Hello,

Can someone tell me what kinds of problems I am going to run into installing a 1980 Olds 350 into a '78 Chevrolet C20 truck?  The pickup currently has a worn out Chevy 350.  I have a 1980 Olds Custom Cruiser that I don't drive anymore, but has an excellent running 350 with almost new heads.

The car originally had a 350 diesel and I replaced it with the 350 gas engine 10 years ago.  It was an extremely easy swap.  But I'm thinking that putting this engine in the truck is not going to be as easy.  Will it bolt to the Turbo 400 transmission?  What about engine mounts?

How different are the Olds and Chevy blocks?  I'm trying to decide whether its worth the trouble, or if I should work out a swap with a salvage yard for a good Chevy 350.

Thanks!  

the engines are very different but i think the mounting is the same......i think the trans bolts right up  

Olds and Chevrolet 350s do not have the same transmission bolt patterns. But some transmissions are drilled for both and there are adaptors.


I'd sell the station wagon to someone who'd appreciate it for what it is ("long roofs" are cool) and use the coin to score a running Bow-Tie lump.  

Yeah, swapping in that Olds 350 is not only gonna be a pain, but not good for your truck.

I agree with the suggestion above, sell the Olds for enough to get a fresh motor, or find someone with a car that you can trade straight up for that has a good 350.  

If it is a Turbo 400, the trans will not bolt up to the Olds.  The 200-4R used on many vehicles in the 80's have a dual bolt pattern that will accept BOP and Chevy engines.

The motor mounts are different, but thats not a huge deal...just swap out the Chevy mounts.

Whether or not it is worth the trouble is completely up to you.  You know the history of that Olds motor...you won't have the luxury of that if you buy a junkyard Chevy.  As TurboTed said...you can buy an adapter plate for the trans, or you could probably find a good used BOP TH400 for cheap...  

Thanks for the feedback.  I did a quick google search and I see the adapter plates you are talking about.

I'm still on the fence, but at least I know it is possible to make this olds engine work.  

just a suggestion. why don't you sell the cruiser and use the money to rebuild the chevy 350 with quality parts. work with you have. and besides the parts for a chevy are a dime a dozen if you run into trouble down the road or need a quik fix, and you will have to worry anything mounting up correctly or swapping anything over. well good luck bro. >>>>>>>>>bandit burning out  

I have a 1963 oldsmobile cutlass conv. i want to know if any parts from newer anything will bolt up to my car such as suspension front or rear and where i can find some floor pans everyone only has parts from 64 and up  

bwood:
Hello,

Can someone tell me what kinds of problems I am going to run into installing a 1980 Olds 350 into a '78 Chevrolet C20 truck?  The pickup currently has a worn out Chevy 350.  I have a 1980 Olds Custom Cruiser that I don't drive anymore, but has an excellent running 350 with almost new heads.

The car originally had a 350 diesel and I replaced it with the 350 gas engine 10 years ago.  It was an extremely easy swap.  But I'm thinking that putting this engine in the truck is not going to be as easy.  Will it bolt to the Turbo 400 transmission?  What about engine mounts?

How different are the Olds and Chevy blocks?  I'm trying to decide whether its worth the trouble, or if I should work out a swap with a salvage yard for a good Chevy 350.

Thanks!

I agree with CS. A swap is possible, but you will need tolocate a bellhousing adapter. THM-400's are drilled for SBC applications. As far as the 350 Rocket? Well it has similar characteristics of the 350 Chevy. The bore is a little larger, and the stroke is smaller. Since this a truck inquestion, I'd say get a new Chevy from a salvage yard. The olds 350 Rocket was a great engine, but they did have drawbacks. Smaller crankshaft will mean less reciporating mass, that equals less torque. Trucks usually operate on low-end torque. I have heard that the 350 rocket, did have some oiling problems in high-rpm ranges, not too sure if that is true. Need an olds guru to clarify that. On buying a used 350, that will be the most time efficient and cost effective means of reapiring the truck. See if you can work out some way to buy/rebuild the truck while keeping your SW. There aren't too many classic BOP offering2 on the road. Everything is Chevy. One day I'd like to pick up a hot rod mag, and read about a crafter's 326 Poncho, or a Buick 455, or even an olds 307, let alone an olds 350 rocket!! It gets kinda boring reading about Joe Crafter and his bored out chevy 350, with this cam and that manifold, only to turn the page and see Jim Smith with his 350 chevy. It's in a different vehicle, and a different cam, but everything else is the same.