Olds 307 to Olds 403 engine swap info please?

Yeah...I thought of that, Kev. Not sure the emission guys would know what color the engine was supposed to be. Still, it may be risky in some areas of the country....like California. Guess it depends on the local laws. Sure is getting difficult to drive a car anymore!

 

I'm sure they don't care what color the engine is, but if they see something that doesn't look right/stock it might prompt them to dig a little deeper is all I'm saying. Then again maybe they don't even look under the hood at all.

 

Well...I wouldn't know. Thankfully, we don't have that inspection stuff here. Yet. And, with the Olds engines, it's almost impossible to tell one from the other unless you measure them or know them real well. Even the 455 looks the same as the others.

 

Good eyes on catching my old Honda CT-90 trail bike. I love goofy toys.

When I started this thread I thought I'd be going with a 403...that was my plan, but then I came into this 71 Olds 350, that was rebuilt in 2004. I got to hear it run twice, it was still in the '71 Cutlass, and I got it for a good price.

Not sure how to edit the title of the thread....but it's a '71 350 going in there now.

I am going to paint it gold. I've got a buddy that will inspect it for me. It's all going to work out.

-Mike

 

Oh...I guess I missed that post, Mike. The Olds 350 is a good engine!

 

I had a 73 cutlass with the 350 and it was a torquey little devil,would burn the tires off it.The 71 should have some decent compression like 9 to 1 maybe.Stick with the 200r4 it can be built to handle some serious power. Also go for the Gold paint. keep us posted and good luck.

 

Thanks, I have high hopes. I hate to choke it all up with all the emissions crap, but I have to go through inspection one more time before the car is exempt here (25 years is the cutoff). Even keeping all the smog garbage, it should still have a lot more power than the gutless stock 307.

I've heard both 350 and 403 engines were popular "sleeper" swaps into 80's 442's, because if you paint the 350 black and put all the stock items back on, you can't tell it's not a 307....until you drive it that is. ; )

I am going to go with the gold color however...it IS an Olds, right?, and next year after it passes it's last emissions check will pull all the smog stuff off, add an Edelbrock carb and true duals, and eventually build up the transmission....and also put lower gears in the rear end (has 2.55's now..yuck!)

For now the '71 350 will be somewhat choked, but at least I can put my Cutlass back on the road again. It's been down since spring and I miss it a lot.



-Mike

 

Geez....why was I thinking your Cutlass was black for some reason....?
I know I've seen other pictures of it. Funny what your mind does to your memories.....

 

Starting to get excited finally. I'm driving the knocking 307 Cutlass down to Troung's shop this afternoon and picking up my Roady from all it's suspension work.

This weekend I'm planning to yank that 307 like a rotten tooth! Going to pressure wash the engine compartment and re-paint the firewall and some other stuff before dropping in the "new" '71 Olds 350.

As for that 350, been getting it ready to go as well. Pressure washed it really well, and then pulled the intake and oil pan to give it a look-see.
The inside of the motor looks GREAT! No sludge in the oil pan, valley between the heads was clean, no gunk in the oil pickup screen, and I can see it has a double-roller timing chain. Crank and cam are clean, looks like it was a good rebuild and can't wait to hear it run in my Cutlass.

Here's some pics I took this morning. I re-bolted the intake on, put some junk plugs and some salvage yard 307 valve covers on it, getting it ready to paint the block. I'm in the middle of sanding down the oil pan. Planning to put a coat of paint on the oil pan, then bolt it on and paint the entire engine, which will be a 2nd coat on the pan.

Engine is going to be semi-gloss black...I could not find the correct gold and do not want it to look like a bright gold nugget under there....which is the only Gold engine color the local parts stores have, so black it will be. I already have chrome valve covers for it, and will use the factory air cleaner with a chrome lid and Rocket 350 decal.

Going to take the Edelbrock intake off again after painting the engine black, and paint it with high-heat cast-coat aluminum paint. I only bolted it back in for now to keep overspray paint from getting in the motor.

I've already painted the front brackets I nabbed black, and the exhaust manifolds are now black as well. I'm using a 1979 Trans Am 403 exhaust manifold on the driver's side to get rid of the heat riser, along with the 403 crossover pipe. On the passenger side I'm using an early 80's cast-iron 307 manifold. Have to use that to retain the single 02 sensor, it has the bung in it. It honestly looks as large as the 403 manifold, and besides, after emissions next year I many just yank it all for headers and duals. This is just to get the engine up and going in place of the factory 307.

Here's some pre-paint pics of the 1971 "Rocket" 350. I also took some pics of the numbers in case anyone wants to tell me exactly what I have. I do know it has #7 heads, which are supposed to be among the better ones to have on these, from what I've read.

De-greased, pressure washed and waiting for it's first coat of semi-gloss balck!




Edelbrock intake. Will be painting it cast-coat aluminum color.


#7 heads, and some other numbers on the heads:



Numbers on back of the block by the distributor hole


Numbers on the front of the block


Will post updated pics as soon as the motor is painted. Coming along!

Finally!

-Mike

 

Very cool Mike, I know we can count on seeing complete progress updates including

 

According to them google guys, Eastwood has Olds gold engine paint, and so does POR-15.

If it was mine, I'd really like the gold on the engine....

 

I agree with KK, that Cutlass is really orig looking, would be a shame to skip this detail.

 

But the 307 was black from the factory...so all I have to do is put the stock black air cleaner lid on it, and BAM, a sleeper! Can tell everyone it's a 307 with an Edelbrock intake and chrome valve covers. Hahaha!

Besides all ya'll know how nutty I am about keeping my cars clean and I figure the black will show less crud.

-Mike

 

Oh ok, cool! Being an Olds, just figured it was gold in that model too.

 

Hmmmm.. According to this link the block is from a 68-70 model, even though it came out of a 71 Cutlass. ID code 2, '68-'70, 350, Casting # 395558 - http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofblk.htm

Looking up heads... http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofhed.htm#Heads

#7 model 409147, 64cc Combustion Camber, 1.880, 1.995 Intake Valve, 1.567, 1.624 Exhaust Valve

All 1971 350's use #7 heads. Valve springs were different depending on application. Rotator style spring retainers were used on ONLY the exhaust springs. Induction hardened valve seats for use with unleaded fuel.

Sounds like I'll have a nice setup!

-Mike