307 to 403 Olds swap...info please?

[81X11]

Ok the weather cooled down to 94 degrees today....figured it was time I went and picked up the '71 350.

Backing into the driveway with the new toy on the motorcycle trailer...with my father wondering what new POS I've drug home now...ha!

It's home.

Tags from the rebuilder on the freeze plugs, both on the block and heads..from 2004

Not too bad. Not spotless but no sludge either.

#7 heads with hardened valve seats. They breathe well and are unleaded fuel friendly...good deal!

Getting ready to take off the trailer

On the stand in my garage

Got to find some valve covers and tape it all off so I can clean it up really well, and then start gathering the rest of the parts for the swap.

Engine in the garage and safe, took the motorcycle trailer off and put the boat on.....it's hot and I need a break. Heading out for some R&R! Have a great weekend all!

-Mike

 

[FE3X CLONE]

We had the small 307 balancer on my brother's 403. The engine was balanced with it at the machine shop.

Within 1500 miles it snapped the camshaft and sheared all the teeth off the crankshaft timing gear and bent a couple of valves.

We rebuilt it and put the PROPER balancer on the 403 and it's been just fine since.

We never could pin point the balancer has being the culprit but the fact of the matter is, that small 260/307Y balancer doesn't belong on a 350 or 403. Even IF the parts stores (including GM) says it does.

 

[81X11]

We had the small 307 balancer on my brother's 403. The engine was balanced with it at the machine shop.

Within 1500 miles it snapped the camshaft and sheared all the teeth off the crankshaft timing gear and bent a couple of valves.

We rebuilt it and put the PROPER balancer on the 403 and it's been just fine since.

We never could pin point the balancer has being the culprit but the fact of the matter is, that small 260/307Y balancer doesn't belong on a 350 or 403. Even IF the parts stores (including GM) says it does.

I'm planning to find a proper balancer for it...and all the other mounts and exhaust manifolds and such.. I see a lot of weekends digging through Wrench-A-Part in my future.

-Mike

 

[81X11]

Ok was a crazy car-filled weekend.....time to play catch-up, this is from back on Jan 7th. Here we go. Grabbed my Dad and we went to San Antonio Saturday morning and had a great time.

To start, please feel free to rag on me about finishing the Cutlass, because I have no excuse now. Followed the GPS instructions to a fairly scary part of southeast San Antonio, met the very nice landlord that called me about a cut-up Cutlass lowrider left abandoned in a garage behind one of his rent houses.

All I can say is WOW! For $80 I got a power steering pump with mount, alternator with mount, harmonic balancer, water pump and crank pulleys, valve covers, Q-jet carb, both exhaust manifolds, a TON of spare bolts, and also found a set of perfect 87-88-only Cutlass Euro headlights, and new Cutlass 1/4 glass with perfect chrome. AMAZING and God Bless Craigslist!! There was a ton of other Cutlass parts in there, but nothing I could tell that I "needed", but will someday regret not taking the perfect front fenders and doors in there.

After filling up the back of the Roady with Cutlass parts, I ran through both Wrench-A-Part and Pick-N-Pull. Only had two hours before closing, and needed a set of mounts for the a/c compressor in the Cutlass, so ran through both yards. Wanted pre-80 a/c mounts, since those do not have an additional area for the smog pump, which I'm not going to use, and will make for a cleaner install. Found a perfect set of mounts on a '79 Toronado.....for $10. Gotta love Pick-N-Pull! I now have every part I need to do the engine swap in the Cutlass! Woo-Hoo!

Anyway, did not get much chance to look at B-bodies, but as always had the camera ready.

Only found one interesting thing at Wrench-A-Part, a totally rust-free doorstop.....err Triumph TR-7. I know the Triumph nuts up north would kill for some body parts off this ugly little spud:

On to Pick-N-Pull. I love the San Antonio Pick-N-Pull. It's B-body heaven. They have a FULL BIIGGG section of just full-size RWD Chevy and GM, and you can also find Roadies and such spread in with the FWD GM cars. In other words, there is always a ton of good parts here. They also have a full section of RWD Fords made up of military and police cars mostly. Ha!

Full-Size GM section at Pick-N-Pull San Antonio:

Found not one but TWO Custom Cruisers. Once had been hit HARD in the rear, but amzingly the side glass didn't break. Scored some rear grab handle light lenses and one good tail gate handle:

Rust-free Boat tail! Someone already snagged the rear window. TONS of good parts left.

Ouch!!

After yarding we drove across town and had some awesome BBQ at the classic Bun-N-Barrel drive-in, which has been a favorite cruise spot in San Antonio forever. Their most famous food is the HUGE Barrel Burger, but their BBQ is awesome too, and after a plate of smoked sausage and bbq turkey covered with spicy jalapeno bbq sauce, potato salad, and bbq beans, all was right in my world. Hahahaha! If you visit San Antonio, remember there is more than just the Riverwalk there!

With a car-load of Cutlass parts and a stomach-full of good food, we headed home Saturday evening. Got home at 10pm, unloaded parts, and then spent from 11pm-2am cleaning and detailing the Roady for the Lucky's Chicken Oil Run in College Station the next day.

Awesome Weekend!

-Mike

 

[81X11]

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! :cheers: 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!

Car has been off the road since last April. TIME TO BRING IT BACK TO LIFE!

-Mike

 

[81X11]

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

 

[Minion1186]

5,6,7 and 7A heads are very good small block heads, I had 7A heads on my old street/strip olds 350 and now on my new rebuilt 71 350 I have #5 heads on it. Most likely you'll have the smaller sized valves in it rather than the w-31 valves but still overall a good foundation for a motor.

 

[81X11]

Here's Eddie standing next to the Cutlass last night, for it's final drive under 307 power (307 power... :lol: ).

ANYWAY we made it the 15 miles to the shop, but it was scary! Car fired right up and had over 40psi on the gauge. Eddie rode with me and Misty and Tuck followed.

Got on the highway and watched the gauge drop from 40 to 30 to 20 and then head for the red. Took my exit and BAM got stuck at a LONG light. As soon as I came to a stop the gauge dropped to zero, and VERY BAD SOUNDS began to come from up front.

I popped the car into neutral and gave it some gas and the gauge moved from zero into the red...but not above it. FINALLY after what seemed forever the light changed, and clanging away we made it the last mile to Troung's shop.

I was never so happy to shut a car off.

SO it's backed in and locked up behind his gate, waiting for the cherry-picker to pull the 307.

Oh Man!

-Mike

 

[81X11]

Made some good headway this weekend! Engine is all painted and ready to be taken to the shop.

Pics!

And coming together!

Oh and here's the tag number from below the head on the block: 32R18284..and one I can't read

Interesting breakdown....
3 = Oldsmobile
2 = 1972 ...? So my heads are 71 and block is 72? Confusing...
R = Arlington Assembly (Texas engine from new!)
18284 = Last digits of car's VIN #


Can't wait to hear it run again!

-Mike

 

[dogsht]

Nice work looks nice. Have you looked for exhaust manifolds that don't have the performance killing crossover? Now is the time if you can find a set quick. Or a set of sbo headers. If you are afraid of header leaks www.remflex.com Just some ideas. She looks nice regardless and I am sure you will feel a hugh jump in torque to the 403 regardless.