403 olds questions

[FE3X CLONE]

If it's mostly for Street go with 3.42, or more Racing 4.11 gears.

I agree... I have 3.73's in my H/O and I get tired of listening to the exhaust while going down the highway...

I've had 3.73 gears in multiple cars and never had an issue with exhaust noise. 403's and 455's with 3" exhaust. Actually pretty quiet at cruise speed of 2200rpm.

 

[FE3X CLONE]

I like your setup but I still cannot understand why you Olds guys put Olds motors back in. It doesn't seem like the economical route let alone the performance one. Maybe I just can't appreciate brand loyalty being that my car came with the right one already.

The thing is, your ASSUMING that your giving up performance by going to an Olds engine. The fact of the matter is, in most cases your not. Look at all the Olds engines out there that make just as much power as a Chevy but are using "outdated" cylinder heads, etc.

Your also assuming it would cost more to do an Olds but if your like me, that's all I have ever grown up with. I don't know the first thing about a Chevy other than they look tiny. :lol: So for me to switch over would cost more in the long run considering everything I have is setup for Olds stuff.

 

[jrm81bu]

I've had 3.73 gears in multiple cars and never had an issue with exhaust noise. 403's and 455's with 3" exhaust. Actually pretty quiet at cruise speed of 2200rpm.

With an overdrive transmission.

 

[88hurstolds]

I like your setup but I still cannot understand why you Olds guys put Olds motors back in. It doesn't seem like the economical route let alone the performance one. Maybe I just can't appreciate brand loyalty being that my car came with the right one already. I only say cheaper because I could build a forged internals 355 or 383 stroker sbc. for 1800 MAX that makes around 425/425. Only, reason why argued. I actually like the BB olds/buick/pontiac idea. Just I could never see justifying outting a SBO in and trying to make it run like a chevy.

I do agree, trying to build a SB Olds to run like a SB Chevy is pretty much a waste when you can put the same funds into a BBO and get sick power.
But in general its of weak character to just take the easy way out and not be your own individual.
Chevys are too common and remind me of Camaros which remind me of hillbillys with mullets :lol:
just like every daddys boy around where I live drives a Mufftang... dont get me started with that.
Don't get me wrong I like those cars but but they've been ruiend for me.
I like to build my cars and not buy them out of a catalog or Autozone.
Chevys don't make that amount of power until they are spinning their nuts off.

403s however can make some serious power for a decent amount, 350s... not so much, better to just go with the cubes.
I'm currently building a 403 based on a proven receipe that runs low 12s on stock internals and slightly ported early heads.
I found a very nice running 403 for $300 and some killer street/strip #5 heads for $650. All I need is a cam/lifters and a basic rebuild and it should put out 400+ hp and close to 500ftlbs on pump gas and get 20mpg and have a flat torque curve and not have to rev the crap out of it. All said and done Ill have spent around $1800 - $2000 for one killer motor. Granted the parts are not extremly common like Chevys but the deals are our there, you just have to be patient.

Here is what Dr Dan did for his 83 Hurst which he drives daily and races all the time:
http://72.22.90.30/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=73603

 

[Randy_W]

I'm no hard core Olds guy, but the 350 Olds can make serious power. In the '68-'70 range the Ram Rod 350, later W-31 or something forgot the designation, were rated anywhere from 320-335 h.p. and many at the strip were running low 13's and high 12's with minor tuning and slicks, in a 3800 lb car, in a day when many stock 442's, SS 396 and GTO's were running mid 14's. The Ram Rod engines were about .2 slower than a W-30 400 with the same tuning, that's serious power.