has any one used a buick motor? - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

crites_72 · 05-07-2009, 11:59 AM

i have a 355 buick wildcat out of a 65 wildcat and it only has about 68000. car is long gone to much trouble to fix. i was just wondering how hard it would be to put in my 68 chevy truck. i'd hate to see the motor go to waiste as its set on an engine stand for about 3 years. any comments would be great. have pics of the engine but cant get them to load on this computer. thanks

monte0185 · 05-07-2009, 12:10 PM

Ive seen olds and pontiacs and cadi engines put in our trucks so i would think a buick wouldnt be any different. Might have to convert to 73 and up frame mounts would be the biggest thing i would think.

rlm316 · 05-07-2009, 12:42 PM

A long time ago a friend of mine had a '71 longbed with a buick 455 he installed in it. That thing would fly! He told me what mounts he used but I have forgotten what they were. I do remember that they were common in the mid 80's,

Bus Ted Knuckle · 05-07-2009, 01:26 PM

mounts, and a b.o.p. trans, and your ready to go.

DerbyBob32 · 05-07-2009, 04:37 PM

Sounds like you have a 300ci buick (small block). The "Wildcat 355" is the torque rating of the 4b carb motor. It would have come out of a mid size Buick. If it came out of a Wildcat it would be marked "Wildcat 445" and be 400ci (big block).

crites_72 · 05-08-2009, 01:49 PM

i pulled it out of the car so i know what it came out of. the car was so original it still had the sale sticker in the window. i've got it the trans. the front yoke off the drive shaft heck i even took the motor mount stands just in case i ever wanted to put it down in anything but a buick. it is the 300ci. does anyone know any stats on them? im running a search as we talk. the original plan was to stick it down in something smaller since its only 300ci. thanks again for the info.

rlm316 · 05-08-2009, 02:03 PM

Not sure about the motor, but I know about that trans. If if is a 2 speed it is a turbine 300. Buicks answer to a powerglide. No performance parts available. I have the same trans in my '65 pont. and I can't wait to get it out. Should be a great boat anchor. I don't think it would work too good for a truck with the gearing it has.

Myself · 05-08-2009, 02:07 PM

Buick engines made great torque but they don't breathe well. Would be excellent for a daily driver, and get good mileage. Don't be expecting good power at higher rpms though.

crites_72 · 05-08-2009, 02:19 PM

thats what i figured. but y let a good motor go to waste. still tossing it around. thinking lt1 also. oh and the trans. a 350 turbo. i do actually have a 2 speed buick but i figured it was pretty much junk

jbird76 · 05-08-2009, 02:22 PM

Pretty positive the Wildcat 355 (300 ci) is was for the skylark, I don't think it came in the wildcat itself.

I had the 300 in my 67 special, it's a waste of an engine. BUT... since you have the 4bl version, you would be smart to sell the intake. They go for 2-300 since 65 was the only year they made a cast iron version (64 was an aluminum). The carb on it is good too, perhaps $50 on a Buik board.

The exhast manifolds are worth something too.

You can't buy headers for the engine, the 4bl, had the higher compression ratio, and there are a couple different cams made for it through Poston.

The engine was used in Land Rovers until like 2000 or soemthing, so you can find an efi setup off of one and make it work. On v8buick.com there are a couple who have done this.

I really researched on the routes to getting the most out it, then I finaly came to my senses when I read someone on one of the Buiclk boards that said "You can put 10,000 in to the motor, and still get whooped by a guy in a junkyard 455."

so if I were you, I would sell the manifolds and carb. The tranny is liked by a lot of people, it's a switchpitch, and when it works right, and you floor it on the freeway it does an awesome down shift and you can really take off.

crites_72 · 05-08-2009, 03:14 PM

thanks guys i still dont know tho it seems like a waste tho with that low of miles on it. maybe i'll just sell it.

DerbyBob32 · 05-08-2009, 08:43 PM

The 300 is an ok engine. I had one in my 65 skylark for years. Once I swapped to a th350 it wasn't too bad. I don't think I would want it in a truck tho. Just not much power. I scrapped mine once I put in my stg2 455. It is a very narrow audience to try to sell 300 parts to. If it was a 64 model you might have a better chance of selling it. I would look for a 455 bop or a caddy if you want somthing different. Just my opinion.

05-07-2009, 11:59 AM	#1
crites_72 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mtn. Grove Mo. Posts: 155	has any one used a buick motor? i have a 355 buick wildcat out of a 65 wildcat and it only has about 68000. car is long gone to much trouble to fix. i was just wondering how hard it would be to put in my 68 chevy truck. i'd hate to see the motor go to waiste as its set on an engine stand for about 3 years. any comments would be great. have pics of the engine but cant get them to load on this computer. thanks __________________ DJ

05-07-2009, 12:10 PM	#2
monte0185 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Brighton, TN Posts: 1,267	Re: has any one used a buick motor? Ive seen olds and pontiacs and cadi engines put in our trucks so i would think a buick wouldnt be any different. Might have to convert to 73 and up frame mounts would be the biggest thing i would think. __________________ A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing. Duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the world together.

