'84 Cutlass motor swap questions

[mheath717]

I have a 1984 Hurst/Olds. The guy I bought the car from cracked the block in the original motor and replaced it with a vin "Y" 307 with 5A heads. The car still has the original 200-4R transmission with the 8.5" rear end.

I have been wanting to find an Olds 350 Rocket to put in place of my powerless 307. It would look like the stock motor and be a direct fit... But lately I have been thinking of putting a SBC in the Hurst. So what exactly would I have to do to put a chevy 350 in my car? I know that I would need to change my motor mounts and I know that my transmission will bolt up to a chevy motor. But what exactly would I have to change out for the swap?

I have read a lot of posts that claim that converting to a chevy motor requires a lot of changing parts, but I haven't come across a list of changes that will have to be made. I will be doing the swap at my house, so any advice will be much appreciated.

 

[midwestls]

I wouldn't say alot. As you've already said the motor mount brackets will have to be changed. You'll also need to do something with your 200r4, probably a torque converter lock up kit. Exhaust will need a change, along with possible modifications/swap of your crossmember depending on the exhaust you choose. And just make sure you get a complete SBC with all the accessory's and distributor in it yet. A single wire HEI will make it all work for ya. This is just a quick FYI response for ya, but it ain't really all that difficult, if I missed anything someone please update for him.

 

[Blake442]

For starters, put in a 350 Olds, it'll be less work.
Here's what I remember off the top of my head from when I swapped from the 307 to a SBC in my 442, keep in mind this was over 6 years ago now that I did this, so I might forget a few things...

Motor mounts, yes, and make sure you keep the Olds ones. You never know if you'll go back, they're good to have laying around. With the starter and alt. on different sides of the engine compartment, I had to lengthen a couple wires. The one going from the battery to the alt, and the ones from the main harness to the starter. Everything else I was able to repostion successfully without modification. I kept my original carb, but had to modify the fuel inlet line, as the straight out style fuel inlet on Olds cars wants to run into the thermostat housing, that's why chevy carbs have the inlet off to the side. No need to do anything with the trans lockup that way. My 350 had a vac. advance dist. and I swapped that for an electronic unit, got it for $25 at the boneyard. Brackets naturally will all have to come off a SBC, none of the Olds ones will fit. I didn't have to change anything else really. For exhaust just get a set of headers and a dual hump crossmember from www.crossmembers.com. They help stiffen up the car as well as providing the clearance for true dual exhaust. If you need any motor parts, just say it's for an '84 Monte SS when you go to the parts store. It's not that bad to do, but I'd still rather keep an Olds in it if it were me...much less dicking around, less money to spend.

Or you could just give one to me, I've always wanted an '84 H/O... 😀

 

[dogsht]

Have you noticed that the Hurst Olds has a much higher book value and is more desireable and sought after than a regular Cutlass or Monte Carlo? Why throw that away? In fact why do more work to get yourself there? I don't have anything against the sbc but get yourself an Olds 350/403 as they are externally the same as the 307 and they won't drop your value or collectibility from where you are. Why remove the different & desirable for the ordinary? If you want a hot & reliable pump gas engine check out www.jsmachineoldsmobile.com/home.html He will do mild to wild and work out a build for your budget. Want hot but reliable 400HP 400+TQ pump gas 403 he can build it. Maybe even help you find a rebuildable core. Shipping is a small cost for a quality built engine that performs stays together and makes you smile.

 

[mheath717]

I was just asking out of curiosity for the most part. Thanks for all the info. But I'm going to the local junkyard in about an hour to look for an Olds 350 or 403.

And Hurst/Olds are worth more because they made so few. In 1984 alone they made a total of 3500 Hursts. 1500 were T-Tops and 2000 were Hardtops. I don't know the numbers on the 442s but they made more 442s in one year than every Hurst/Olds ever produced. I think they made around 20 or 30,000 442s per year. (Not sure at all about that though)

But like I said, I will be going to find a SBO today. Any particular year 350 better than others?

 

[dan2286]

Any year before 77.

 

[mheath717]

How can I figure out what year 350 it is?

 

[Blake442]

And Hurst/Olds are worth more because they made so few. In 1984 alone they made a total of 3500 Hursts. 1500 were T-Tops and 2000 were Hardtops. I don't know the numbers on the 442s but they made more 442s in one year than every Hurst/Olds ever produced. I think they made around 20 or 30,000 442s per year. (Not sure at all about that though)

That's not true. In '85, there were only 3000 442's built, in '86 it was something like 3500, and in '87 it was closer to 4000.

 

[joe_padavano]

How can I figure out what year 350 it is?

There will be a nine character VIN derivative stamped on a pad below and forward of the no. 1 exhaust port. The second character of the VIN derivative will be the year. 8 = 1968, 0 = 1970, 4 = 1974, etc.