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Indeed, I have been very happy with my 215/Monza swap. I run regular 87 gas three tanks, then a tank of premium, then back to regular. It has never detonated or had run-on. It runs at a consistant 190-degrees water temp, winter or summer. Everyone who has ever riden/driven it has commented on how well it runs. IMHO, this is the ultimate motor for our H-body platform if overall performance (acceleration + handling) is the goal.

I have had zero problems with it AFTER I did the Pertronics electronic ignition upgrade. Damn points...

Why someone dosent put the mirage fenders on a skyhawk and create and all-buick-Pseudo-imsa-aluminum-v8-street-machine

is beyond me.

I'd try it if I had the cash.

marco_1978_spyder wrote:Why someone dosent put the mirage fenders on a skyhawk and create and all-buick-Pseudo-imsa-aluminum-v8-street-machine

is beyond me.

I'd try it if I had the cash.

If someone would give me a 215 I'd do it. Reason I say give is cuz I don't have the cash either.

Look in your wrecking yards...... and ebay. They are cheap. $250 is the most I've ever paid for one.

'61-'63 Buick Skylark
'61-'62 Buick Special
'61-'63 Olds F85
'61-'63 Pontiac Tempest

Also look for Rovers:
Land Rovers
Range Rovers
SD-1s

(hard to find)Some MGs and TR-8's Yes, Triumph TR8

These things are everywhere.......

Ebay:
Buick 215 --- http://search.ebay.com/buick-215_eBay-M ... RCHQ3aSRCH

Olds 215 --- http://motors.search.ebay.com/oldsmobil ... QQfromZR40

Pontiac 215--- http://motors.search.ebay.com/search/se ... age=search

Rover engine--- http://motors.search.ebay.com/rover-eng ... eNameZWLRS

Brand new ($$$$) http://forums.h-body.org/viewtopic.php? ... highlight=

Hmmm, I have been thinking about a V8 for my Astre and I should look into this option maybe. What tranny's other than the 4spd would work? And what about bellhousings?

The 215 bellhousing is 215 specific. It isn't Chevy pattern nor B.O.P.

Some have used the original 215 bellhousing as it mates to the old T-10 4-speeds.

Some have used GM bells and drilled for their specific application. More can be found on the Yahoo Groups "215V8" forum link posted earlier in this post.

There is an adapter bellhousing made by Trans-Dapt (I believe) and is available through D&D Fabrications ( www.aluminumv8.com ) . Any GM trans bolts up.... they also have Ford trans adapters..... THEY HAVE EVERYTHING NEEDED FOR A SWAP...... Just check out their website... they've been doing Vega 215 conversions since '73 (over 2200 of them).

I'm converting my '72 Vega into a Pontiac. Astre that is. I'm gonna badge the 215 with a Pontiac emblem because the 215 was availble in the Pontiac Tempest. Sort of an all Pontiac thing.

bugdewde wrote:I'm converting my '72 Vega into a Pontiac. Astre that is. I'm gonna badge the 215 with a Pontiac emblem because the 215 was availble in the Pontiac Tempest. Sort of an all Pontiac thing.

Cool.

Now, let's move this to the Engine Tech Forum where it belongs.

bugdewde wrote:I'm converting my '72 Vega into a Pontiac. Astre that is. I'm gonna badge the 215 with a Pontiac emblem because the 215 was availble in the Pontiac Tempest. Sort of an all Pontiac thing.

That gives me an Idea......

An all-pontiac Formula sunbird 'Can-Am' -Aluminum engined-pseudo-IMSA-street machine.

Using my mirage flares, handling kit, and a set of Trans-am Snowflake rims..I could have a really cool, all Pontiac theme going.

Something Herb Adams would like.

You know...I just might do this..

But do I dare drill into the sides of a real formula? To possibly make it look to embarrassing to actually drive?....

So maybe not the mirage flares....

sorry to hijack the thread.....is the 215 the same weight as the buick 231 ?

Buick V6 375
Buick 3.0 V6 '85-up 350
Buick/Rover 215 V8 318

http://www.35pickup.com/mulligan/weight.txt

I was thinking: How did I miss this post??? GEEZ. Then I saw your post, Tom. I'm almost never in the General section… SO anyway I'll chime in:

For the sake of authenticity, the Pontiac badged 215 was the Olds configuration. I actually gave my extra Olds F85 engine to Tony (Hoffbug) in my neck of the woods. I hope he turns his into an Astre. His donor has all the parts… You hearing this Tony? LOL!

As many of you know I'm building a derivative of the 215 in stroker form. It's almost 300(299) cid now. It's been really fun to build. It's not cheap though. Just building a 215 would be less expensive. There are a couple ways to increase compression and add a little displacement.

One way I've figured out recently is to offset grind the rod journals: The stock 215 leaves the piston 30 to 40 thou down the cylinder. You could have the crank offset ground like 30 thou and add the OS bearings. You end up with like 225 I think. SWEET! (that's with a 40 overbore) It also helps the GIGANTIC rod ratio (2.02:1 YIKES) a little, changing it to more like 2 or 1.99 I think. That's still pretty steep.

This also helps the compression ratios. The engine can handle some wicked compression like Dwight was saying. If I was doing it again I'd try for something more like 14:1 and run E85. Since it burns slowly and more stably it runs much better at higher compression. I also think the long rod ratio will will take better advantage of the slow burning fuel.

For those who are naysayers of E85 read the latest CarCraft HP competition. The one common thread of EVERY engine that placed at the top is E85.

OK that said 13:1 compression with pump gas isn't out of the question and the bottom end is really pretty tough. The stock rods are nice forged units and stress on the short crank is minimal. I don't know of a broken 215 crank. In fact, the bottom end is really optimized for higher RPM. The limiting factor here is the head/valve geometry. In the 60's there was an Australian racing engine producer that just slapped OHC indy heads right onto the stock Olds block and ran them in Formula and Indy cars at high RPM. Pretty cool. Here's what they looked like:

http://www.repcobrabham.com/

That's right, buried under all that head gear is the lowly Olds 215. AWESOME!!

So, the 215 isnt much heavier than the old Iron duke from the sunbird, another good reason for the swap.

Can you use the Buick V6 alternator mount? and waterpump/ frontcover?

marco_1978_spyder wrote:So, the 215 isnt much heavier than the old Iron duke from the sunbird, another good reason for the swap.

Can you use the Buick V6 alternator mount? and waterpump/ frontcover?

But the iron duke probably has a higher center of gravity. And there's another good reason yet.

I found another list of engine weights, very similar to the other list, but this has more engines listed. It also has weights of trannys near the bottom. http://www.241computers.com/ford/Conten ... 30-38.html

Hey,
Keep to the topic of this thread - the 215 Cu. In. aluminum V-8 - and don't criticize the awesome 151 Cu. In. Pontiac L-4.
Heh-heh.
The 215 cu. in. V-8 is a great engine on its own.

marco_1978_spyder wrote:So, the 215 isnt much heavier than the old Iron duke from the sunbird, another good reason for the swap.

Can you use the Buick V6 alternator mount? and waterpump/ frontcover?

Not sure if they are the same or can be used. I loaned a '63 alt. mount to a fella that tried to have one made out of billet. He ended up going with a stock setup.

I use the '63 Buick 215 alternator mount. They came with alternators in '63. Occasionally, I see them on ebay.

D&D Fabrications can answer all questions regarding the 215. They (Dan and his son Mark) live to build and perform swaps for this engine. Their shop is right next to their house.