Hot Rods Olds 324 what to look for.

Found a local deal on a Olds 324 with automatic transmission. Price is cheap, pics look good. Owner has no knowledge of the history but someone has painted it at some point. And he says it rolls over.
Been keeping my eyes open to collect parts for my Coupe on 32 rails. Really like the idea of a Olds or cadillac v8 and this could be the perfect deal.
The question is what specifically to look for regarding the old-Olds. things to avoid, to seek out? Basic engine stuff i know but what about the specific to this engine family?
Also, this project is getting a manual transmission. Is the rocket the wrong way to go? Or can parts be reasonably sourced?
Any and all advice welcome, going to try and see if I can check out the motor tomorrow.
Thank you all!

 

An Olds 324 is a great engine, so do your diligence like you would on any vintage engine buy. Since the Olds V8 came out in 1949...there are lots of speed parts out there. Since it's not a bellybutton choice today...those parts remain reasonable. Some Olds cranks might not be drilled for a pilot bearing....but I think 1954 and earlier are because the hydro uses a bushing that supports the torus/hydro. My '38 Chevy coupe has had an Olds motor since 1957..so its staying that way.

Lots of parts interchange and some don't. In '56 they increased the port size in the head and in '57 the block deck surface was raised for more stroke. I also think it's a beautiful engine done up..and is as traditional a hot rod motor as you can get.

 

Look for the number on the heads that will give you a hint to its year. There is a tab below the head that has the serial number if you can retrieve it. #8 head and number in pic below for reference. Take pics and post them up when you get back



.

 

If you have choices, the 1956 is the best of the early 303-324 engines to start with but they can all be upgraded and require the same adapter for a 4 or 5 spd manual trans. Intake manifolds interchange ‘49-‘56 as far as bolting on but the earliest engines have much smaller ports so the manifolds for early 303s won’t always work on ‘53-‘56 324s.
Look carefully for cracks from freezing. Get some pictures and post them here to get a positive ID.
Don’t just throw away the Hydro or Jetaway if you get one. Post it up in the classifieds here at least. Those transmissions and parts are getting harder to find.

 

The 1956 heads have a number 10 cast into them by the exhaust port. Those heads are widely regarded as having the larger ports and possibly bigger valves..

 

Where exactly would the "10" be cast?

 

Right over the center exhaust port..

 

Looked at you engine a little more closely. Looks to have #3 heads which are 1953...if the heads are original to the block it might be a 303.

 

Most certainly does have a 3 cast into them. Is there any way to decipher the stamping ti determine?

 

It's definitely a 1953 303, by the head cast 3 as well as R code block stamping is 53 only. Hope the link works, it's id info from the late Don_Wow who was the king of Olds here for a long time. www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/please-id-this-motor-and-tranny.529028/#post-5844026

 

I saw that chart too..but notice that the R stamping starts at R215001 to R549482. 1953 was the only year the prefix started with R..but the OPs motor is stamped R180766. So maybe that chart isn't right?

 

Small base carb intake gives it away too. It’s mounted backwards and a lot of pieces are missing. If was complete its value has been steadily going up over the years.

 

I don't know where Jerry (aka Don_wow) compiled the list from that he posted on Hamb, but I know the list has an omission or misleading info for the 1956 engines. His list has only one new stamped code letter for 56, but it's only for the new Jetaway equipped Super 88 and 98's (IMO). The 56 standard shift as well as the base model-only 88 which still had the old Hydramatic, those 2 different 1956 blocks are both coded with the older V code. I don't recall where I found that info, so I can't prove it's correct. I did have a 56 base 88 with the Hydramatic that did have the V code block stamping. Maybe it had something to do with standard shifts and Hydramatics both needing the crank pilot bushing, but the new 56 Jetaway did not use a bushing...(So maybe the 56 Jetaway code meant it did not have a drilled crank for the bushing?). IDK but maybe a good guess , perhaps as a way for engine ID on the assembly line?

 

Believe me the rocket is not a cheap engine to build adding machine keeps going higher on my 53 rocket. Call the guys at Iron trap garage they have allot of early olds speed parts, give Tony a call at Ross he's been a big help for me.

