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General Discussion => Buick Interchange => Topic started by: mikey531 on March 14, 2015, 05:44:26 PM
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I have a 1965 2 door post Buick Special 300 4 -speed, (originally 3-speed on the column) I cannot find an aftermarket 4bbl intake manifold, or much anything else. Is it sacrilegious to use another GM smallblock? If not.. what will bolt up to the bellhousing? I have not found an abundance of Buick engines.
Thanks
Mike
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Dear Mike and mid-60s Buick fans,
I have a 1965 2 door post Buick Special 300 4 -speed, (originally 3-speed on the column) I cannot find an aftermarket 4bbl intake manifold, or much anything else. Is it sacrilegious to use another GM smallblock? If not.. what will bolt up to the bellhousing? I have not found an abundance of Buick engines.
You won't find much of anything in the aftermarket category for the 1964-67 small block Buick engine. However, you can find the OEM parts if you are a bit persistent. Exactly what do you have left of the original engine in this car? - anything? Lots of guys are upgrading to larger more modern engines like the Buick big-block. So they have 300 engines with very little value. This board may not be the best place to find those engines. You might have to post a query on the more popular board for Buicks V-8 Buick:
www.v8buick.com (http://www.v8buick.com)
It is a much more diverse crowd, but with many more participants. If you need parts, it is a better choice. If you need detailed advice on how to actually fix something on your car, this forum is better source! Although there is a certain GS bias that you need to accept - after all that is the title! :thumbsup:
Cheers, Edouard :occasion14:
P.S. there are also aftermarket parts for the Rover V-8 engine that was created from the Buick 300. TA-Performance has things like the Rover cylinder heads that are a significant improvement over the 1965 Buick cast iron heads:
http://www.taperformance.com/ (http://www.taperformance.com/)
I was ultimately seduced into a big-block Buick engine for my trusty wagon, but if you want performance out of a Buick 300, it is possible. You just have to be willing to learn the ropes.
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Hey Mike, that's a great looking car!
The bellhousing is a B-O-P, so it'll fit the Buick 300-340-350-455, and likely Olds and Pontiac if the starter is on the correct side.
Bellhousing won't fit the Nailhead 401-425, those are unique.
Easiest engine swap would be a 350 Buick, or a V6-turbo if you can find one.
Intake manifold choices are very limited. You need a cast iron 4 bbl intake that was '65 only, or you can use a '64 aluminum intake but it has smaller runners and may not give an improvement.
It really depends on your goals. A Buick 350 would be a nice cheap upgrade, or build the 300 with the $$ alum heads.
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Thanks for the replies. I wondered about the acceptance as I know it is a Special but this was the closest forum I found for info. I also belong the 67 -72 chevy truck forum but again I have a 69 GMC so it seems I am the oddball in these forums. The engine runs fine just needs a carb rebuild. I was loooking more for visual enhancement rather than pure performance. The usual, headers, aluminum intake, holly four barrel, chrome valve covers just something to look better in my eyes.
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Hey Mike here is a link to some headers
http://www.ebay.com/itm/360876233106?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT (http://www.ebay.com/itm/360876233106?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT)
Here are some chrome valve covers that are on the www.v8buick.com (http://www.v8buick.com), site. There is a lot of information on that site also on the little 300 moitor.
http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?294469-Update-parts-list (http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?294469-Update-parts-list)
Just going to a 4 barrel intake and carb helps a little but you still have a 8.5:1 compression motor. The 4 barrel 300 cid were 11:1
I think the best thing I added to my 300 2barrel was a Petronix electronic ignition.
Jim C
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Thanks! I still haven't verified what engine I have, I can't seem to find any letters on it to verify size and displacement
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Hi Mike,
Looks like a 300 just don't recognize the ignition coil location. I have never seen one located there.
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Use the links below to ID it as a Buick engine and type:
http://www.teambuick.com/reference/ident_engine_where.php (http://www.teambuick.com/reference/ident_engine_where.php)
http://www.teambuick.com/reference/ident_engine_63-75.php (http://www.teambuick.com/reference/ident_engine_63-75.php)
Like Walt said, the bell housing and linkage will work with any Buick 300, 340 or 350, and those three engines bolt directly in place of each other. The 300 flywheel will work on a Buick 350 or 340, but you should match balance your flywheel to the flexplate of the engine you will be using (if you swap engines).
The 64 300 had aluminum heads with smaller valves, intake runners and combustion chambers then the iron head 65-67 300. The high compression pistons offered in 64 and 65 were the same, but made more compression in the 64 with a smaller combustion chamber. Same goes for the lower compression pistons. Since you have a 2bbl and it is iron, I would say you have a low compression 65 300 (could be 66 or 67 low compression also).
