Noob question

[Squirrelsmith]

Are v8 g body engines direct swap with eachother? In other words does a chevy 350 bolt right into a cutlass / regal etc? What about transmissions?

 

[pagrunt]

Basicly yes. The frames will/should have all the needed mounting holes in place for the correct mounts for the engine of your choosing. As for the transmission, other than having the correct matching bellhousing they will all fit but keep in mind the TH200 4R will need a different trans crossmember & a frame extention for the crossmember to mount on the driver side ('84 & up will have it welded in.) Non factory transmissions (TH400, TH700R4/4LxxE) will need some work to install.

 

[Doug Chahoy]

Except a GN turbo engine, why would you want to use another G-Body almost gutless engine? There’s so many good choices out there that combine power and decent economy. What ever engine you go with it’s easier to get that trans and crossmember or an aftermarket for dual exhaust.

 

[fleming442]

The frames are drilled, as said; you need the frame pads to match the motor mounts.

 

[Squirrelsmith]

Except a GN turbo engine, why would you want to use another G-Body almost gutless engine? There’s so many good choices out there that combine power and decent economy. What ever engine you go with it’s easier to get that trans and crossmember or an aftermarket for dual exhaust.

Just wondering if all the g bodies i see with chevy 350's were easy drop ins

 

[500/600]

Yes

 

[ck80]

Just wondering if all the g bodies i see with chevy 350's were easy drop ins

Depends on your experience and definition of easy.

If you were, say, a 16 year old kid, with no experience working on cars, and no good mentor types to guide you it would still have challenges.

It's not a 15 minute process to swap around the frame pad mounts to switch engine types. But, it doesn't require cutting or welding either, the holes are there to do it. You do need to deal with disassembly, finding parts which can require online sourcing depending where you live, and then some busted knuckles, and a few weekends of work to move things around.

Then, depending what you start with, and what you go to, there can be more work involved than other options - say a fuel injected chevy 350 is more work and parts for a buick 3.8 v6 car than changing that same car to a buick 350. But in any event the projects usually need fuel tank, lines, cooling, springs, suspension, ac system, all kinds of stuff not "drop in" compatible not to mention transmission, crossmember, exhaust, etc normal issues.

Likewise, going from an olds 307 to an olds 350 or even an olds 455 is significantly less work and parts than a chevy 350, assuming you want everything done right and fully functional at the end.

It is easier than saying you wanted to drop a chevy 350 into a nissan/datsun z-car though, or old 80s jaguar chevy 350 conversion to list semi-popular conversions of the past

 

[ck80]

Are v8 g body engines direct swap with eachother? In other words does a chevy 350 bolt right into a cutlass / regal etc? What about transmissions?

Not exactly. You can make anything fit into anything else if you have enough of the parts from a donor or new.

They did share common frame rails and members on the regal/cutlass/monte/grand prix, and similar ones for the El Camino/Caballero and wagons in crossmember etc.

But, if you parked a factory sbc v8powered Monte Carlo next to a factory olds v8 powered Regal you could not, say, just move the engine from one into the other without swapping tons of other parts between them as well. You could eventually move everything across, it just requires much more than the engine alone.

 

[Squirrelsmith]

Cool thanks guys

 

[olds307 and 403]

Also be aware that if going from an Olds V8, assume this is where it is going, all the accessories bolt on differently. I believe the A/C is on the opposite side as well. It means you need sbc brackets and pulleys. Fix all the mentioned issues above, nearly all 2004R trans are dual pattern and your Olds will be sheeperific.