So I'm trying REAL hard to avoid the 350/350 temptation for a soon-to-be-mine '39 Chevy, and I see an Olds 215 in the local classifieds. I like the idea of a factory high compression, lightweight Al engine, but I don't know how much there is out there for aftermarket parts, or how well they hold up. Anybody got any experience with these critters? I think they have a different bellhousing pattern than other BOP/Chevy motors- does anybody make a adapter plate to put common transmissions behind them???
There is a guy outta michigan that handles a lot of that stuff, performance parts and other goodies, don't have the # handy, at home, can post later. and i beleive these guys have your adaptor for the trans, good people to deal with http://www.transmissionadapters.com/index.htm cool little motors too
I think there was a thread on this a little while ago. I want to put one in my model A....the car will be light, the motor is light, it wont make tons of power but it would still be quick, and not a SBC! (nothing against small blocks, I've already got one, just looking for something different.) It's the same as the Buick 215, which became the Rover motor. You can use a later Rover crank in an earlier 215 to stroke it (something like 292?), or so I've heard, but I don't know any of the details. I have seen some aftermarket stuff, though not many intakes. I mostly see aftermarket 4 barrels but was thinking of making a log manifold anyway and running 4 carbs.
I used to have a Buick. They do NOT share the BOP trans pattern. Manual bellhousings can go for a lot of dough - and I've heard are prone to cracking. Never looked into adaptors as I sold my motor before I really did anything with it. As has been mentioned here before, all of the tooling was bought by Rover of England and they continued production. Heads from the wildcat 300 fit and give better flow. The 300 crank can be swapped too with a little work. Offenhauser lists (or did) a 2x2 manifold and finned valve covers for them. Hot Rod did a story on one that was 300 cu in, made 300 hp, and weighed little more than 300 lbs. Cool little motor. Some later V6 stuff fits as well (end parts like the timing cover) since it was the same motor with two cylinders wacked off. And I think I remember something about using Chevy six cylinder rods (maybe pistons too?) as a cheap way to drop weight? Got to be a few outfits around that still grind cams for them. They are neat motors. Moriarity's Futurian has the coolest looking one I've ever seen.
D & D Fabrication http://www.aluminumv8.com/ This guy's the man when it comes to aluminum V-8's. Also try this: http://www.rover-v8.co.uk/index1.htm r
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/215V8/ This is a good forum for the aluminum blocks. I have two of them in Skylarks and I love them, they make the car handle not at all like an early sixties car. They even put out decent power stock. You can get a 2x2 manifold for it. I recently sold one for a hundred bucks.
being aluminum they are more prone to corrosion...if there is still water in it be sure to find a way to check for it....the corrsion...if there is no water in it..find a way to check also...if the heads are corroded (which i've seen a lot of) it could get expensive... they are really cool motors though...aluminum...can make a lot of power...
Offy & Edelbrock both make intakes Crane still makes cams (I think) Rover still makes a modifed version of the engine Got a stock 3.5 (215) Rover in my truck!
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