So i am looking at an 83 Tran am that has a 350 out of a automatic corvette. The guy claims that everything is in working order other than the fact the starter does not fit. I have looked up a few things and haven't found much. But from what i have figured out is that i need a starter for a 153 tooth fly wheel for the trans am, but the corvette starter is the 168 tooth fly wheel. Would one of those mini starters from someone like ProTorque work?
Any help would be good

Also if i do go to look at this car what are a few things i can look at to test to make sure the engine and transmission are in working order.

 

I take it this car has a t-5 transmission? The automatic trans starters were just larger in size on an fbody and corvette. Use a starter for a t-5 equipped fbody(though they tend to be weak) or a '93era LT1 starter. You can also use an aftermarket starter for a 153 tooth flywheel.

But since you can't hear it run I'd be leery of everything he has to say....

 

Yeah it has the t5. Thats what i was assuming but its nice to have someone confirm. The car is a good price and he says he lost the garage so he has nowhere to put it and he sounds genuine. But you never know what could be wrong with the car.

 

True. Food for thought, he was willing to swap the engine out, but not capable of putting a starter in?...really? Makes very little sense. I'd smell bs of some sort.

 

Ensure the block has the starter bolt holes in line. If the block is only tapped for the staggered bolt holes you cannot mount a starter to fit the 153t flywheel.

Aftermarket starters will usually fit either flywheel, but ONLY if the block has the in line bolt holes.

 

They ALL are. EVERYTHING is. I thought everybody knew that? I think they all come out of that one year that had the real bad body rust problem. (yes, I've actually heard that from a used-parts seller)

Kinda reminds me of a time, back when I was just starting out in this hobby, when I heard of some heads that were being offered for sale "out of a vette". So I go to d00d's place; he takes me out in his back 40 to a derelict car body; pulls a set of early 70s smogger JUNK heads off of a 307 2-bbl or some such out of the back floorboard of .... you guessed it ... a vette .... hands em to me and tells me I could see with my own eyes they came out of a vette.

Yeah right. "Out of a Vette" = LIE. Check's in the mail, only an inch, I'm from the govt and I'm here to help, etc. A lesson every beginning hot-rodder has to learn: if you hear those words, the seller is LYING. Pure and simple. "Out of a Vette" = LIE.

EFFF the whole "corvette" BS crap. You've got a pre-80 (or so) 350. Just leave it at that. Nobody on this site is impressed with that other garbage lie storyline you got fed.

Your block MUST have the correct starter bolt hole installed for the correct starter (ANY correct starter) to work. There IS NO starter that will bolt to the old bolt pattern that will accept the new starter size. The reason isn't "starter", as such; that is, it's not as though it's possible but it's just not done; the reason is, if you tried to put a bolt into the holes you DO have, the inner one would go RIGHT DIRECTLY THROUGH THE MIDDLE of the starter drive, because the starter for the 12.8" flywheel (153 teeth) is about 5/8" closer to the crankshaft than the one for the 14" flywheel (168 teeth). Kinda eeeezy to see why; 14" - 12.8" = 1.2", ÷ 2 = .6", very close to 5/8".

Have the correct hole drilled in your block BEFORE installing it in the car.



The circled one is the one you are missing. BEFORE you put this engine into the car, take it to your local machine shop and have them install the hole.

 

What? fiberglass doesn't rust in your state?

 

Does it in yours?

 

i've seen a few rusted Corvettes- you do know that the frames underneath the fiberglass body panels are made out of steel, right?

not that this has anything to do with the relatively simple task of finding a starter to fit a small block Chevrolet V8 engine..

 

Yup, the frames; not the bodies.

 

If he's willing to push start it to assure drivability, it's worthwhile.

If he's not or can't, then the price better come down a good bit to make it worth your while to drive that third hole.