiac engine and the prices are not that out of line for what you're getting (new blocks in aluminum and cast iron, aluminum heads, stroker kits, roller cams, new intakes, etc.). I'd guess that the cost of building a "new technology" Pontiac would not be as cheap as obtaining and hotrodding an LSx motor but maybe not that far off either. It seems some of that same technology is also available for classic Oldsmobile engines but I don't have as much experience with them yet. I just don't buy the argument that you have to go to an LSx motor to have an efficient and powerful engine combination. I know they are great engines and I love them (I have one in my truck and one in my wife's Tahoe) but I'd rather stay closer to each car's roots. Besides, I believe that today's transmissions with their better gear spreads, lock up torque converters, and deep overdrive(s) have almost as much to do with the performance and driveability of today's cars as do the engines - but that's another story.
The biggest problem with building an Olds engine and making big power on the cheap is the heads. To flow what a set of right off a new Escalade L92 heads that can be had for $500-600.00 all day long you have to spend $3500.00 for Olds heads. I can build a 650hp motor with a combo of junkyard and new parts for about $4000 To make the same power with an Olds motor I am looking at close to twice that.
My next build is going to be some sort of high HP street / strip car. I still don't know if I'm going to build an Olds motor or not. I am leaning that direction but 3-4K difference can buy a lot of suspension and transmission parts.
As for just chunking a 350 Chevy in a driver I would never do that but I want a mid 6 second 1/8 mile street car and to keep it Olds powered its going to take some real $$ to do it.
My next build is going to be some sort of high HP street / strip car. I still don't know if I'm going to build an Olds motor or not. I am leaning that direction but 3-4K difference can buy a lot of suspension and transmission parts.
As for just chunking a 350 Chevy in a driver I would never do that but I want a mid 6 second 1/8 mile street car and to keep it Olds powered its going to take some real $$ to do it.
But, one of those 5 liter's out of a 2011 'Stang might (????) be a thought in the Cougar.
Thanks for the respect Raider. I may not pipe up as much as some people here, but I have opinions too and will pipe up when the mood strikes, and try not to raise too much hell.
Overall, I like different. I would never do an SBC in a non-Chevy. I like the Caddys for their uniqueness. You all have to admit, that if you saw one in a non-Caddy that you might for a minute wonder what it is.
If you take an LS motor, Carb it, and put one of those front mount distributor drives on it would everyone here know immediately that it was an LS motor?
Alas though, I don't have that kind of money to do a build like that, and I certainly would not do a Mod-motor in my Cougar (at least not this one). And I LOVE the torque that only an Olds Big Block can give.



