Rocket 350

[Arok]

I forgot to ask, but it's the 307, so, you know, the olds smallblock 😉

 

[DrRansom442]

should be the "black rocket 307" and are you sure its a 307? 80 should be a 260 (2 barrell) or 350 (I think for 80 these were all Q-jets) and probably blue

 

[mrapii]

Some of you might be old enough to remember the big flap and subsequent lawsuit over the Olds Rocket engines in the '70s. GM starting installing "corporate" engines, Chevrolet, Buick, Olds and Pontiac all had 350cids and were installing them interchangeably in the A-Bodys. Some guy who bought a Olds became very upset when the engine advertised as a "Rocket Olds" turned out to be a Chevy 350. After the smoke cleared from a class action lawsuit GM never advertised division specific engines and also started to paint them all the same blue color.

 

[78lemans]

I don't remember, but my dad worked at a Chevrolet dealership from '56-'88 and remembered those days well. Plenty of people were irritated that thier buick/olds/pontiac came with something other than the engine it was 'supposed' to have.

 

[78lemans]

So if I rattle can my 307 'small block' Olds blue, will I pick up a couple HP? or would it be faster if I left it black? :wink:

 

[mrapii]

I don't know which was faster blue or black but I do know all those Buick, Olds and Pontiac buyers who complained about the Chevy engine they got should not have complained, the Chevy engine was definitely superior.

 

[DrRansom442]

I don't know which was faster blue or black but I do know all those Buick, Olds and Pontiac buyers who complained about the Chevy engine they got should not have complained, the Chevy engine was definitely superior.

sorry I'll take a 307 any day over a 305....you can't kill an Olds. Family has had 5 Olds powerred cars (in no order -- 1 Toronado - trans went, 1 Caprice - caught fire, 86 Cutlass scrapped when it was decided body was too far gone, Delta wagon - engine finally went after 400K, 81 Calais still have) that went well into the 200Ks with no major engine work

 

[85_SS]

I don't know which was faster blue or black but I do know all those Buick, Olds and Pontiac buyers who complained about the Chevy engine they got should not have complained, the Chevy engine was definitely superior.

sorry I'll take a 307 any day over a 305....you can't kill an Olds. Family has had 5 Olds powerred cars (in no order -- 1 Toronado - trans went, 1 Caprice - caught fire, 86 Cutlass scrapped when it was decided body was too far gone, Delta wagon - engine finally went after 400K, 81 Calais still have) that went well into the 200Ks with no major engine work

Both are very reliable engines. My family has had nothing but sbc's (several 305's), and also had no problems.