85Cutty442

Hello all.
I'm a new guy coming over to the olds world,
I'm a Chevy guy (please don't hold that against me here)

I just bought what I feel is a very super nice 85 Cutlass 442, White T-top car, non posi. Car appears to be a true very well taken care of survivor with to my knowledge only the hood top and bottom have been repainted. 57k on the clock.

I posted up pictures in the gallery on here for anyone who wishes to look at her.
I have a ton of questions and was told to join this forum as you guys are the best at answering questions about both origininality and performance.

First off, I am NOT going to put a Chevy in this car.

My plan is too remove the 307. Put it on the stand in the corner,
I've purchased a 350 from a 69 cutlass, I'm in the process of tearing it down now. I know it 5 heads on it, and it had a 4 barrel factory intake on it.

I wanted to build the 350, place it in the car, hook everything but emissions onto this engine, headers, full stainless exhaust, crossmember, bilstein shocks, Detroit speed springs, I also have bracing for behind the rear seats so under acceleration the body won't twist as much, also I have bracing that will replace the flimsy bracing under the hood.

I may depending put a fast or edelbrock fuel injection kit on the engine, better torque converter to match whatever cam I go with, super servo and shift kit for the transmission, along with installing an eaton or similar carrier.

I'm goin for an original looking car with a few modern/better upgrades

I'm also getting sold from a buddy into olds in my area a olds 403 engine.

So I'll have the 350 and a 403 to choose from.

I currently own a 87 Buick Grand National as well as the 442.

I would like the car to be able to run the 1/4 mile at or very close to the range of 110-112 mph.

I know how to get there with a Chevy but I have no idea with an olds engine, and would love guidance on what to buy, limitations of factory heads, bottom end strengths, weakness, which engine is good, what's not so good, good known combinations, where to purchase parts if summit or Jegs doesn't carry it. Who/what to stay away from. Etc etc.

Thank you thank you for all your time, I apologize for bombarding with all the questions.

Ready to begin my olds journey.

sammy

Welcome to CO!. Another white 85 442 t top. Here is mine....mild build 73 350 8 heads, headers etc. I will be following along

oldcutlass

Welcome to the site, nice ride. You can go through some of the performance builds and the ones listed under small block engines to get you started.

joe_padavano

Welcome. Frankly, no one here would be terribly upset if the 307 got scrapped...

Good luck with the build, and I'd pick the 403 personally. Use the A4 intake from the 307, dress it to look original, and play sleeper.

83hurstguy

Welcome! Here's another collection of engine builds/combo's you can sift through if you are interested: http://realoldspower.prophpbb.com/forum12.html

A few combos in particular:
http://realoldspower.prophpbb.com/topic1939.html
http://realoldspower.prophpbb.com/topic251.html
http://realoldspower.prophpbb.com/topic5535.html

Where are you located? That will play a part in what Olds engine builder is in the area for a recommendation.

85Cutty442

Hey guys
Thank for the warm welcome, I was disassembling my 350 rocket to discover the crank will need replaced, #1 rod spun a bearing and it spun pretty good,
I don't think .10 .20 or even .30 will clean it up.
I found another crankshaft on eBay, I'm not 100% if it needs cut or not, good price though.

So a high school olds buddy of mine keeps telling me about this 403 he has, and I'm being told the #5 heads I have are pretty good heads for power.

So if his 403 pans out, I was thinking of doin this combo and curious what you all may think about it

I was thinking take his 403 bottom end, re ring it, and re bearing it, new oil pump and 7qt pan.
Takes these #5 heads I have get them redone and put them on the 403,
Edelbrock aluminum intake manifold, I'm looking at a lunati camshaft-lifter and spring kit.
Camshaft is this one
http://www.lunatipower.com/Product.aspx?id=2350&gid=287

I'll get the matching valve springs for it, new timing chain and gear etc.

I'm stumped on the valve train from an olds heads.
I'm not used to seeing rockers assembly like this.

I see adjustable rocker arms on summit, but it's looking like their meant for a single stud type configuration like a SBC.

I guess I'm asking what do I do with the rocker arm assembly to make it work, my manchine shop guy is not to much help as he is a Chevy guy and is telling. E just to get the edelbrock heads that already are set up the way I know, plus they have bigger valves in them and are lighter.

Is this the only way to go about this?

Anyway on the 403, I haven't seen this engine yet, but I'm figuring the compression of it is somewhere in the 8:1 to 8.5:1 range,

Can I even put the #5 heads on this engine and stay under 10.25:1 compression.

I wI'll be running Sunoco 93 gas through this engine.

I apologize if all this is in the wrong area,


Thank you guys.

Railguy

The # 8 heads flow better .with milling and flat top pistons will bring the compression up. That's what I did. I also had the big valves installed. I used the studs for rockers. But didn't find out till later that I couldn't get the geometry right . Had to take the heads off and get the towers where the studs go milled down. Another thing I wish I would have done was make the hole where the oil drains back down to the oil pan bigger.
Railguy

83hurstguy

You have two options with a 403 - aftermarket flat top pistons and either #8, #4A, or big block heads (the 8s and 4As will require pocket porting); or you keep stock dished pistons (and replacement dished pistons which have even shorter compression distance) and run earlier small block heads like the #5's.

Stock Olds valvetrain is non-adjustable with 5/16" bolts, and doesn't use guide plates. Going to roller rockers means you use a Harland Sharp mini-shaft setup (S50026A) or go stud mount, which means you have to machine the heads for 3/8" or 7/16" studs and guide plates.

joe_padavano

Personally, I'd go with the flattops and BBO heads. The larger ports in the BBO heads worked find on the 400 cu in BBO, they will work fine on a 403 SBO. Just get a Performer RPM and port match it.

85Cutty442

Before I get myself in trouble doing the wrong thing and having to do it twice

I'm goin to ask if anyone here is or knows someone who has For Sale a small block olds engine, that's built up, that could buy and save myself a headache.

I'm gonna place a request in the classifieds on here.

Thank you

Railguy

When I built my 350 I didn't know about the big block head option. It does sound like the way to go. The only thing I watch for is getting the compression right. So you can run pump gas. And someone on here should know that.
Railguy

oldsmobiledave

Welcome


The 80s G body cars make great drivers when the right small block is installed in place of the factory turd 307.


Good luck with your project & just remember to keep it Olds powered.