Hi everyone, Adrian is my name, I am from Sydney, Australia (I have made and intro on the intro board). After many years messing with cl***ic motorcycles and Aussie cars I have decided to buy my first cl***ic American car. The car I am interested in at the moment is a '55 Oldsmobile Super 88. The one I am presently hovering has a 324ci engine that requires more or less a major overhaul, so i am considering all my alternatives (if I go ahead and pull the trigger). Options: #1. Rebuild the current plant, probably the most expensive , though easiest with no mods required. #2. Fit a good 327 sbc and T700 that I can get locally at a reasonable price. #3. I found a 455ci Olds big block at a reasonable price that is supposedly rebuilt. #4. Try and find a good 324 or other small block Olds motor to fit. The problem with #1 is I don't know what the condition of the internals are and what size (if any) over and under may be needed. And to wait until I pull it down is going to add more time and alot more money. So taking option #1 out of the equation for now, I hope to tap some of your experience and see if anyone has done either a big block Oldsmobile conversion in a 50's Olds or a sb Chev conversion in the same? The current ****** is a powerglide. Thanks in advance! Adrian
Hi Adrian, My name is Charlie I live in Sydney also. The small block chev into Olds is very easy, I have done three of them so far but of cause the Olds is a more desirable engine but it is at a price of cause. Did you say the current trans is a power glide? Good luck in what ever you decide. Cheers Charlie.
If original 324 it should be a hydramatic, not powerglide? Any SB Olds with BOP hydro should be fine. A 324 would be nicer than a SBC with 700R. What about freshening up the 324 and using an adapter for the 700R. Best of both worlds. Can't recall who sells the conversion kits but they are available. Not cheap by the time you get it here unless you ship with someone else, not post it.
I can put you on to a good running 324 and slant pan hydro if you go that route? P.M. me for details. The motor and box is in Melbourne.
Yes sorry, thanks, it is a Hydramatic, don't know where powerglide came from? I would love to rebuild the 324 I just wish I could know the damage and get an overhaul kit sent over with the car. It would be the easiest way out. 700R behind the 324 would be cool, but I really want the simplest way out. Maybe I will throw the sbc in and then rebuild the 324? I just don't want to have to start welding in engine mounts etc. I am probably answering my own questions here I guess...
The SBC is almost a bolt in, very little fabricating nessecary, other than fabing a trans crossmember which is also very simple. The option of using a SBC for now untill you reco the Rocket is not such a bad idea. Charlie.
Thanks Charlie, sounds good. I have a 6cyl Commodore tailshaft, would you happen to know if the rear shafts are the same on the V8 and V6 trans? Adrian
The Jalopy Journal
