Is it possible to swap an olds 350 Rocket into an 83 Z28? And if so, what does an olds 350 "Rocket" have that a chevy 350 doesn't? If the Rocket idea is no good, I will probabely buy a GM Goodwrench crate engine.

I am ready to do the swap, but I am waiting for this 305 to die.

I have a 305 LG4 that WILL NOT DIE, it has 314,000 Kms on it, I have abused it since I got the car, brake torques etc. I ran it for 2 months with no oil, or coolant (I was a stupid kid). I filled it up with water once(home-made ram air not so good).... and to top it off, this year I never winterized it because I forgot that I put in a new rad (and didn't add antifreeze). Last week the damned thing froze solid... I didn't notice until I started it up and sparks started flying out of the water pump. I thought that was weird because it was a brand new pump. Then I opened the rad, and saw solid ice... I checked the hoses in and out of the water pump and they were solid... the damned thing was pumping ice.

I gave a moment of silence for the long lived 305 figuring the frost plugs were out, and then rejoiced because it was 350 time.... but that LG4 just sat there looking at me with those rusty manifolds and convinced me to perform automotive CPR. I took the belt off the water pump, and started the car. I held it at 4700 RPM for about 7 minutes. About 30 seconds later the thermosdat opened up, and the upper hose blew off the rad, and sprayed coolant up the wall of the garage, all the way to the roof.

I put the belt back on the water pump, filled the rad with a 50/50 mix, and the bastard is as good as new.

 

If you were going to do an Olds swap, why limit yourself to the 350 when you can go with the 455. The block itself (externally) is the same.

The Olds 350 actually has a larger bore/shorter stroke than a SBC 350. If memory serves me correctly, the Olds 350 and Olds 455 share the exact same bore (4.125"), so you MIGHT be able to stroke an Olds 350 to a 455 by swapping the 4.250" crank. You should double check this to ensure that there isn't some internal reason (clearance problems with the rods on a 350 block) why you couldn't just swap a 455 crank in.

The problem with Olds engines (in the past) has been the limited aftermarket parts for them. There is now more out there for the Olds including heads (the key to max power), but they are all geared for the 455. The Edelbrock Olds heads would be too big for a 350 IMO (unless you wanted to make it a gazillion rpm screamer for the track).

But since the parts will cost virtually the same to build an Olds 350 as it would an Olds 455, go with the 455 (or stroke it to 455) if you want to swap an Olds in. As I said, I like Olds (455s especially). I've toyed with the idea many times of finding an older G-body with an Olds 307 in it and swapping a 455 in its place.

 

I had just assumed that the olds 350 was a small block, and the olds 455 was a big block. Are you saying that the olds 350 is going to weigh about as much as a BBC? If so, that must be the worst engine of all time.

Also I was wondering what gives an olds engine the "rocket" designation? Do "rocket's" have any performance parts or better cam profiles?

 

An Olds 350 basically weighs the same as a 455. What difference that exists is due to the different rotating assembly. It is not a great difference.

But, you should be aware that an Olds engine (along with Pontiac IIRC) falls in between the weight of a SBC and a BBC.

As I recall the term "Rocket" was Olds' tradename for its V8s back in the 50s and the name has stuck. I believe its design concept was incorporated in the DRCE engine and hence the nickname "Rocket Block" for the DRCE.

 

i believe you'd have to use a trans out of a BOP and not a chevy too. not sure on this but something else for you to consider.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd

 

Ede is correct. You can't just bolt a tranny off a Chevy onto a BOP engine. I think they make an adapter but you best check this out first.

