Projects Advice for a 63 f85 cutlass Project.

whatever you want to call it, it's a P.O.S.......

 

Thanks a lot long island Vic!!!!

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I want to thank everyone for there time, advice and posts, now I have a better starting point and understanding for my car. Now the journey can begin.

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Best advice I can give is join a car club in your area, should not be hard to find a club in LA

 

Mark at D&D Fabrication, look him up! He did up my Buick 215 and it was a nasty little motor. He also sells transmission adaptors and his own bell housing for manual trans swaps

 

I've been in contact with Mark on the phone, he was real nice and informative to me.

Texasred - thanks.

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Hey guys, just an update. I purchased a buick 350 from 1970 after much research and searching. Thanks for everyones input. It's rebuild time!!!

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Any one else have any input? Or past experience?

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How is the build going? I picked up a 62 Buick Skylark and may do a similar swap. I was thinking LS or Buick 350. Once I yank the motor I'm taking it to a chassis guy for advice. I generally research the hell out of everything this one I did not. I was unaware the front ends where so lightly built. I fear the wt of a 350.

 

Why not a Rover V8? Free one from a Land Rover.

 

Sold them both because I didn't want the headache$$$.. being my 1st build with nobody in my corner I had to gonna simpler route. So I got a 65 Skylark and ended up getting 55 packard custom clipper for dirt cheap too so ....

If I was you i would drop in the buick 350 in it in a heart beat. 2nd choice would be a buick 300.

Don't go LS. If you have the money then do it, but when I started getting the details covered it was just to much. I spoke with a man on the phone that has 40k in his LS swap in his 63 f85.

The buick 350 weight is on the low side. Much lighter than a chevy 350. Have fun msg me if you have any questions because I researched this swap alot

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Stiffer springs

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Mustang 2 front suspension
Ford explorer 1988 rear end
Trans tunnel cutting or pound out the floor to your fit.
Those wheels gotta go.
The breaks gotta be stinger if your adding weight and speed, or you won't stop..

 

The first thing to go on a Land Rover is the engine. After researching this while to I decided not to go with it because it was too costly being it was a foreign engine and all the little parts will cost more than domestic engines. Also found that Rover V8 suffer from a weak cylinder wall, most all donor Rover engines I was looking for if not all overheated from the crack in the cylinder wall. Plus I couldn't put in English motor in American car, just don't feel right. I'm already putting Mexican & Chinese Parts in it anyways, lol.

It's a popular swap in England where the engine is domestic, plentiful and cheap..
I think they might even be a better build to.

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I am sorry to see that gave up so easily on your Olds project. You seem like the type that will end up with big ideas and start many different projects and not see any of them through to the end.
Pick a simple easy project and finish it, drive it. Then move on to more difficult projects.
As far as a mig welder goes a lot can be done with a Hobart 140 110 volt machine. You can weld 1/8 th inch wall steel tubing with .030 wire . As well as a mild steel roll cage on a 9 second car.
Had a driver survive a multi flip stock car wreck with a cage welded with a 110 volt mig welder. It tore the tubing in half a foot from the weld , but the weld held fine.
This car has many street miles and some 10 second passes and was built from 4 chalk marks on the floor with a 140 amp 110 v mig welder.

 

Sorry Sir, but you don't know my "type".


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I started building cars when I was 14 in 1965 and have been doing so since and have been around dreamers and do'ers . Be a do'er , get yourself a simple project and finish it and I apologize if I put you in a category you didn't like. Prove me wrong.

 

Just thought I'd ask a question to everybody that follows this thread...

Will a Rover engine (80's/90's) directly bolt on 2 a dual path automatic two-speed from a 61 to 63 Buick Skylark?

I know the bellhousing is the same but there might be some talk about the difference in height and width of the crankshaft pilot. If so, do you know the differences?

I called Mark a D&D and basically was upset with some of the questions that I asked in my opinion although he tried to be nice. he didn't like that I was trying to find a cheaper way out and was insisting on his suggestions of buying a $900 kit to put in a 700 R4... not to mention that doesn't include the transmission or the drive shaft issues that that would become of that project...

 

These are cool to play with, A challenge but very light and can be made to go fast, Cut about 2 1/2" out of crossmember under the motor to keep it low and driveline angles happy. 9 inch with 5.13s