buick v8 questions

[whitechocolate]

I have a 76 chevy monza with the 3.8 buick oddfire with the 5 speed. I just picked up a 79 buick 350 that had an auto trans put of a lesabre looks like every thing is gonna work but the water pump and pully with no fan looks long so would the buick 3.8 waterpump work or would not putting a fan on it and use eletrical fans. And would the bell housing flexplate and clutch work in the v8. I know that 5 speed is not gonna hold up so should i get it rebuilt or what other manual trans would work dont care if its a 3,4 or 5 speed. And with that torshen bar that runs from the driver side of the tranny to the dif the pumkin would i have to put a bracket on a nother trany to have that or how would that work out. And on how far they necked down the hp in 79 compaired to 69 from 280 to 155 if that all in the heads and manifold mostly?? How would i increase that.

[cammerjeff]

I can't help with the Fan clearance question, I have never put a SBB in an H-body, other than the little 215 in my Astre. But your BOP Bellhousing should work fine, the only thing to check on the Buick 350 is make sure the crank shaft is actually machined to accept a Pilot bushing for the trans. I had 77 Buick 350 that was not machined and could not be used with a manual trans.

As for the Fly wheel that could be an issue, I do not know if the bolt pattern is the same from the V-6 to the V-8. Also all Buick 231 V-6's are at least partially externally balanced, so if the bolt pattern is the same, if you get the V-6 flywheel zero balanced, it should work.

Also if I remember correctly the H-body Clutch and pressure plate are smaller ( 8.5") compared to 9.5" for the V-8 parts. So double check the size of the Clutch parts, and check the clearance you have with the V-8 parts and the H-body Bellhousing.

I have never done the swap you are talking about, only a few Buick V-8 H-bodies have been built. And the 1 I have seen in person was an Automatic.

Good Luck and keep us posted on your progress.

[whitechocolate]

So the motor does have the spot on the crank for the bearing for the manual trans. Is there any one else could help me out

[bugdewde]

Looks like these guys could help you out some..... the original poster was looking to do a Buick swap and KS_SKYHAWK replied with some of his input on his swap on this thread. Check it out.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=21583

[79440bird]

I have did a Buick 350 swap in a 78 skyhawk. When I did my swap back in 1995 I called kenne bell for help. The manifolds work but the drivers side mount needs spacer under it about 1 1/2 inch an passenger mount needs about an inch spacer. The 3 bolts that hold the steering column to the firewall will need to be removed an then only loosen the two bolts that hold the steering column to the dash bracket. Now u can push the steering column over at the firewall toward the kick panel about 3/4 inch. Buy 3 self tap screws and install them in the steering column firewall. That will give u the clearance u need to get the steering around the exhaust manifold. A/C bracket had to modify a little lower. After that motor looks like it came that way from the factory . motor mounts r the same as the V6 an I also welded to pieces of flat plate on each side of the rubber on my drivers motor mount to make it solid. I run an automatic turbo 350 trans. Currently car is apart but was pretty kool looking when it was together

[CaptainPainn]

The manifolds work but the drivers side mount needs spacer under it about 1 1/2 inch an passenger mount needs about an inch spacer.

I used V6 Buick frame plates in a V8 Chevy swap. I noticed that the passenger frame plate was higher than the driver, but didn't know if it was bent or factory. I don't know the difference in mounting location from Buick to Chevy, but the spacers i used are an inch and a half on the passenger side and two inch on the driver side so that would confirm what your saying about the driver side being a half inch higher. Thanks for the info.