 

damn u guys are up very early. I read the posts and i am currently needing a new 350 for my 89 iroc. Im not in the market to be doing any welding and stuff just to have a crazy setup. Id rather stick with what fits and build up from there. It was an interesting topic though. I once asked if a pontiac 389 would fit into my IROC. cool

 

Glenn91L98GTA... we have done the Potiac version of what you are talking about here. We took a 78 Grand Am and pulled the 301 out and put in a 400. It was a blast and boy was it a sleeper. it only ran 13.7's oin the motor but on the bottle it would run low 12's to high 11's. After a few years of that we put in a Pontiac 455 went out terrorizing again...lol. Know one expects something like that to be fast and because of that you get some unusualy races and some VERY faces....LMAO. If you do decide to put a 455 in an older G-body go with a late 80's 442. They come with the 8.5 10 bolt rearend like a GN does. That way you will not have to wory about buying a new rearend for the car or trying to find one of those ever so elusive GN/T-Type rearends.




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82 Z28 with 350.motor has .030 forged flat top pistions other wise stock bottom end, Summit 214/224 cam with 1.6 Harland Sharp roller rockers, stock 882 heads for now (will be getting a set of the 23 degree Trick Flows this summer), Performer RPM intake, Holley 750 Vacuum secondary, Th350 with 2200 converter, stock 3.23 geared rearend for now (getting 9" later on), Headman shorty headers, custom 2.5" into 3.5" Y pipe into M.A.C. offroad pipe and M.A.C. cat back system. So far car has only been to the track twice and is having sever traction problems but is running 60'-2.34 1/8 mile-9.2 @ 79 MPH.

 

Thanks for the tip Novaguy. I have been looking for a "Hurst Olds" with the 307 and that dual gate shifter. I can't remember the exact year, but I will heed your advice and make sure I check the rear end for a 8 1/2".

Around here, G-bodies are the cheapest source of rear drive V8 platforms and I've always liked the styling of the Olds Cutlass.

You mentioned the Poncho 301. I have always assumed that it too is part of the "Pontiac Block Family" and ideal for a "direct/no hassle" swap, but someone recently said that the 301 is different ... so now I am unsure on that issue. I gather from what you are saying, the 301 IS part of the "Pontiac Engine Family" and shares all external block dimensions as its other siblings. Similar to the way a SBC V8 is all externally the same, with any differences being all internal.

The only problem I have with Pontiac V8s is they are becoming very hard to find around here. Olds (especially 403s) are a dime a dozen at the wrecking yards.

 

Well the Pontiac 301 is the differant motor. It is very hard to tell by looking but it is a little smaller and the heads and intake will not work on a 350 - 455 but the exhaust manifolds and I beleive the front cover and water pump will interchange also. The motor mounts are the same so the swap is easy in that respect. The G-bodies are getting very popular around here also (more on the track than the street) but mainly just the Monty Carlo's and Malibu's. As for finding Pontac motors, yes they are getting a little harder to find but are much easier to find than say a big block chevy motor in a wrecking yard (which around here is unheard of). We have a core supply place here in Dallas that we go and buy rebuildable shortblocks from so we don't have to go through the searching problems of finding one anymore. If you have any questions on doing the swap I will be glad to help anyway I can. One other thing you will run into is the transmission crossmember is not made to fit duel exhaust but we have found ways to modify them so it will fit. The way we have done it looks much better than the one that the aftermarket compines are selling and is much cheaper to do yourself.

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82 Z28 with 350.motor has .030 forged flat top pistions other wise stock bottom end, Summit 214/224 cam with 1.6 Harland Sharp roller rockers, stock 882 heads for now (will be getting a set of the 23 degree Trick Flows this summer), Performer RPM intake, Holley 750 Vacuum secondary, Th350 with 2200 converter, stock 3.23 geared rearend for now (getting 9" later on), Headman shorty headers, custom 2.5" into 3.5" Y pipe into M.A.C. offroad pipe and M.A.C. cat back system. So far car has only been to the track twice and is having sever traction problems but is running 60'-2.34 1/8 mile-9.2 @ 79 MPH.

 

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1982 Olds Cutlass Calais(G-Body)

FOR SALE. Email for Information if Intrested


Apologies to anyone offended by the non-f-body post.