Re: SBC in a 85 442
Dr. Frankenstein thought he was creating a life from death, too.
Firstly, no chevy engine has ever been intentionally placed between the frame rails of a G-body 442 by GM. Ever.
(They did get a little retarded in the late 70s, but that's another story) So the "well they put X engines in..." whatever, dude. That's a weak-azz straw man argument that has nothing to do with a G-body 442. It's always been my belief that if an Olds engine came in it, an Olds engine should go back in if feasible.
You choose to put an Olds engine back in your Olds because you love Oldsmobiles, not because you want to necessarily go fast for cheap. There are always different ways to go that route and it has nothing to do with love for Oldsmobiles. It's a catch 22 to understand the religion. If you get it, you don't need an explanation. If you don't get it, you drop in a chevy engine and all the explaining makes no difference anyway, so I'm not even going to bother explaining it.
That said, I'm not against engine swaps. I admire the hot rod aspect of it. If you want a chevy engine in your G-body 442, then by all means, go for it. Sure, it's your car, but it's also my prerogative to shake my head and silently ask "but why?" when I see such an abomination. I can respect your choice without having to accept it.