GM / General Motors: chevy, olds, buick?

will a chevy or olds 350 bolt right on to an 84 buick lesabre
transmission? the car has a 307 but i want to put a 350 in it, but im
not sure if i have to get a new tranny too. any help???

I agree on the transmission; if you don't find a
dual-pattern bellhousing in that
car, a Chevy pattern slushbox must be procured. If I recall, however,
the fuel pump is on the same side as
a SBC, just a little relocated and harder to get at on the
Olds, so
probably all that will be needed is a different length of rubber hose to
connect the pump to the steel line.

There should be no problem swapping the carb and emissions equipment onto
the Chevy mill (assuming the manifold is compatible, ie., 2bbl or 4bbl,
and the same style EGR (negative or positive backpressure) valve is
retained) but
it should be noted that a BOP (incl Cad) HEI distributor will *not* fit a
Chevy. If a computer control system is being retained, a Chevrolet 7-pin
HEI must be obtained (7 pins on the internal module, with a weatherpack
pigtail (in addition to the cap connector) hanging out the back of the dizzy.
The distributor will not have
a centrifugal advance mechanism.) It should also be noted that the
appropriate PROM or ECM may be needed to assure smog compliance and
driveability with the different engine. If smog compliance is not a
requisite, an older 4-pin HEI (has centrifugal advance, no weatherpack
connector) and non-ECM carb will serve. If this route is chosen, the
only electrical connections will be the starter, power to the HEI,
alternator, and oil/water/etc senders, and probably something I forgot.
Much of the torturous vacuum hose mess will be disposed of as well.

I cannot speak with certainty on the exhaust concern, but if SBC exhaust
manifolds from another B-body ('77-'90 Caprice/Impala, for example) are
sourced, the outlets should match your existing Y-pipe.

In short, selecting all components from a Caprice will ease matters: the
motor isn't as likely to be bagged out as a truck or F-body, and misc parts are more likely to
work.
The "little" stuff should all be verified: watch the motor mounts, the
water pumps don't interchange, the waterneck might not be oriented
favorably, the radiator hoses may have fitment issues, you may run out of
beer, etc. I prefer to think of these little surprises as convenient
reasons to spend a nice, relaxing day goofing off in the wrecking yard.

On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 19:53:10 -0700, Eightupman wrote: