Olds 350 in 69 SWB

[ratrod67]

I went and looked at a 62 LWB with a 350 Olds(says Rocket on aircleaner) and can get it pretty cheap. Can anyone tell me if this would be a worthwhile swap or should I get something else. I have a tired 307 and 3 speed now. I couldn't drive the truck because of no driveshaft or brakes so I couldn't really tell how it would run. It started and ran very smoothly and has a fresh rebuilt transmission. I have zero experience with Olds stuff so please let me know what to do. Thanks for any help.

[old Rusty C10]

i used to have livery taxi cabs here in NY and i had a couple of the olds custom cruisers with the 350 R head motors and those motors ran like the devil . i got in excess of 300000 miles per motor and they required little maintenance and all therye great motors.

[Longhorn Man]

By design, the Olds engine is a better engine for a truck with its longer stroke, which makes more torque.
Heads are normally crappy smogers that can't breath, but if the swap looks to be done pretty well, then don't be afraid of it.
Is it a long bed or a short bed? And is it a long shaft, or a short shaft tranny?
The drive shaft may be an easy thing depending on those two questions.

[BUXMAN66]

i remember my old '69 had a manual tranny in it and there was a bracket on the drivers side below the exhaust manifold on the side of the block that hooked up the pivot(sombody help me here)point for the clutch assembly.if you have any application such as this,you might remember that if going to a old's,it prolly wouldn't have those mounting bosses on the block.

[crazy longhorn]

Most of the olds cranks werent drilled for a pilot bushing either, unless they came out of a stick shift car. Best swap on them is to stay with an auto trans.

[ratrod67]

Thanks for the comments. The truck is a LWB but I didn't look and see if the tranny was a long or short. Are the motor and tranny mounts interchangable between the 62 and the 69? He also has a 5 lug rear that goes with the truck. Thanks again!!

[jay6891]

If you are thinking of changing trannys, you will have to get an adapter because of the different bolt patterens on bellhousing. What kindof trans is behind the olds now? I guess is what I getting at is, what is holding the oil in on this brand new rebuilt trans? How long has it been running with no oil? Ohter than that the Olds moter is a very good one. I have had 2 in my 71 Cutlass. First one rebuilt at 150,000 miles. Other one was in it when I sold it.

[ratrod67]

Jay-- The tranny has the yoke in it and has fluid in it. The guy works at a tranny shop and it's supposedly rebuilt with a stall and shift kit. I'm thinking of switching the complete motor and tranny into my 69 if it will work without major work. I know I'll probably need a driveshaft made but if I need to hunt down motor mounts and stuff like that I'll probably pass and just use a Chevy 350. I can get this truck for $300 that's why I'm wondering.

[crazy longhorn]

I ran a 455 olds in the longhorn for a while, & used late 70's stands , with 5.7 deisel pads & mounts. The stands are not a direct bolt in, so I drilled the holes in the top of the frame rails & opted to weld them to the crossmember at the bottom. The auto trans crossmember from my 69 worked fine(you may have to scoot it & redrill holes). Good luck....crazy AL

[PICKMUP]

Run, don't walk, away from that deal! If you have a nice 69 SWB Chev PU, you will kill the value of it by putting in a non-Chev engine/trans...even if it is free. Put a Chev in it...everything hooks up, you can get parts any where and you can resell it easy. There are a couple good Olds powered trucks around here for sale. They have been for sale for months and the prices keep going lower...No sale. Keep life simple. Don't screw your truck up!

[crazy longhorn]

If you can put that olds in.......you can take it back out at any time! I have run Olds & caddy both........back to sb chev(they are cheaper to build). i still have enough parts to build 3 more BB olds engines.......so who knows what will be in my truck a few more yrs down the road If you are buildin the truck for yourself......build it with what fits the budget and/or what available..........

[ratrod67]

My 69 has 2 bad cylinders and has been sitting for about 3 months. It's just a matter of time until the city tickets the truck. I'm not in the financial situation to spend $1500 on a motor and the 3 speed needs a clutch for sure. I can get this truck for $300 and the motor starts up and idles at 750 with no problems. I'm also getting a written guarantee for the tranny. The guy is hurting for $$ and that's why it's cheap. As a bonus I would like to switch to 5 lug in the future and the truck comes with a 5 lug rear with posi(we pulled the cover). I'm just worried about being able to switch the Olds motor into the 69 because I would need to pull the motor and get it installed so I can scrap the 62 before the city puts the smack down on me. The Olds motor is bolted to the 62 and looks like it's done right but I don't know if the mounts will interchange with the 69. Thanks for everyones help!!!

[crazy longhorn]

If she runs good, go for it! Just be sure to pull all the brackets with it.......im not sure on the 62, but Ill bet they are close. the olds is a good engine(high nickle block like the caddys). here is a link to one with a 455 planted.. http://community.webshots.com/user/hotrodhorn

[ratrod67]

Well I went back to get the truck today and it's gone . I guess I'll keep looking. Thanks everyone!!!