 

Thanks for all the help everyone. Bummed about it not being a 324 but still happy with the purchase. Trying to keep my eyes open to snatch up the major components to build this car while deliberately NOT working on it to force myself to wrap up other projects around the house is proving difficult for me.

 

@F&J good to see you back on the board Frank! We have all missed your input.

 

Since i have you all here, another question.

What would be a preferable manual trans setup to be on the lookout for? My limited research so far shows a t-5 could be done, but what doner vehicle specifically? Or is there a better option recommended. I guess i am partial to an overdrive but most likely because thats what I am familiar with

 

To pile on, that’s not a 56 transmission.

 

Don’t be too disappointed, those blocks can be bored a bunch compared to other engines. If it needs rebuilding you can make it a 324 very easily, even bigger, 324 + .030 or .040.
I have a ‘49 303 block with 3 15/16” bore. If it doesn’t need rebuilding, you’ll never feel the difference.
Keep your eyes open for some #10 heads (or ‘57-‘58) and your good. When you start looking for a cam remember that ’49-‘55 have the smaller 1 7/8” cam journals. In ‘56 they went to 2”.
The trans is a flat pan or straight pan Hydramatic. They are good transmissions, tough but heavy. There’s an oval tag on it that tells if it’s a ‘53 or was swapped out.

 

I'm running a M21 behind mine speed gems ,Wilcap make adaptors.

 

Why an overdrive manual trans? Your car is going to be light and I don't think you need radical gear multiplication. Let's say you used a M20 Muncie with a 2.52 first. You can easily use a 3.00 rear gear and it would move out just fine. You'll be able to wind out gears, it'll be fun to drive and be good rpm wise on the freeway. Unless you get into newish Tremec transmissions...the Muncie is probably stronger too. If that car was mine..id look for a Super T10 with a 2.88 first gear...run a 2.70 something rear and call it a day. Mathematically first gear torque multiplication is nearly the same as a 3.55 rear and an M21 2.20 trans. That was one of GMs good combos. With a 2.70 something rear you'd be cruising in style on the highway..maybe 2400 rpm to go 70...depending on tire size. You can find the Olds to 1955 and later GM manual trans adapters on Ebay and elsewhere...they made quite a few of those.

Speed Gems still makes them.

 

Nothing wrong with a 303,got about 25 miles to the gallon in a 53 2 door sedan with a 2 bbl 303 but that was back in the days of better gas.

 

This is excellent information, the kind of advice I need. All of that makes sense to me and there are certainly Muncies locally. Would a Saginaw handle things as well?

 

Yes a Saginaw is pretty strong as long as you don't beat on it. Not super up on Saginaws but I know alot of them have low first gears. If I were you I'd go for the Muncie M20 or Super T10. Super T10s are generally cheaper at swaps etc..because most hotrodders are pack animals and do what others are doing...and most prefer Muncies and overdrives. Most resto guys want Muncies too because vintage musclecars came with them. I have two Borg Warner Power Brute over the counter T10s. The kind you'd buy at a speed shop, never factory installed in anything. One is a 2.64 first and the other is a 3.42 first. The 3.42 trans with a 2.41 or 2.56 rear gear to me is the ultimate. It's nearly equivalent in first gear to 4.11s with a 2.20 M21. That is until you hit 4th gear and you have 2.56s. Cruise city.

 

1980 and 1981 factory installed GM Super T10s usually have iron cases, low first gears and are great transmissions. They came in anemic Z28s, Trans Am and Corvettes...so most are still ok because they have high nickel gears, and those engines made no power. The 1982 T10 from a Camaro/Firebird has a tailshaft extension that puts the shifter on the passenger side of the trans. Those are ok, if you don't mind swapping out the tailshaft housing for an earlier unit.

 

Broken Ox welcome to Hamb, you have a great engine there and are asking all the right questions. Just remember KISS (no not the band). Don't forget you can use the hydro, getting all the stuff to swap over may be more costly than you want to start out with. Saginaws are the least expensive 4 speed out there right now. Good luck on your build.

Pat

 

Read up on the Hydramatic.