A couple of years ago I bought a 1981 Buick LeSabre 4.1 V6 as a daily. It was a decent enough car.
Seen here on holiday in Whitby
Unfortunately the thing started using a lot of oil. Like I had Buick's prototype 2-stroke motor under the bonnet. So it got parked up.
Also I owned the world's least appealing 1973 Oldsmobile 98 with a 455 big block V8 in it.
So a plan formed.
The 455 from the Oldsmobile would be pulled and installed in the Buick. To create The Oldsmobuick.
All manner of "fun" was had stripping the motor out of the donor.
Which was then run via "the tame welder" to fabricate the mounts and prop etc. It also acquired headers and Steve made up some evil looking exhausts with some bends Stef donated.
And then it kind of got shoved in Stef's yard and forgotten about for a while
Except by the local wildlife who appeared to have been using it as target practice
So it was time to load it up and bring it home to work on.
So a transporter was arranged
But Oldsmobuick caused the suspension on the truck to bottom out...
So a week later another truck came...
And finally Oldsmobuick is home...
And then washed and scrubbed and disinfected...
And so the recommisisoning can begin.
So far I have been identifying what goes where and does what with all those pipes and wires.
I have got the alt wiring in place OK, the wiring for the HEI upgrade the distributor will be getting fits OK I think and the heater hoses are done.
Some fuel hose and top rad hose to do and then its just get some power feed to the stock points distributor and see if it will fire and run its new home, then swap in the HEI distributor.
It will need an electric fan, custom top hose and some dickery with the heater return feed.
The starter is the other side to what it was so I need a longer cable for that and some other bits
I also have about half a ton of wiring with a million multiplugs on to dispose of as well as a mile of vacuum hose.
Its not far off.
Seen here on holiday in Whitby
Unfortunately the thing started using a lot of oil. Like I had Buick's prototype 2-stroke motor under the bonnet. So it got parked up.
Also I owned the world's least appealing 1973 Oldsmobile 98 with a 455 big block V8 in it.
So a plan formed.
The 455 from the Oldsmobile would be pulled and installed in the Buick. To create The Oldsmobuick.
All manner of "fun" was had stripping the motor out of the donor.
Which was then run via "the tame welder" to fabricate the mounts and prop etc. It also acquired headers and Steve made up some evil looking exhausts with some bends Stef donated.
And then it kind of got shoved in Stef's yard and forgotten about for a while
Except by the local wildlife who appeared to have been using it as target practice
So it was time to load it up and bring it home to work on.
So a transporter was arranged
But Oldsmobuick caused the suspension on the truck to bottom out...
So a week later another truck came...
And finally Oldsmobuick is home...
And then washed and scrubbed and disinfected...
And so the recommisisoning can begin.
So far I have been identifying what goes where and does what with all those pipes and wires.
I have got the alt wiring in place OK, the wiring for the HEI upgrade the distributor will be getting fits OK I think and the heater hoses are done.
Some fuel hose and top rad hose to do and then its just get some power feed to the stock points distributor and see if it will fire and run its new home, then swap in the HEI distributor.
It will need an electric fan, custom top hose and some dickery with the heater return feed.
The starter is the other side to what it was so I need a longer cable for that and some other bits
I also have about half a ton of wiring with a million multiplugs on to dispose of as well as a mile of vacuum hose.
Its not far off.
