I have an 83 cutlass and I dont know what size motor to go with an 350 rocket or an 350 sbc. Which would be the best one to come with?
Which is better or more horsepower?
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I chose to do Oldsmobile and keep my car all olds. But building a Chevy is definitely cheaper. I thing a big gold olds engine looks way better than an orange chevy sitting in the car 8)
Both can be the same hosepower for around the same cost, torque is what you want.
Depending what year, stock or not makes a big difference of which is "better" or not.
Depending what year, stock or not makes a big difference of which is "better" or not.
The SBC would be cheaper in the long run (depending on what your goals are), and lighter. Probably pretty equal for power. But the Olds motor would be a lot cooler, and get you more respect and attention.
In the end, it's all up to you. either way you will have a nice V8 powered car. 8)
In the end, it's all up to you. either way you will have a nice V8 powered car. 8)
Both are good at a certain level. The Olds will be cheaper to buy in to and swap if your plan is to use the engine as is. A Chevy is cheaper to upgrade. There is a point at which the cost-benefit graphs cross wherein the Olds becomes more expensive than the Chevy to go any further. That point typically is where you get in to roller cams or aftermarket heads. Theoretically, a 350 Olds swap could be done for way under $500 in a 307 car while you would struggle to do a Chevy for similar money in an Olds 307 or Buick 231 powered car. Remember that it is almost always cheaper to scrape the bottom of the cost barrel by staying in the same engine family. The reality of the cost changes drastically when you deviate from stock, or only buy new parts.
If you want a more specific answer than this, ask a much more specific and detailed question. Without knowing your performance expectation, budget, current engine, etc. there is no easy way to answer this question accurately.
If you want a more specific answer than this, ask a much more specific and detailed question. Without knowing your performance expectation, budget, current engine, etc. there is no easy way to answer this question accurately.
im going through the exact same problem with my salon, what im doing is im dropping in a sbc with some work done to it. Im only doin that because my buddy has the motor and is sellin it 2 me for a little 2 nothn. But while the chevy motor is in im building a olds 455 because i want my car 2 be all oldsmobile.
85salonn442 said:
Good choice.
I'm curious as to why a lot of Olds guys are always pushing the Olds 350. Where I come from in Pontiac land, there is a big difference in power between the Pontiac 350 and the larger displacement engines (400 and up, and even the 389 I suppose), and since it generally costs the same to build both, most people end up going with something that starts with a 4.
I'm not trying to offend anyone. I'm just wondering... if you are going to spend the time, money and effort to put a traditional Olds motor in, why not go for the extra cubic inches while you are at it?
There are several advantages to the smaller engine. It weighs less, has a shorter deck height (can use all of the 307's accessories without any changes), is cheaper to buy, easier to find and is more practical and fuel efficient. Fuel efficiency is the main reason that I didn't use a 406 in my car instead of the 355 I went with. I will also say that the G body has less than ideal weight distribution and using a heavier engine over the front wheels will only serve to make the pronounced oversteer worse. Power is not the only thing that matters in an engine swap. Practical considerations are important too. There is no point having a fast car if you can't afford to put gas in it. Heck, if I did it all over again I would build a smaller engine as the 350 as it uses too much gas for me to drive it regularly. It only gets 15-17 MPG city, which is a bit thirsty.
I think I see the problem... I'm not an Olds guy (but I do like olds). I didn't realize there was a big weight difference between those engines. Pontiac engines all seem to be in the same weight range from 326 to 455, and you can use the same accesories on any size engine. Sure, you won't win any mileage contests, but I guess how big an issue that is depends on how often the car is driven and if it is a toy or your primary mode of transportation.
Oh, and I like oversteer.
Oh, and I like oversteer.
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