I'd leave your current iron heads and find an iron 65 4 bbl intake if you stick with the 300. The high compression pistons would be nice too. Adapters are made to fit a Holley to the 300 4 bbl intake.
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Thanks! I still haven't verified what engine I have, I can't seem to find any letters on it to verify size and displacement
Not a 300 for sure. Looks like a 350.
Loren
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There is no number stamped on the block on the left hand side (drivers) the only number that is visible is what looks like 1375161 on the back of the block. I cannot see any numbers between the exhaust manifold. So I guess I don't know what I have.
mike
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^ well then 64-67 300 fron this chart: http://www.buicks.net/shop/reference/smallblock_casting_numbers.html (http://www.buicks.net/shop/reference/smallblock_casting_numbers.html)
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^ well then 64-67 300 fron this chart: [url]http://www.buicks.net/shop/reference/smallblock_casting_numbers.html[/url] ([url]http://www.buicks.net/shop/reference/smallblock_casting_numbers.html[/url])
I can read the block casting number 1375161 and it crosses to '65 to '67 Buick 300 block so the bellhousing will bolt to a Buick 350 ?
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Yes it will (350 Buick), and a 350 will bolt right in place of the 300 with no mods and even use the same accessories. The exhaust will be different though, and require 350 exhaust manifolds or headers that will fit a 350 in a 65-67 A-body.
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Pictures of a '65 Buick 300. Notice the valve covers.
Loren
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Hi,
Good findings as any manual transmission Buick is a rarity,
Buick 300 is a good motor unfortunately not a lot of aftermarket support.
I have heard you can install a aftermarket 215 intake with spacers also a nice cam will help with performance
defiantly check out V8 Buick the small block tech section there's a interesting 300 build that was in Hot Rod
Also th he U-shift em section
Years ago i spoke to a guy who was running a 64 Special in the 12's so those little 300's can be built
Value covers look to be 67 vintage
Good find again,
Regards,
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Mike, those look like 1967 valve covers, I have '67 340 covers on my '66 Special with 300. Painted my 300 red to match the car.
I also added the aluminum '64 4bbl intake manifold. I found the intake at a swap meet for $35 15+ years ago. The cast iron 300 4 bbl intakes are hard to find and might be $200-300!
Both Offenhauser an O'Brian Truckers make finned aluminum valve covers that'll fit. They're listed for the Buick 215:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/OFY-5189/ (http://www.summitracing.com/parts/OFY-5189/)
https://www.obrientruckers.com/ecom/product/241/2379/ (https://www.obrientruckers.com/ecom/product/241/2379/)
Late model Rover V8 valve covers will fit too. 'LowFlyLark' on V8Buick used them in his build..... there's a pic somewhere in his 13 page build thread:
http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?213961-1964-Buick-Skylark-Convertible-mild-custom-project (http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?213961-1964-Buick-Skylark-Convertible-mild-custom-project)
Here's a pic of the 300 in my '66 Special. I'm happy with it's performance, especially with a 5 speed behind it.
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I have an extra 65 300 if you just want to build it to your specs. It ran good when I pulled it. The last one we did had an aluminum aftermarket intake , but I do not remember the manufacturer. That extra 300 is complete,it still has the engine harness on it. They are a pretty light engine.
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I have no problem with the performance of a 300 I just want to dress up the engine with aluminum intake, 4 bbl, headers and maybe some different valve covers. So what I need to do is find the letters that determine the year. If it is a '67 are there aluminum intakes for that engine?
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You may be able to narrow it down by crossing the charted casting numbers on the intake, heads and exhaust manifolds with the numbers on yours. Buick only made a 4 bbl manifold for the 300 in 64 and 65. These were on the only high compression 300s made. The 64 was aluminum and matched the aluminum one year only heads. The 65 manifold was iron and matched the iron heads used from 65-67. The runners are smaller on the aluminum manifold and are a restriction to the iron heads.
The 340 came out in 66 and was available in 67. These were available as a high compression engine in those years. This left the 300 as a base model 2 bbl low compression engine in those years.
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The 300 motor will have the last eight digits of the vin number of the vehicle they came out of, on the front of the motor just below the drivers side head. The first digit is the year.
Jim C
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The 300 motor will have the last eight digits of the vin number of the vehicle they came out of, on the front of the motor just below the drivers side head. The first digit is the year.
Jim C
Thanks I will look again but I didn't see any numbers there. I will clean it again and see if something shows up this weekend
Thanks again
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7H114739 on the front of the block so it is a '67 300 ?
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^ Correct. 7=1967, H=Flint MI assembly plant, XXX,XXX=car serial number