Thread: 53 buick drivetrain swap?

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ok
i have a 53 special and i cant afford to restore it.
so now i want to put a different drivetrain
chevy 350 and 3 speed auto as well as probably a ford 9" rear
from what i understand a 4 link rear would be easiest and cheapest.
i am just gonna sell the 2 straight 8's i have and probably scrap the dynaflow and rear end.
the dynaflow and floating rear parts are insanely expensive and nobody knows how to work on them anyway.
so away they go.
it is such a cool car we cant bear to not make it usable.
and drive it a LOT.
ANY IDEAS?

Billy,
One thing up front, you really, really want an OD automatic for the car so it will be a reasonable highway cruiser. What would be really cool would be to latch onto a Buick Nailhead engine for it, and if that's out of the question then a takeout engine/tranny package from one of the LS machines. That said I understand that going basic 350 Chevy may be cheaper for you. I'm just a big fan of Ford in Ford, Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth in their models, Buick in Buick, etc and I know I'm not alone. Later on a nailhead in the old girl will make her more interesting to buyers if you can score one. Check out Ahwooga.com Buy and Sell Automotive Parts and you might get lucky.

+1 waht Roger said; besides, with an early model engine, you won't have to mess with all the electronic stuff. If I recall correctly, the Nailhead came out in '54, and the '54 Buicks were basically the same as the '53s, so if you can find the correct mounts, that would also make a Nailhead swap easier. The rear end swap should be pretty straight forward.

I Have all chrome ect. except for the hood ornament and a headlight cowl.
the engines are on a concrete slab under a tarp.
supposedly this car was a runner before the previous owner pulled the engine.
he had 2 of these cars and yanked the engine out of the other one and installed a (you guessed it) chevy 350.
he has been driving it around for a few years now.

Here's an idea that's out of the norm, and will yield great mileage. Get a 6.2 diesel from a mid 80's chevy truck with a 700R4. Now you'll have mileage, OD, and it'll go in anywhere a 350 can be. Plus they can be had for reasonable if you look around. Just an idea.

i love unusual engines and museum quality restorations.
am i willing to sink two years wages and the next 10 years to make this buick perfect?
hell no.
but i AM willing to do what is needed to make this thing a safe,clean ,reliable cruiser for my baby.
and while i have ZERO brand loyalty.
chevy engines are so common place that i can buy parts off the shelf anywhere in this country.

Great project, Billy. Here's my advice for doing this on an extreme budget. Find a decent running Caprice sedan or police car and swap the entire drivetrain, rearend with the rear suspention, front to rear wiring harness, computer, radiator, fuel tank, etc. These are great cars and very reasonably priced plus a good donor car will give you almost everything you need to make this swap. 91-92 are throttle body injection and 93-96 are LT1 cars. You could probably even make the front disc brakes work. It'd be a great highway cruiser that you buy parts for at any big box auto parts store.

To me that Bufford just cries out for a nailhead buick, a 401 out of a 63 or so Riveria. You should be able to find one for next to nothing and not too much different in price to do a stock rebuild than a Chevy.
The idea of a running doner car will save a ton on all the little stuff. Look around Craigslist and the back of garages, you can come up with something cool.
We signed up for Farmington next weekend, hope to see you there. We will be in the red 40 sedan.

update
my gal just veto'd my 5.9L 24 v turbo cummins diesel idea.
i found one for a fair price
but that woman just wont listen to reason....

Her- no billy
Me-but honey. that buicks heavy, it NEEDS 305 hp and 672ft lbs@1600 rpm torque
Her-no billy
Me- but honey
etc.