My dreamcar!

Yeah I know there aren't any ImpalaSS wagons. But I didn't feel like explaining what all it had. I know it's pricey, but it is a nice low miles SS clone. That's still half of what a similar ImpalaSS would cost.

 

The 77-I think it was 1980 Oldsmobile wagons had 350 and 403 engines. The Buick wagons had350 Buick engines I believe. Not sure what the Pontiac and Chevy's had. Not hard to swap in a bigger engine for a 307 for the later years Box B-bodies. That's what I did with my 84. I might be willing to part with it for the right price.

 

Yup....all 80-90 box wagons had the 307 engine. Easy to swap to alternative engines. In 85 they switched to the roller engine. All of those were smooth, quiet, reliable and doggies. The earlier ones were a little better with the 5A heads....VERY little.

 

Yeah I have the 307 in my 87. Runs great, very reliable, very turn key and go, VERY doggie compared to my 83 305

 

This is exactly my problem too. End 70's still had the optional 350. Later they switched to the 305, which of course has less power, but has potential; same block as the 350. The 307 after 85 is only a little more doggie in stock form, but has no upgrade potential. Does anybody know if the 200R4's behind these 307's had the BOP pattern only or also Chevy? The latter would increase the possibility when upgrading.

 

Well Actually the 307 does have upgrade potential in that any Oldsmobile 350 part will fit, and upgrading to any Olds engine is also a potential upgrade. The 200 4R that is in my car is a Uni Bolt pattern in that it will fit a BOP engine or Chevy engine.

 

IIRC, SOME of them had the optional bolt up and some did not. That's why you see most of these wagons that have an engine swap having a 350 Olds or a 455 Olds. There are other options with and without a tranny change depending on the bolt pattern on the particular bell housing in a particular car. There are other alternatives, too,...drill the bolt pattern or get an adapter plate. The drilling does not give you all the bolts, as I recall, and I don't care for adapters.

 

AAAAHH!! I thought this was my old car for a moment. I bought it with a 5.7D, which i swapped for a 6.2D! A real MPG phantom, but as usual, a car that is ready is no longer fun to own.........

 

In a Diesel car, the two bolts that mismatch DOES matter I know from experience...

 

I know it is not completely without potential, but most are no quick fixes, as I understood. Furthermore, Wasn't the 307 an open webbing block, seriously limiting upgrading? I am a bit out of my depth here, so please correct me when I am wrong. Even more now I found a very nice 88 Caprice but with a 307 (with 83 registration !!!

 

A swap for a 350/700 combo out of an beatup van or truck is really not that big.... Everything, but the holes for the crossmember in the frame and oil dip sticks and engine mounts goes right over from the trucks

 

I would not waste time or money trying to get any big power out of a 307, Senri. A swap is the answer if you want more power. The 307 is a good running, reliable engine but it's no hot rod and would take tons of money to make it one. Here's a link to some Olds guys that offer a lot of info that they have experienced over the years building Olds engines. When I built my first box wagon I thought ANY engine could be built but changed my mind after MUCH research. This link helped me and I used it a lot for the Olds 350 and 455 info too.
http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofe307.htm

 

I think you are right, a swap would be best. Actually, building up a nice engine while still driving the car, has been a wish for a very long time, so that would suit me fine. I was thinking about a nice streetable 400...

Ok, this is actually good news for me! This means I donb't have to make a real fuss if the car has a 305 or 307. I have seen a 77 Impala with a 350 though......

Just out of curiousity, besides other issues, but is there a preference for an olds 350 or a Chevy 350?

 

The Olds 350 will for sure bolt right up in an 80-90 box wagon. Or an Olds 455. The thing I like about the Chevy 350 is that there are TONS of after market parts for it. So, if I was building something for BIG HP in a GM car I would opt for the Chevy 350. But, as far as the 80-90 box wagons go....I think the Olds 350 is the operative engine for those cars. That's the engine they should have put in there in the first place (IF they had to use an Olds engine...the Chevy 350 would have been even better) if it wasn't for the emission problems. The Olds 350 will move those wagons around nicely. They aren't the best on mileage though (better than the 455). But....no engine that will move 4500 lbs around nicely will get great mileage. Unless you drop in an LT1 or an LS. THAT would be great! But, expensive.

 

Black '94-'96 WB4 (wood delete) Buick Roadmasters usually cost a bit more than it's wooden siblings, and they never made the Roadmaster wagons with gray interiors, just the sedans for some reason .

Mike