215 Buick?

[axman61]

Has anyone done a Buick 215 swap? Distributor in the front, sump in the rear and all aluminum. Rare and small cubes but I think it would make a good cruiser and it would sound good. I am not after earth-moving performance, just good acceleration and a good sounding car.

[Greg55_99]

It's been done:

 

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2316289

 

 

Greg

[dr_hunt]

Nope, 215 cubic inches is 3.5 liters, that motor in the car domain featured ride is 5.3 liters, so it's not a 215. I dunno about the differences between the two except bell housing pattern. They are light though, reports are 305 lb complete engine from carb to oil pan.

 

Here's some of the info I had looked at back in the days when I messed with that.

 

Buildups

Normally aspirated versions of the motor are still somewhat available, and there are a couple of shops which specialize in the motors (D&D in Michigan is the one that advertises in Hemmings every month). Parts are available to bump displacement out from the original 3.5 liters to 5.0.

 

The hot setup to use in this case is to swap the heads for those on a 1964 Buick 300, which is the same basic engine with a cast iron block and a displacement bump. The 300 heads are still aluminum, however, and will bolt to the 215 block. It is possible to drop the crank and heads from the 300 onto a 215 short block and get a 5.0 liter all aluminum V-8 that weighs about 310 lbs fully dressed.

 

The basic block was fitted with DOHC 4-valve heads and turned into an F1 racing engine by Repco of Australia in the early 60s. Mickey Thompson also ran one at Indy in the early 60s. Mickey Thompson used the 215 block along with his own forged crank and aluminum pistons to make an off road race engine. The crank was 3.5" stroke, quite a bit larger than the 2.8" stock one still used to power the Rover 215. This brought the CID up to 250 and it had a higher lift, higher rev cam, as well as Mallory Dual point ignition.

 

Another interesting bit of trivia is that the 1964 Buick 300 is actually a cast iron version of this motor with aluminum heads - in fact these 1964 heads have larger ports and valves and will bolt to a 215.

 

Many articles have been written on installing this crank into the 215 case to get the 215's light package with the increased stroke and displacement of the 300's crank. It does, however, require engine rear seal machining, crank grinding, and some funny business to get a manual tranny to bolt up.

 

They can be bored as high as 60 thousandths without going through the steel cylinder liners. Piston's and rings were available a while ago. Alan Friedrich

 

Just when you thought that nothing else could be done to this poor block, Volvo (yes family sedan/wagon people) valves, it was discovered, would fit into the 310 aluminum heads to increase flow. Also, Chevy Carrera rods (300, 310, 340) were quite a bit stronger than any of the others. Stronger than even M. Thompson's box welded rods.

 

A side note, The 310 is also sometimes referred to as the 340. Back then, Buick often put the largest number from among CID, torque or horsepower on the air cleaner. The 310 engine generated 340 pounds/foot of torque. That's how you end up with people referring to the 401 nailhead as a 445, or the 425ci as the 465, since those were the numbers on the original air cleaners. Just something to know when looking for compatible parts.

 

In Britian, some 215s have been bored and stroked to an amazing 4.5 to 5.0 liters through the use of the factory crank from a diesel Rover (known as the Tundra something or other). Now then, does this not sound fun to you, an Olds F-85, with the aluminum Rover 3.5 liter block, bored to 3.8 liters, stroked from 2.8" to 3.5" using a Mickey Thompson crank, Big aluminum head via Buick 300 etc. Volvo oversize valves, a 3.8 liter front case w/HEI ignition and still able to hang a serpentine belt with all accessories on it, and bolted up to a Borg/Warner 5 speed tranny?

[qwik240z]

Had one in my old 510 too.

 

 

 

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/520667

 

Not much on power but lightweight for a Z. Will lighten the Z a good bit. Old HP ratings were 185 HP for the 1963 Buick/Olds 215. Decent torque too. I wouldn't use it again as I think the SR20 is a better choice now.

[Greg55_99]

I beg to differ Dr Hunt, but that IS a Rover V8 (same as a Buick 215). Look closely:

 

 

If it now displaces 5.3L, that's an accomplishment. It must use some pretty long stroke crank for that. In fact, if you cut down the mains on a Buick 350 crank (3.85") and drop it into a Rover 4.6L block with a 3.7" bore, you get 5.3L (331 CID). Nonetheless, that is a rover aluminum block.

 

Greg

[dr_hunt]

Your right in theory, but Buick sold the mold pattern to Land rover in the 70's cause brits were wanting more power and we were in gas crunch. it is the same mold, different bellhousing bolt pattern, not interchangeable and not made by buick. That's a land rover motor, which is a sand cast block instead of an investment casting, also there are some other difference in how the starter mounts too I think. Anyway, most everything else is the same parts wise, just a little better I think in terms of cylinder head flow. I could be wrong, but I know the bolt pattern is different and the starter mounts different.

[jap tin]

Anyone think he may type like me. Think 3.5 and punch 5.3 ?

[Greg55_99]

Naw Doc, the Buick 215 has the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the Rover v8. Only difference in starters is the opening in the Rover block is slightly larger. A lot of other updates as well, but, they are still basically the same.

 

http://www.roversd1.nl/sd1web/capacity3.html

 

http://www.aluminumv8.com/index.htm

 

Greg

[dr_hunt]

Well, at least I got part of it right. My little sandrail had an adaptor plate made out of 3/4" plate aluminum and had a custom VW flywheel with a different center welded in. It was really fun to drive, but I was sure that parts in the long run weren't going to be available, and finding another motor here is like finding a $100 bill on the sidewalk, just doesn't happen.

 

Me and a buddy pulled the motor and trans out of a car by hand!!!! But that was in my younger days when I was stronger and stupidererer.

 

Jap Tin, I think Rover makes a 5.3 displacement version, I may be wrong about that too.

[ezzzzzzz]

If anyone has interest in a Rover engine I have one sitting in the garage. It's a complete 3.9 from a 93 Range Rover. Just swap out the intake for carburation and you're on your way to V8 power. With a '00 LS1, '96 Vortec 4.3, '81 LD28, '71 L24 and '81 L28 turbo engine I've got enough to work with right now.