Buick to Buick Swap

Post by **Rossco** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:57 am

I've finally given up on the old Buick 215.............so I got me a Buick 455 for my Range Rover

Yeeee Har

I'll keep you all posted on the swap as it progresses

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:48 pm

That is a very interesting choice of engine, you should soon be busting gearboxes as fast as Eliot!

What spec engine are you going to build?
Mike

JC. · Post by **JC.** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 3:56 pm

Are any parts common? Will it bolt up to the box you have?
Tell me more! I'm interested!!!

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 4:08 pm

I've read somewhere all the Buick big blocks have common parts - apart from pistons. Dunno if there are any similarities between the small and big blocks. Even if it did bolt up to the gearbox - it prob wouldn't last long hehe!

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:28 pm

Gearbox bolt pattern should be the same as the "BOP" series, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, however I wouldn't stick an LT77 on the back of one of these!

try a nice 'glide
The 400 430 and 455 are a "series" and have the same stroke and there-for crank and rods are common, the bore is different. the 455 is a "thin wall" casting so is lighter than many other big blocks.
If you trust anything in wikipedia try this article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_V8_engine.
The 400 was a Transam cup engine, a mate had a pontiac Trans am many years ago with a factory alloy block and loads of homologation bits including fancy heads etc, went bang about £k miles after he got it though

.
Carcraft have done some builds on this engine, the biggest problem seems to be if you start with a low output mid seventies engine as the compression is about 7.5 to 8.2 to 1 and can be difficult milling enough meat off the heads and finding suitable pistons.
Best regards
Mike

ian.stewart · Post by **ian.stewart** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:32 pm

one stop shop for Buicks, http://www.taperformance.com/PAGES%20PD ... D2_WEB.pdf

JC. · Post by **JC.** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:33 pm

kiwicar wrote:Gearbox bolt pattern should be the same as the "BOP" series, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, however I wouldn't stick an LT77 on the back of one of these! try a nice 'glide.

I already am! hehe!

Post by **Rossco** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:24 pm

It was the only choice as far as I was concerned. It's the Grandaddy of all muscle car V8's

I thought I'd try it with an LT77 just to see how many nanno seconds the box would last.

1st choice would be the TH400 but don't want to get into too many engineering projects on this. So a glide it will be.

Keeping it mild not wild.....after all it's a 1970 SF engine with 10.5:1 and rated at 370bhp and 510ft/lbs. With the mild cam that's in it it's knocking out 400 bhp and 550ft/lbs

That should be enough for now

..............................now just where did I leave those two Eaton M112's???

Post by **Coops** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:35 pm

if i didnt have enough on my hands trying to keep up with a certain white tina.
i got a ferkin rangie to compete with now

Post by **Rossco** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:40 pm

thev8kid wrote:if i didnt have enough on my hands trying to keep up with a certain white tina.
i got a ferkin rangie to compete with now

Perhaps we could "job share" the engine

Post by **Coops** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:46 pm

Rossco wrote:
thev8kid wrote:if i didnt have enough on my hands trying to keep up with a certain white tina.
i got a ferkin rangie to compete with now
Perhaps we could "job share" the engine

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:13 pm

You would spend more time bolting on the lt77 than it would last

. Very nice base engine, cheep big power is yours!

The glide would be a good choice, a GKN overdrive or similar on the transfer box would give you 3 speeds, should be huge fun. Don't think you will have alot of use for low range though.
keep us posted
Mike

Post by **Rossco** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:49 pm

I just lurve Pinky and The Brain

Cheers for the thoughts.

I'll try and detail everything in pics and words.

I have a spare domain which would be good for this.

www.hardcore4x4.co.uk will be the place once the engine has arrived.

Darkspeed · Post by **Darkspeed** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 8:57 pm

This thing went from Pinto 2.0 to Buick 455.

Just to get the size into perspective these cars have an 87" wheelbase.

Started off in Long Eaton then sold via e-bay to Germany then found in the back of a garage and shipped to the USA but without the Buick which had been blown up in Germany - It was quite quick by all accounts. But always had issues with the auto gearbox which was TH400 IIRC

Cheers

Andrew

Post by **Rossco** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:11 pm

.............and has just been sold on Ebay.com again.

BTW is Wem still in Darkest Salop?

Just ask as I spent my formative years just down the road a few miles