[Smonska]

I have a 71' buick 350 with 80k miles that I'd like bolt up to a chevy manual trans in my 81 c-10, I've heard that a buick motor will bolt up to a chevy bellhousing (which will have 2 extra bolt holes on a B-O-P), but what is necessary to get a clutch/flywheel setup that will mate between the two? Will the chevy (250 I6 right now) flywheel bolt to the buicks crank? Thanks for the help on this economy swap!

[78novaman]

Sorry dude, but If my memory serves me correctly, you're gunna have to find a different tranny or engine. My bro had a 350 in his 68 LeSabre, all the buick motors until the mid 70's had a different bolt pattern than the chevy motors. The only way you're gunna put that engine in your truck is to get a 200-r4 or 700-r4 with a universal bolt pattern (extremely rare)or you could try to find a buick manual tranny(still pretty rare) and get a custom driveshaft made for it.

[Skylark_77_455]

Yeah the chevy tranny will not work. If you still want the manual you will have to go with a BOP bellhousing and an aftermarket if you want a 5 speed. If you want a four speed the buicks used the same trannys as all other GM, Muncie, Saginaw, etc. The bolt pattern is different by two holes from chevy to buick.

[Smonska]

I thought the buick had 2 more holes than the chevy, but all the other holes would line up. I was also told I could just drill the two additional holes in the bellhousing and make it mate up, I was more concerned with getting the chevy clutch and flywheel attached to the buick's crank. Anyone have experience there? Are all GM 10.5" clutches the same reguardless of make? I know on chevy's from trucks to corvettes they swap.

[bigwildgrin]

come on guys, anything in the hot rod world can be done

buy an B-O-P to chevy adapter, PAW, summit and jegs all sell them for around $50 (you might have to call them though if you don't see them listed in their mags). it bolts between the engine and the bell housing. use the flywheel, clutch, pressure plate and throwout bearing from the buick engine. the adapter does add about 1/8 inch of space, so it is possible you might have to play with different throwout bearings to find the right one, but probably not.

I have done this with two pontiacs, they have the same bolt pattern as a buick, there is nothing to it so go for it.

[Smonska]

Thanks man, thats really helpful. :-) The sad parat is that the buick was attached to an auto so I need to know if I can use a chevy flywheel on a buick crank.
After looking at clutches on thte summit racing website, I believe the clutch will swap reguardless since they only list clutches as "GM", not brand specific. This means all I need is a clutch with a 1 1/18" 10 spline inputshaft to match my tranny.

[Greg55_99]

For $50 you can go on Ebay and get a Buick-Olds-Pontiac bellhousing and have the correct bell for the engine you have. If you want the proper flywheel, search around and get one from a late 60's Jeep Wagoneer (which came with Buick 350's) or get one from a 60's - 70's Jeep CJ or Commando V6. The bellhousing from those engines will work as well. A Chevy bell and flywheel are out of the question.

Greg

[woodz428]

and there's <a href="http://www.transmissionadapters.com" target="_blank">www.transmissionadapters.com</a>
Bendtsen's in Mn. that makes a lot of early engine adapters to Chevy trans'.