Olds 350 rocket swap in 88 Caprice wagon??

Hey guys,

Need some advice.
Looking to take out the 307 and tranny out of my 88 Caprice wagon.
I got a lead on a strong running '71 Olds 350 rocket engine with 350 tranny, all stock with 87000 miles.
My question is will that be an easy swap, would i need to use my own carb, will tranny , would i have issues with tranny and driveshaft?

Anyone who has done this?.

Any input would be greatly appreciated!!:2_thumbs_up_-_anima

Thanks guys!!

 

I've seen such swaps debated at the Olds forum. I'm sure, Olds did make a 307. Show us some pictures of the mill. You can immediately see if it's an Olds, from the bellhousing bolt pattern. If so, smallblock Olds is smallblock Olds. Meaning, it'll be a no-brainer swap.
If you're swapping a Chevy drivetrain for an Olds, this shouldn't be such a big deal, either.

 

if you have an OD tranny just use the engine so you will not have driveshaft/crossmember issues. 4bbl to 4bbl should be no prob.

 

That's a great swap. Did the exact same thing on my '88 Cutlass Supreme Classic. You will be AMAZED by the power difference with the 350.

A tip, if you can find some exhaust manifolds from a 1984-or-older 307, or better a 77-79 Olds 403 from a full-size GM car or Trans Am. The 85 and newer exhaust manifolds are tiny and will not work on the 350.

 

With the year of the Caprice, the trans should be a Uni-bolt bellhousing, so the OD trans is a good thing. However, if you can install a torque convertor with a higher torque capacity, do so. Follow that with an aux trans cooler large enough for the increase in torque. You should have supply and return lines, so you need a fuel pump that is fitted for that (I have an Airtex one if you want it). And an Olds HEI 350 dizzy is just a drop-in. Voila! You have a drop-in setup!

 

Easliy done and like has already been said you will not believe the difference. Now the question is do you have to deal with emmisions inspections? Cause if you do you might not pass. Most emmisions inspections require all equipment to be there. And an air pump will not work on a 350 Olds. Now will the CCC carb and distributor. You will have to use a non CCC carb and distributor to do the swap. You can check out my 2 swaps here.

http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3375

http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32183

 

Thanks guys!!

No emmission crap do deal with here, and the 350 comescwith carb and distributor.
Not sure if i want to kerpt the 200r4 tranny tho, it would be an easier swap if i do in regards to cross member and driveshaft right?

Any other issues i might run in to?

 

The swap will be much easier if you use the 200 4R. Simply take one engine out and put the other in.

 

I would keep the 200R4 trans, better ist gear than the TH350 (lower for better off the line acceleration) and the OD improves both MPG, and Lowers the cruising RPM.
The only small issue keeping the 200R4 willbe hooking up the Transmission TV cable to the earlier 350 Q-jet. But the easiest solution is to simply swap out the accelorator cable brackets between the 2 carbs. I grind the factory swedge off the primary trottle shaft then remove the bracket. Then I drill and tap the throttle shaft for a 3mm cap screw (allen head style low profile) and use red loctite to secure it. That way you can use all the factory cable brackets, and the cables. And not have to worry about setting up the proper cable geometry. The factory already did it for you! And you will have the parts already! Easy Modification! You wont have to buy the pricey aftermarket conversion kit.

 

If it had the turbo 350 in it depending on the car model it should have the detent cable placement on the carb. If not find a chevy carb with the bolt on one(for the cruise control)
drill and install and use the bracket off 307 for the kickdown/throttle cable.

 

See, Sammie, this is easy, doable and inexpensive. All the parts you need are available, it's a bolt-in proposition, and no unexpected surprises. One of my wagons was an '82 Cutlass Cruiser diesel, converted to a '71 Rocket 350, and using the 200-R4 with the T/C and cooler mods. This was done by one of my friends a couple years before I bought it. The only thing he had to do that's different from yours was the switched 12V for the HEI dizzy.

 

The T-350 Kick Down Cable and the 200R4/700R4 TV cable brackets are not the same. The geometry is different and I would not chance wrecking the OD transmission. It may work, I don't really know, but I would nottake the chance. It only takes about an hour of work to swap the brackets between the carbs. (with the carbs off the engines of course)

 

What cammerjeff says is one way, the other way is to completely swap the primary throttle shaft from the late model carb to the earlier one. If the bushings in either need to be done, now is the time to do it!

 

If you ever run into a pre-'68 4-4-2 400 engine, that should be an appropriate relacement for the 350, since both are smallblocks. You could probably go for a bigblock, if you had the chance. Supposedly, the mounts are the same. It's the higher block deck which might pose the challenge, though

 

Brackets should interchange I was talking about the carb( where it snaps on). Some of the GM's went from trans to carb(detent cable) Others went thru the firewall and to the gas pedal


I was reading that last night but didn't fix it lol