[Longhorn Man]

Huge friken bummer.

[larouchedem]

Hi longhornmail,

No offense meant, but the 350 Olds' has a shorter stroke than a 350" chev. It is 3.385", as it is in 260/307/330 and 403 Olds'.

Fwiw - '65-'67 400s and 425s are 3.975", and '68 up 400 and 455s are 4.25"

Dave

[/i]
By design, the Olds engine is a better engine for a truck with its longer stroke, which makes more torque.
Heads are normally crappy smogers that can't breath, but if the swap looks to be done pretty well, then don't be afraid of it.
Is it a long bed or a short bed? And is it a long shaft, or a short shaft tranny?
The drive shaft may be an easy thing depending on those two questions. [/QUOTE]

[crazy longhorn]

Still with 1/10 " shorter stroke, the 350 olds would make a good truck eng........the sb olds ran a 6" long rod. The BB olds is one hell of a truck eng! The late 400s, & 455 have a 6.735 long rod, & the early 400s & 425s run a 6.998 C to C on the rod. I still have a 425 that i would like to set up.......but man those forged pistons are scarce,& arent cheap! a mild built 455 will flat smoke the tires on a mid 3s gear@ 100 mph going into high gear......with a hydro. Cant say too much for milage tho......the verter was rated @ 2300 behind a BB, & that olds flashed it to 3200......I know I will do another one, its just a matter of time(or cash)

[larouchedem]

longhorn,

[/i]
Still with 1/10 " shorter stroke, the 350 olds would make a good truck eng........

Agreed. I've had two Olds powered trucks.
A '69 C-20 with 455, and a '71 C-10 w/a
425.

Fwiw- if you want lots of compression in
a 425, and you don't mind a +.125" over
bore, you can use a std bore [4.25"] 454
chevy piston. The C.H. on a 425 piston is
1.615", but they are usually down the hole
a bit. Most 454 pistons are 1.625" to
1.645" tall. The olds rods needs reamed
9 thou to fit the chevy pin. I've also used
396/402 pistons [with dome removed]
in the 455 Olds' for a cheap flat top high
comp deal. For a +.125" 455, a 427 piston
works. Note - the chevy pistons must be
solid dome, as you can't remove the dome
on a hollow dome piston.
Dave


the sb olds ran a 6" long rod. The BB olds is one hell of a truck eng! The late 400s, & 455 have a 6.735 long rod, & the early 400s & 425s run a 6.998 C to C on the rod. I still have a 425 that i would like to set up.......but man those forged pistons are scarce,& arent cheap! a mild built 455 will flat smoke the tires on a mid 3s gear@ 100 mph going into high gear......with a hydro. Cant say too much for milage tho......the verter was rated @ 2300 behind a BB, & that olds flashed it to 3200......I know I will do another one, its just a matter of time(or cash) [/QUOTE]

[crazy longhorn]

That is interesting......how about valve releifes? the olds wasnt too much problem (own make piston) , till about 260-270 dur @ .050, & around ,570 lift......nothin come close to touchin on the mild apps! They are a rockin SOB(generic BB)......

[larouchedem]

longhorn,

I've heard that it's ok with up to .580",
but I'd check it to be sure.

Btw - a blower piston for a 454 can be
used in the 425 if low CR is wanted.
KB has a 28.5cc dish 454 piston, but
C.H. is 1.645". It might stick up out
of the block a bit. Speedpro has a
blower 454 piston too. Hard to find
either in std bore [4.250"], but can be
ordered.
Dave




[/i]
That is interesting......how about valve releifes? the olds wasnt too much problem (own make piston) , till about 260-270 dur @ .050, & around ,570 lift......nothin come close to touchin on the mild apps! They are a rockin SOB(generic BB)...... [/QUOTE]

[crazy longhorn]

Thanks for the info

[larouchedem]

longhorn,

I hope you found it interesting. Btw, when I
used the +.060" 396 chevy TRW #2240s in a 455, even paying to have the domes removed, and the
Olds rods reamed .009", I still epent less
than the 14.5cc dished L2323 Olds TRWs cost
at the time.
Plus, with only one valve relief, I had
10.45-1 CR with 83cc chambers.
Dave


[/i]
Thanks for the info [/QUOTE]

[crazy longhorn]

I didnt think the 2323s were too bad on price(about $280) at the time, but for the 425s all I hade seen was Aries, or Ross.......about $800 a set! (Oooouch) yes, that was some interesting info, as that shorter stroke/ long rod 425 may be a little more affordable to build......

[Low67C10]

Ive built a few Olds engines ( my 67 shortfleet has a early 400 out of a 67 442) and they are great street engines. The 455s make a ungodly amount of torque and the 350, early 400 and 425s can really spin. I couldnt find forged pistons for the 400 for a decent price so I bought a set of forged pistons for a Olds 350. Only had to bore the block for the 4.057" piston.