I gave a buick 455 that I want to put into a 1988 Electra estate wagon.

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum, new to forums in general, never been in one before.
I have a buick 455. I've disassembled it and it's ready for the machine shop.
The car has the olds 307. I understand an olds 455 may have been easier to install but I found the buick engine first, with a transmission. They're out of a 73 lesabre.
Two questions; does any one have experience with this swap? Am I an idiot for trying?
TA performance seems to think my first hurdle will be motor mounts, so let's start there.
Thanks in advance
My name is Bill, I live in southern Colorado.

 

Bill:



Please put your first name in your signature, so we will remember it :TU:
Don't forget to show us a few photos of your wagon :kodak:

I had a 455 Buick with a TH-400 in my 1983 Caprice wagon.
I really had to hammer the firewall and transmission hump to fit it all in.
Also had to chain the engine to the chassis on the driver's side, this because the air filter housing started to hit the bonnet every time I used the loud pedal.

The Olds 455 has the distributor at the rear of the engine, you have very limited space there between the engine block and the firewall, so you are better off with a 455 Buick.

For the custom drive shaft you need the TH-400 yoke from the original transmission.
Next problem will be the very weak rear axle, it can't really handle the 455 torque.

 

Me and my drinking buddies slapped together a party wagon years ago that was a 87 Pontiac Parreisenne however thats spelled, we just used the stock steel frame brackets for the engine mounts attached then set engine and trans in together, leveled the best 3 drunk guys could and welded it down to the cradle, you will need a mini starter for this swap, the factory starter and the cradle try to occupy the same space, we didn't discover this till the starter went out months later and after fighting for hours with it we cranked it and it promptly burned to the ground, due to the battery connection and the trans cooler line becoming one, we give that poor car hell, burnouts, donuts, jump railroad tracks etc etc, never hurt the axle