Picked up a new cruiser...

[VINMAN]

Wow, great score!
That interior looks like it just came out of the showroom.

[weseeeee]

Nice! That's a road trip car for sure!

[Shaun @ Tru6]

That is so cool!

[FLYGEEZER]

I have only envoy for you at this moment!

[71scgc]

Put an overdrive trans in it, like a 700r4 or so.
I love Oldsmobiles.
Use the Olds Rally wheels pictured above. The 442 ones.
Kickass ride!
Carter

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by FLYGEEZER

I have only envoy for you at this moment!

[Embraer]

Originally Posted by 71scgc

Put an overdrive trans in it, like a 700r4 or so.
I love Oldsmobiles.
Use the Olds Rally wheels pictured above. The 442 ones.
Kickass ride!
Carter

I worked on several Pontiac GTO's in my youth (with my dad). I definitely want to put something different then the 2 speed in there. either a hydramatic or the 700r4 or something.

I need to do my research, but assume these will bolt up without too much hassle?

[911boost]

Nice! Here are a few pics of my old '68 Sport Wagon. I was the second owner and it had a 400ci and Th400 as well as a lot of options. The paint was tired but the interior wasn't bad. I put the 69 GS hood and functional ram air air cleaner on it.

Bought it for $700 and sold it for $3000 a few years late after having some fun. My 11 yo daughter is still mad that I sold it.







Bill

[jorian]

Love the roof line on that thing.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Embraer

I worked on several Pontiac GTO's in my youth (with my dad). I definitely want to put something different then the 2 speed in there. either a hydramatic or the 700r4 or something.

I need to do my research, but assume these will bolt up without too much hassle?

Yes. A Th350 will. Make sure it has the BOP bolt pattern. Not sure about the 4 speed length and cross member requirements, but I do also think it is a drop in.

Check out the faq on WELCOME 442.COM

Cheers,

G

[Noah930]

Originally Posted by jorian

Love the roof line on that thing.

Definitely. Odd question, but anyone got pics of what it looks like looking out that roof from the inside?

[Schumi]

I don't know much about Olds', but from what I garner, even the big blocks are pretty anemic by today's standards... right?

Needs a blower

[99hdtop]

I used to have a 1972 VistaCruiser with the 455c.i. I loved that wagon. What a nice road car! Enjoy.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Schumi

I don't know much about Olds', but from what I garner, even the big blocks are pretty anemic by today's standards... right?

Indeed, you know not much about Oldsmobiles. Don't let the name fool you. They were at the forefront of a lot of the engineering at GM, especially in the 50s and 60s.

The 455 is a stomp puller with gobs of torqe, a stroked 425 essentially. It makes very nice power, especially if you plan to put it in a station wagon. It is pretty easy to get a 455 to 400 hp and 500 ft/lbs of torque.

Oldsmobile 455 Big Block Engine Build - Car Craft Magazine

The factory had cars in that range too. I.e. the 68 hurst/olds which had 390 hp / 500 ft/lbs and ran in the 13s quarter miles.

Oldsmobile V8 engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The worst thing that happens a lot to these Olds, Buick and Pontiac cars is that some chevy guy gets a hold of them and drops some Chevy drivetrain into them.

God, I think I am jonesing for a muscle car ...

G

[Schumi]

Everyone always talks about 'what these motors can make'... well, sure, all this old iron can make gobs of power when you throw tube headers, a cam, a good carb, and some cash at them.

But what does an engine like that, in 'normal' condition with all the age of it's years on it put down *to the ground* in a car like that?

They used to rate those engines over 300 HP when new... but that was on an engine dyno with a perfect carb mixture, cold air, no filters, no accessories, and no slushbox and driveline. I recently saw a dyno of a stock 1967 Corvette "350 HP" 327 where it only put down a bit over 200 HP at the rear wheels.

What do you think that car puts down at the wheels these days from it's old stock lump?

Secondary question- for the guy who doesn't know olds blocks-
what kind of aftermarket is out there for an olds big block, seeing that it doesn't share any parts with a chevy small or big block?

[aigel]

I would guess a stock 455 in 1970 (higher compression than later years) would have put horsepower in the high 200s and 400 ft/lbs of torque. Anything with 7.5l displacement in a stroker configuration will make good torque.

The 455 did come in station wagons in the mid 1970s with a 2bbl and that is probably what you have in mind when you think it was a dog. But it also came in full bore factory muscle cars like the hurst olds or the 442 W30. You can't compare those directly. Those muscle cars ran 14s or better quarter mile times in their day. They are big and heavy. Not going to happen with a boat anchor engine.

You don't have to spend 6 grand like CarCraft did to get good power. A flat tappet cam with a streetable profile, home-ported factory heads (heads from jet boat 455s are popular), gasket matched factory cast manifolds and aftermarket intake manifold, dual exhaust and a 4bbl is all you need to get to >300 hp and 500 ft/lb of torque. At 7.5l, you are only trying to get 50hp for 1l displacement.

For parts availability, you do pay the Olds tax, because parts are not sold in high numbers like chevy. But you have all large cam manufacturers sell cams for them, Edelbrock makes Al heads, Milodon makes pans etc. - just look at the build list in that CarCraft article.

Personally, I like to explore off the beaten automotive path. Of course it will be easier to buy a chevy crate engine with EFI and bolt it in, but that will not be period correct. Neither a lot of fun and the market will speak too, when it is time to sell ... a chevy guy will want a chevy chassis and an olds guy will want an olds motor.

Cheers,

G

[Jim Richards]

Would it be reasonable to consider pulling the engine and tranny out (save them for reinsertion later), and put in a modern engine/trans combo? You'd have a lot better performance and gas mileage.

Sorry aigel.

[id10t]

My first car was a '76 Vista Cruiser, had the 350 V8 in it. Could beat the brand new mustangs ('86) stop light to stop light, but you could see the gas level drop as you did it.

[71scgc]

If it came with a THM 350 or 400, a 700r4 will bolt up. I don't believe that Olds' have a different bolt pattern. Even if they do, someone makes an adaptor. The driveshaft length will change. 700r4 is a longer trans. Driveshaft work is cheap. Check with Bowtie Overdrives. If they don't have something they can point you to someone that does.

The greatest thing about Olds' are the engines. As stated above, total torque monsters. They take $$ to build, relative to a Chevy BB or SB. That's why so many fools pull them for the chevy engine swap. Save your $$, build the Olds engine. Be happier in the end.

Real nice Vistas are extremely difficult to find. Most are I-beams by now.
Can you tell I'm jealous as hell?

Carter

[Embraer]

Originally Posted by Noah930

Definitely. Odd question, but anyone got pics of what it looks like looking out that roof from the inside?

Ill get some pics today. Got the car home last night (went to the Kings game, and stopped to get the car on the way home with my buddy)

Cruised great up the freeway. Put my first 50 miles on it last night!