[grouch]

I'm open to suggestions ranging from sedate to wild to weird. It's not going to be a daily driver. It will be something to drive occasionally just for fun. Haven't even pulled the body yet. There are enough things eating into my garage time that I don't want to find myself in a position of being ready for an engine but not having one. I'm pretty ignorant about what's available.

The "Big Six" (257 ci) that came out of it might be nice, but I have no clue where I'd get parts when it breaks, nor how to boost the power.

An Olds 455 sounds right for it, especially if I could find one of the 365 - 400 hp ones. Were there many of these made? Are they rare and pricey?

I have an old 350 available, but not really interested in dropping that in.

Anybody got a Kenworth rotting away that they want to donate the engine from? Might make it a bit nose-heavy, but it would be an interesting Oldsmobile.

I still haven't decided whether I want to stir the gears myself or just put it in 'D'.

[65Stanger]

375 Man O' War from World Products. http://www.worldcastings.com/prods_pages/087110.htm I'm looking for something to put one into myself! They look awesome. The 375 puts out 455 horses and 425 ft/lbs of torque. Woowee! Don't know, just sounds like fun to me.

[Bob C]

Mild custom, Olds 455 with overdrive trans.

[h0trod389]

ever since 1977 (yea yea, i know i was only 1)
ive been pissed off at GM for putting 403's into pontiacs!
my suggestion is to scour the junkyards for a pontiac 400 ci.

for under 2600 (total) i made 400 hp and 450 ft lbs.

parts are plentiful, had has enough torque to move that big ole' car!!!!
B

[rocket88coupe]

well im kinda one way when it comes to 49-50 oldsmobiles (drives a 49 coupe with a 425 olds 400 turbo)365 hp 490 ft lbs of torque.building a 50 hard top with a worked 394 engine 4 sp hydro,if i had to do the 49 over i would find a good 350 olds motor,if you look back in history youd find that in the late sixtys a olds cuttless ruled c/stock with a 350,very impressive times low 12s high 11s seems that was in that orange bow tie era too the reson i believe the olds ran so good was torque,i believe they only advertised around 325 hp it was and is a very good motor,i find that people r impressed with my 425-and 455s just because of size, all around streetability is very good with my 425 but really dont need 490 ft lbs of torque with one rear tire pulling and seems like more speed stuff for the 350 is avail,waiting to see what this 394 will do,parts are avail for the early rockets thru various outlets,more $$$ then later olds but still there,and u can shock the lookers to,just dont ruin a early olds by dropping in a sbc or bbc,after all the 49 olds 88 was the original factory hot rod,it deserves better,if u had the big six engine u have a 76 model,the factory put the new 303 engine from the 98 model into the lighter 76 model and made the 88 witch won nascar championships for the first two years of racing so they have a history-good luck with your project if i can be of help e-mail me

[OneMoreTime]

Now if you coild find a 57 olds J-2 that would be something right out of history..that was the one with the factory tri-power..that and a built hydra-matic..(B&M Hydrostick) First really built automatic that there was..

Sam

[yekoms]

Is there a reason that you don't want to use the 350 Olds? They are pretty stout engines with very little work. Just a good cam, induction and exhaust system.
Are you lookin at one four barrel carb or trips?
Headers or manifolds?
What front suspenion and steering box are you usin'?
What rear?
Did you ever see a 9" ford pumpkin and ends put into an Olds housing?
If I wouldn't have had all of the brackets on the Ford housing I would have done the Olds/Ford thing. It was in a Gasser Wars Magazine a few issues back.
I just don't like the real wild stuff for the street. It's to much of a compromise to make them drivable. I have enough hassles with life in general. I try to eliminate car hassles. If you are thinkin' about havin' the biggest, badest engine at the show some other guy is goin' to drag something out of a trailer and beat you. You just happened to have more fun than him by drivin' your ride to the show.
I'm a cylinder head guy in a race engine shop and this is just my thoughts but, it is your game so you can make the rules.
Have fun,Smokey

[gothrod87]

put an old school 426 into it...id dress it to look like a vintage drag racer under the hood of that big ole led sled
GOTHROD

[grouch]

Originally Posted by yekoms

Is there a reason that you don't want to use the 350 Olds?

Sorry, I wasn't clear on that. It's a GMC (I think) 350. I've never checked the numbers on the thing. It came in a $250 pickup about 30 years ago, and got me to work and back for a few years as long as nobody spit in front of the rear tires. I remember putting rings and bearings in it, and getting the heads worked, but can't remember the specs.

I do want to drive it so an engine set up for racing is just not in the cards. Agreed, on not having to fight the compromises for a racing engine in a street machine. Gas mileage is not too important since it won't be a daily driver.

That 455 with overdrive that Bob C suggested would make a nice cruise-mobile. Going to research that '57 J-2 that OneMoreTime described. Found this:
http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofeng.htm
while looking for the 425 and 394 that rocket88coupe mentioned.

I kinda like the idea of grabbing some stock engine in it to gain more power rather than putting a lot into aftermarket goodies. The original "Big Six" was extremely smooth-running but not much on power.

[Nightfire]

I always dug the 350 "Rocket" engine, mainly for it's super-cool valve covers
How bout a turbo engine from a Buick GN?



Mike

[poncho62]

If you can't find an Olds 455, a 500 Caddy would be rather cool...................and nostalgic, well sort of.

[Nightfire]

The caddy 500 would be sick! 475hp, 550flbs of torque....stock. Some speed parts available for them as well.


Mike

[TailGater]

Grouch, what kind of shape is the big six in? just my two cents but a mild turbo setup on the stock motor could be interesting and probably wouldn't be very costly to setup. Plus you would have a rather unique powerplant.

Chris

[grouch]

Originally Posted by TailGater

Grouch, what kind of shape is the big six in? just my two cents but a mild turbo setup on the stock motor could be interesting and probably wouldn't be very costly to setup. Plus you would have a rather unique powerplant.

Chris

It was running in '77. (I need to correct my journal; it says '79 but the license plate expired in '77). You can see it hanging from a hoist in entries 86 and 87 of my journal. The worry I have with running it is that I don't know where to get parts when something on it breaks, and don't have a lathe or mill or the skills to make them.

Originally Posted by poncho62

If you can't find an Olds 455, a 500 Caddy would be rather cool...................and nostalgic, well sort of.

Originally Posted by Nightfire

The caddy 500 would be sick! 475hp, 550flbs of torque....stock. Some speed parts available for them as well.

That sounds like it belongs in the old sad-face! An oversized Cadillac in an Olds, just plain. With that kind of torque I better go with an automatic or my wife would never drive it. She likes a manual, but has never dealt with one hooked up behind anything but a little 4 cylinder. I almost bought a '69 Caddy a couple of weeks ago, over the Internet, but my nephew convinced me I could get a donor car for various parts for less than the $1700 asking price of that one.

I couldn't get to the block numbers on the possible donor engine I have on hand. Just in case anyone can identify it without those, a couple of images are attached. (Best I can tell, the truck it was put in is a '64 GMC with a Chevy grille. Yeah, it looked that bad when I drove it, too, just less rust).

[Bryan59EC]

I'm gonna guess pre 69
Just from the water pump and alternator location.

I was going to suggest the 501 Caddy,
If you want to row your own Perhaps the Olds 350 Rocket

I had one in an old Cutlass -- Strong as hell--and reasonably economical.

I am personally thinking of a late 305 for my 66 elky-with a 5spd-for gas mileage
or perhaps the 5.3 chevy truck motor (so I can keep the 327 badges)

Bryan