215 Olds V8 search

I'm searching for an 215 olds/buick alum. v8 to play with and get some mileage in my daily driver project - a Triumph GT6! I googled and ran across this thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208613
By any remote possibility, is this engine still out there? Or, does anyone have or know of another?
thanks guys,
Herbert and Don

 

If you use this site's search feature you'll find more information. Use key words "aluminum V-8", "Buick 215", "Oldsmobile 215", "Rover V-8"

I do have an engine, but I'm located in New York.

 

The Buick/Olds 215 engines and their modern Rover counterparts are relatively easy to find.

I would suggest joining the 215V8 yahoo group and post that you're looking for an engine.

The cheapest bet for a quick drop in motor is to find a late model Rover engine from a Range Rover being parted out and then bolt on your Buick or Olds front cover, accessories, distributor, intake and you're in business. Finding the flywheel and stick bellhousing will be your biggest challenge as most of the RR's came with automatics. The Rover motors have stronger blocks and better seals and won't have 40 years of corrosive build up. Your local craigslist should have runners for pretty cheap.

Since you're dropping the engine in a GT6 you may want to look at the BritishV8 Newsletter on-line. There are folks there that have completed the swap. They also just started a forum with a cl***ified section.

I drive a '62 f-85 regularly and can tell you that it's a great little engine if you make a few tweaks to it.

 

As noted above, souncing one from a Rover is your best bet. Do a search here. If you ad 'Rover' to your search it will help narrow things down, as I think '215' is to short to search by.

In my opinion the best one to get is a 4.2L out of a long wheel base Range Rover from 1993-94.

FWIW have two 3.5L (215ci) engines up for grabs, but Im in Calfornia.

-Jeff

EDIT: also, the Rover V* is based off of teh Buick design, and has a nailhead (flattop) look to it, where as the olds (pictured in your origional link) has the valvecovers at an angle.

 

Try to get a complete motor, buick and olds 215 are different.

 

As was said, if you're set on getting an Olds get the whole motor since the Olds head will not bolt onto the Buick block. One of the primary advantages to the Olds over the Buick or early Rover versions is that they're less prone to blowing head gaskets due to an additional head bolt per cylinder.

If you go with the Rover, you'll want the 4.0 or 4.6 short block which came out in 1995 and lasted until they ceased production. The 4.2 liter engine has the benefit of a distributor, non-serpentine belt system and an easy to wire port fuel injection system, but they had lots of trouble with crank failure due to the block design--this was addressed in the later cross-bolted mains found in the 4.0/4.6

 

i have a complete, recently rebuilt one. it's a buick 215 minus carb and accessories. pm me if you are still looking and we'll go from there.

 

If all of these fail, you might try the V8 Corvair website..google it. The 215 V8 was one of the first V8's put into the rear of the Corvair.

 

i tried to join the 215 yahoo group but was not succesfull.

 

Triumph put the rover/ GM 215 in the TR8 they were the up powered version of the TR7 so include them in your search base.. There is a local Spitfire with a 289 Ford in it and one with a built Capri (german ford) V6. Both are **** hot runners. Also a fellow here abouts has an ex Busch series GM V6 (buick)shoehorned into a midget.