Greetings CO! I'm new here on the site and wanted to introduce myself and greet the members here.

I have a 77 Cutlass S 350/350 auto with Hurst Hatch top. The transmission needed a rebuild, the shifter cable was busted, and the interior needs an upholstery doctor. It was given to my Father by one of his co-workers about 10 years ago (his wife wanted it gone from their house), parked in the back yard and that's where it had been ever since. My Father has a 66 GTO 389/4 speed manual that he pulls out of the garage maybe two-three time a year! so this car was the least of his concerns. He didn't have the time to tinker with another classic so he offered it to me - otherwise it was headed to the nearest donor station.

I've had it for three months now. Got the motor running (for the most part), rebuilt the transmission, installed it a couple of days ago, and it shifts like new.

It has surface rust on the frame and under the paint in some spots, . The driver and passenger floor pans have a couple of spots that "need attention" before things get worst.

I believe everything is original to the car except for the paint and engine.* I'm hoping some of the members here can help me out as much as possible with my project.

That being said, can someone help me identify my engine based on the attached pictures?* The color of the block is unfamiliar and stamped with 350 X on the block so I'm questioning it's authenticity. Is it a SBO, SBC, or...?

Thanks for allowing me to be a member here!

Kelvin

 

Well, it looks like an Oldsmobile from the bottom. Look for a horizontal ledge just above the water pump cover on the front of the engine running transversally from side to side. There will be a series of digits cast into the block there. Let us know what they are and we can tell you what kind of engine it is. If there is no ledge, or no thermostat housing bypass (gooseneck) going to the top of the water pump, or no oil fill tube on the front left of the engine, then you don't have a newer Oldsmobile engine and I doubt is would be an older generation from the early sixties.

 

The crossover pipe between the exhaust manifolds is a dead giveaway. Looks like someone painted this motor at one time, so it's probably been out and may not be original.

 

Have fun with your new toy you'll find lots of info and help on this site

 

Hi! Welcome to our site!!

 

Hello Everyone, I'm glad to be here. Thanks for the welcome Cutlassgal and Citcapp.

Citcapp - I'll have a ton of questions along the way so to hear you say I'll find lots of info/help here is refreshing.

Joe - I'm with you, the greenish paint is what got me questioning the originality of the engine. I read a thread here on CO discussing olds engines being blue (I'm clueless). Granted unless a person speaks with the original owner/seller and can vouch for the vehicles history, anything is possible.

Oldsguy - I vaguely recall a goose neck coming from the water pump. I'll double check that, the cast numbers, and oil filler tube in a few minutes.

Stay tuned...

 

Thanks Joe for clarifying that. I did not know if any other manufacturer used a similar crossover pipe setup like Oldsmobile did.

 

I got the cast numbers off top of the engine:

557752-3B

The transmission bell housing cast numbers:

Top of the housing on shifter side - B3
Lower side of housing shifter side - 6260110 3
Gear plate behind torque converter - 1-6260233 (this may be irrelevant)

There is a gooseneck going to the water pump and the oil filler is on the left if facing the engine bay.

Original drivetrain, replacement drivetrain, numbers matching, SBO, SBC...I have no idea. Not sure what it all means but I'm sure someone will tell me shortly.

Anyone know where I can obtain a copy of the build sheet? I think GM Heritage/GM media archive has records from 77 to newer, have to verify that for sure.

 

Thats a 1977-1980 Olds 350 casting, so it may be the original engine. There is a VIN derivative stamp on a pad below the no. 1 spark plug. If that stamp matches the VIN, it is the original, numbers-matching engine.

 

Thanks Joe, I'll check it when I get home.

So basically, if the engine vin derivative matches and based on the engine/trans cast #'s I provided my drivetrain is factory original.

Crossing my fingers the numbers match. It's surely not going to be a Barret Jackson car (not on my budget) but it'll be awesome to have a #'s matching classic. If numbers don't match, I'll driver it just the same.

 

Actually, both the engine and trans will have a VIN derivative stamp. The trans stamp is usually located on the passenger side of the case, above the pan rail. The VIN derivative contains nine characters. The first character should match the first of the VIN, and the last eight should match the last eight of the VIN.

 

Man, you're fast!

I turned my question into a statement and you answered the question before I could complete the edit.

I'll have to look at the trans again. The only numbers I saw on the trans are in the attached pictures above and these were on the drivers side. The passenger side of the trans is rather dirty so it's not hard to overlook any numbers or plate on that side.

Cool to know this info. I'm learning...

 

Finally checked out the numbers on the motor and trans.

The motor is #'s matching and the trans is not. a slight disappointment on the trans but I'll get over it before I finish this post. Ha!

Thanks Joe for assisting me with the numbers matching lesson. Cheers to ya!

Time to address the other concerns on my checklist (security, interior, exterior, A/C, engine performance, electrical, parts list, brakes, suspension, exhaust, etc..). Not necessarily in that order.

Thanks again everyone!