72 Olds 350 or 307 Crate?

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Tango 20

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Mar 10, 2017
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I have a 1986 Regal with a 307. I have a chance to buy a complete overhauled 1972 350 Olds for $1,200 or a 307 Crate for $2,000. I have rebuilt the transmission so I would like to keep it for awhile at least. Also is it better to stick with Olds if I want to keep My A/C ? Or am I better off going Chevy ? Don't want a ton of power just a little more. Thanks
 

Texas82GP

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Apr 3, 2015
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Staying Olds would be an easier swap and would be less expensive. What kind of 307 Crate? More details on both motors please. My initial reaction, go with the Olds 350. The Olds. diehards will be chiming in.
 
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L92 OLDS

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Mar 30, 2012
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I have a 1986 Regal with a 307. I have a chance to buy a complete overhauled 1972 350 Olds for $1,200 or a 307 Crate for $2,000. I have rebuilt the transmission so I would like to keep it for awhile at least. Also is it better to stick with Olds if I want to keep My A/C ? Or am I better off going Chevy ? Don't want a ton of power just a little more. Thanks

My vote is go for the 72' Olds 350. Swapping to a Chevy will be costly and your "transmission" could be really ugly and may not bolt up :eek:
upload_2017-3-24_11-53-18.jpeg
 
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Opie Knievel

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Sep 6, 2010
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I have a 1986 Regal with a 307. I have a chance to buy a complete overhauled 1972 350 Olds for $1,200 or a 307 Crate for $2,000. I have rebuilt the transmission so I would like to keep it for awhile at least. Also is it better to stick with Olds if I want to keep My A/C ? Or am I better off going Chevy ? Don't want a ton of power just a little more. Thanks

I didn't even know a crate 307 was a thing. Lol. Staying Oldsmobile will make things simpler. The 350 sounds like a "cooler" option but I don't know squat about Olds engines. I'm a Chevy guy. Lol.

More details about the engines you are considering and maybe a link to the crate engine would help get you better responses. There are some guys on here who know Olds engines inside and out. Hopefully they'll give you a better answer.
 

Texas82GP

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Apr 3, 2015
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After a quick google search, I'm thinking the 307 'crate' engine is a remanufactured long block.
 

Tango 20

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Mar 10, 2017
30
11
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The 350 came out of a 72 Olds. car. Overhauled 3 yrs ago. He has the paperwork but no garantee or warranty . The crate engine is at rebuiltcrateengines.com . It is listed as a 307 Hurst Olds 270hp ? 1yr warranty unlimited miles
 

L92 OLDS

Comic Book Super Hero
Mar 30, 2012
2,872
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West Michigan
The 350 came out of a 72 Olds. car. Overhauled 3 yrs ago. He has the paperwork but no garantee or warranty . The crate engine is at rebuiltcrateengines.com . It is listed as a 307 Hurst Olds 270hp ? 1yr warranty unlimited miles

If it is rated for 270hp then there is nothing Hurst Olds about it. My guess is that it is an over cammed 307. Let us know what you decide.
 
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ck80

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I'd go 350 olds. If it was completely overhauled, odds are 99% it wasn't done at a mass market quality-be-damned assembly plant like the 307. Too many horror stories regardless of what the website "says" for me.

Plus, fine print on those warranties means if something does go wrong, you still wind up out a couple hundred in incidentals in addition to your time...
 
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ck80

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I would think 270 is a typo for 170 because the typist didn't think a 5.0L V8 could only make 170 HP. They could and they did.

Nah, it makes 270 hp....

with the assistance of a 90 horse team hitched on.
 
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