05-07-2009, 12:42 PM	#3
rlm316 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Woodstown, NJ Posts: 669	Re: has any one used a buick motor? A long time ago a friend of mine had a '71 longbed with a buick 455 he installed in it. That thing would fly! He told me what mounts he used but I have forgotten what they were. I do remember that they were common in the mid 80's,

05-07-2009, 01:26 PM	#4
Bus Ted Knuckle Son of a gun Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas Posts: 1,636	Re: has any one used a buick motor? mounts, and a b.o.p. trans, and your ready to go. __________________ Bill BEATERS ARE NEATER

05-07-2009, 04:37 PM	#5
DerbyBob32 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dallas, Oregon Posts: 2	Re: has any one used a buick motor? Sounds like you have a 300ci buick (small block). The "Wildcat 355" is the torque rating of the 4b carb motor. It would have come out of a mid size Buick. If it came out of a Wildcat it would be marked "Wildcat 445" and be 400ci (big block).

05-08-2009, 01:49 PM	#6
crites_72 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mtn. Grove Mo. Posts: 155	Re: has any one used a buick motor? i pulled it out of the car so i know what it came out of. the car was so original it still had the sale sticker in the window. i've got it the trans. the front yoke off the drive shaft heck i even took the motor mount stands just in case i ever wanted to put it down in anything but a buick. it is the 300ci. does anyone know any stats on them? im running a search as we talk. the original plan was to stick it down in something smaller since its only 300ci. thanks again for the info. __________________ DJ

05-08-2009, 02:03 PM	#7
rlm316 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Woodstown, NJ Posts: 669	Re: has any one used a buick motor? Not sure about the motor, but I know about that trans. If if is a 2 speed it is a turbine 300. Buicks answer to a powerglide. No performance parts available. I have the same trans in my '65 pont. and I can't wait to get it out. Should be a great boat anchor. I don't think it would work too good for a truck with the gearing it has.

05-08-2009, 02:07 PM	#8
Myself Registered User Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Northern Arkansas Posts: 1,166	Re: has any one used a buick motor? Buick engines made great torque but they don't breathe well. Would be excellent for a daily driver, and get good mileage. Don't be expecting good power at higher rpms though.

05-08-2009, 02:19 PM	#9
crites_72 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mtn. Grove Mo. Posts: 155	Re: has any one used a buick motor? thats what i figured. but y let a good motor go to waste. still tossing it around. thinking lt1 also. oh and the trans. a 350 turbo. i do actually have a 2 speed buick but i figured it was pretty much junk __________________ DJ

05-08-2009, 02:22 PM	#10
jbird76 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Saint George, Utah Posts: 30	Re: has any one used a buick motor? Pretty positive the Wildcat 355 (300 ci) is was for the skylark, I don't think it came in the wildcat itself. I had the 300 in my 67 special, it's a waste of an engine. BUT... since you have the 4bl version, you would be smart to sell the intake. They go for 2-300 since 65 was the only year they made a cast iron version (64 was an aluminum). The carb on it is good too, perhaps $50 on a Buik board. The exhast manifolds are worth something too. You can't buy headers for the engine, the 4bl, had the higher compression ratio, and there are a couple different cams made for it through Poston. The engine was used in Land Rovers until like 2000 or soemthing, so you can find an efi setup off of one and make it work. On v8buick.com there are a couple who have done this. I really researched on the routes to getting the most out it, then I finaly came to my senses when I read someone on one of the Buiclk boards that said "You can put 10,000 in to the motor, and still get whooped by a guy in a junkyard 455." so if I were you, I would sell the manifolds and carb. The tranny is liked by a lot of people, it's a switchpitch, and when it works right, and you floor it on the freeway it does an awesome down shift and you can really take off.

05-08-2009, 03:14 PM	#11
crites_72 Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mtn. Grove Mo. Posts: 155	Re: has any one used a buick motor? thanks guys i still dont know tho it seems like a waste tho with that low of miles on it. maybe i'll just sell it. __________________ DJ

05-08-2009, 08:43 PM	#12
DerbyBob32 Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Dallas, Oregon Posts: 2	Re: has any one used a buick motor? The 300 is an ok engine. I had one in my 65 skylark for years. Once I swapped to a th350 it wasn't too bad. I don't think I would want it in a truck tho. Just not much power. I scrapped mine once I put in my stg2 455. It is a very narrow audience to try to sell 300 parts to. If it was a 64 model you might have a better chance of selling it. I would look for a 455 bop or a caddy if you want somthing different. Just my opinion.



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