THE oldsmobile rocket 303 324 371 394 post to end all other posts, (lasalle related )

Lots of guys used to bore a 324 to 4 inches and use a standard bore 371 piston to make a 345. Yes, the 371 pistons will work, since Olds kept the compression height of the piston the same and raised the deck height of the 371 blocks to compensate for the longer stroke.

 

But could I bore the 56 324 to 4.125"? A 1/4" bore.?

Mike

 

good to know Paul, gotta check my 371? to see if it really is one the guy told me it was a 371

 

After 50+ years of cooling system corrosion? I wouldn't, if the block were mine.

 

That's kinda what common sense was telling me, but I wasn't sure if there is enough cylinder wall there to bore that big. Thanks HEATHEN.

 

56 Olds Rocket 88 324 HEADERS? Are they available? This is a stock bodied car, not a Rocket shoved in a coupe or roadster.

 

I have never seen them, but I am building them w/ a buddy of mine this winter/spring for my 57 Olds w/ a 371 and his 55 Olds w/ a 324. It does not look like an easy task...LOL...it will be my first set. The hard part of sourcing flanges is done.

 

Where did you find the flanges and how much$$$?

 

all i need is a gasket or template and i can cut any flange you want.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=174425&highlight=david

 

I once met a guy who tried to sell me a 53 olds with a "308" in it...was he on crack?
I tried to tell him 53 was the 303 with the highest hp for that engine...but he insisted it was a 308....am I stupid or is he?

 

I bought them on e-bay, but they look like Victory flanges. I do not recall the cost, but they were not too much. They are not cheap and thin -- nice work. I have a pic in my album along w/ copper gaskets I had made. Headers by Ed makes a beautiful flange for the early Rockets (his site is alive again!!).

 

I'll bet I can make up a template.
I think the gaskets are singles for the individual ports.

 

http://www.headersbyed.com/__oldsmobile.htm
http://www.victoryheaderflanges.com/headerflanges_oldsmobile.html

 

im looking for the specs on e4 isky for 371 project .

 

.410 lift, 260 degrees duration, intake 20-60, exhaust 58-22, valve lash .015.

 

On another board, someone has a set of these rockers. Can anyone give some info about them and the company that made them?








Greg

 

Says Thomas right on them. F85 might be a 215 or 300 Olds.

 

I think they are Thomas magnesium rockers and may have been known for breaking. I had a chance to buy a set once, but they were abused to say the least. I am sure someone will chime in that has more info.

 

They're the "good" version of Thomas rockers with the bronze bushings--some of them just ran on the magnesium. They'll fit any Buick/Olds 215, 300, or 340 V8, as well as the original odd fire V6.

 

Great rocket posts. Can anyone advise me as to where I can get steel shim head gaskets for a 371. The block has been punched to 4.125

 

I have MLS gaskets in stock for your Olds

Tony

 

Is a MLS Gasket composite or a single layer? The ones I took out of the engine are McCord I believe. Im looking for a factory style gasket that came with the J-2 which is a single later gasket.

 

Multi Layer Steel .038

I have 1 set of export gaskets[steel] also .025

Give me a shout

Tony

 

Is the export gasket a single layer or muiti layer .025? Im trying to boost the compression as much as posible because I'm using 361 dodge pistons in this block. Can I use these gaskets with the 4.125 bore? Thanks for your help. Wes

 

I just checked the export gask and they only have a 4.110 bore ....single layer

Our MLS gask accept up to a 4.195 bore

I would use the bigger bore and trim the heads accordingly to get desired comp ratio

Give me a call if I can help more

Tony

 

Can a 49 303 be bored to 324 dimensions? It's possible to mate with a FORD pattern T5?
Am new to Olds engnes and need some help and hints.

 

WOW!!!.....I've seen this thread before and it's GREAT!!!......from 1966 -1969 I worked for Bell Auto Parts in Bell, California and one of the guys I worked with was TOTALLY Oldsmobile! To this day, he has every car he's ever owned........except one! His '50 Olds sedanette with 54,000 miles and factory standard transmission which is now in my garage. Of course now it has been nosed and decked, louvered hood (Courtesy Unkl' Al) Vintage air A/C system, Mr. Gasket shifter and 4 inches lower via Chevelle rear springs. Chuck, my buddy, bought Bell Auto Parts and continued running it unntil the early '80s and then shut it down. All the inventory from Bell still exists in sea containers in an undisclosed location in the USA. Chuck is now disabled and retired as am I. Keep the Rockets Running!!!!

Wolfie

 

Yes, many 303s have been overbored to 3.875 over the years with no problems. As far as the Ford T5 goes, every Olds to Ford adapter I've seen uses the early ('49-'64) Ford trans pattern; I havent seen enough Ford T5s to notice if they have provisions for the early bolt pattern or not.

 

Has anybody heard from DON WOW , one of our Old's experts here?
He has been a great source of Olds info here in the past.
No recent posts(?).
He doesn't respond to pm's and his personal email kicks back now.
I hope he's OK and maybe just pissed at me or something.
Can anyone check on him? He has grown hot rod sons who may be on here to.
Chevelle guys I think. Don's all Olds.

 

Isky roller cam, Chevy solids and Isky adjustable rockers