suggestions, guidance please

Tommy P

Member
Okay y'all I need some guidance. I bought what I originally believed was a 62 Skylark convertible couple of weeks ago. It was a barn find in really nice shape overall. However, the original aluminum V8 had been replaced with what I'm identifying as a 300 cu. in. ML code 2bbl which I believe came out of a 66. Iron heads/iron block, 2bbl manifold with Rochester carb. Block ID # 6B114877 with heads # B1376330J and intake # B1375561J
From the body plate I learned that this car is actually a code 4167, Special Deluxe.
Here's where the guidance comes in. The engine isn't original and it would need to be gone through. Everything else is either there or available without too much trouble to restore the car. BUT! I have access (very affordably) to an aluminum 215 from an 87 Rover that has been completely rebuilt with a modified cam and intake. Since the car will never be an original numbers matching car. I'm waffling on what to do.
I'll pick up the '215' anyway but should I try to get the car as near as original as possible or should I just leave the 310 Wildcat in it?
I will be putting the car back together as original as possible as almost everything is there and what small items are missing or trashed ( windshield wiper arm, antenna, drivers side mirror ) are at least somewhat available on line or at swap meets.
I think the aluminum engine would lend an appearance of originality but if it won't affect the overall collectible value of the car ....? Should I bother?

Suggestions? Guidance, idea's or just random $.02 all appreciated.
 
as you say, it's never going to be original. and, Buick Specials really don't have a lot of collector value anyways. so the answer is, do whatever the heck you feel like, it's not really going to affect resale value that much.

so far as the Rover engines go, you can get a newer engine ( up to 2004 ) that displaces 4.6L, uses a serpentine belt accessory setup, 6 bolt / cross bolted main caps, gerotor oil pump and EFI+coil packs on each plug ... and it's pretty much the same size as the 1963 Buick 215ci / 3.5L, although the coil packs are going to stick out a little bit.

otoh, the Rover guys LOVE the 300ci for the displacement bump and the fact that the iron blocks/heads don't have near the problem with head seal and thread stripping that the alum parts do. the crazier guys have been known to drop a Buick 350 crank into a 300 block and get a short deck 340ci. the only problem is getting a 4 barrel intake to feed a 300 deck height performance build, that's a 1965 year only part unless you build a sheet metal intake. it is possible to use a Rover intake on a 300 but you have put spacer plates under it.

be aware that your transmission will NOT bolt up between these engines. check out the bellhousing thread, the Buick 300 uses the BOPC bell housing while the 215 / Rover use a one off pattern that GM didn't use for anything else. so if you're going to swap engines you may as well make it a transmission swap at the same time.
 
oh yeah, thanks for getting those casting numbers.

could you double check the engine casting? i'm matching the head and intake casting but that block casting is weird.

the existing block casting number i have for 1966 is 1374557


your number, 6B114877, doesn't look right. i'm assuming the "6B" is some kind of shift or factory designation which would mean that the "114877" is a digit short and out of sequence with the rest of the 1966 castings.
 
The block ID # is the stamping which indicates the last 8 digits of VIN. 6= 1966 model, B= Baltimore assembly plant, and 114877= the car serial number (starting number is 100001).
 
Yikes! Block ID

The block ID # is the stamping which indicates the last 8 digits of VIN. 6= 1966 model, B= Baltimore assembly plant, and 114877= the car serial number (starting number is 100001).

Hey Thanks Todd, I was beginning to see different possible stampings on the engine ..LOL
As Bob asked me to recheck the number I went scouring the block for other numbers but was unable to find any others, so with a stronger pair of reading glasses:jeez:, I thought I saw that someone may have tried to over stamp that number ( it looked like the 6Bxxxxxx might originally have been I3xxxxxx) still I couldn't find that number identifying a 62-66 300ci engine either. For a moment I thought I'd bought a block that might have been altered somehow.
Anyway, Thanks again and Thanks to Bob.
I finally dropped in a fully charged battery and turned the key...it turns over freely!! yippee
Now from what numbers I have it seems safe to assume its a 300ci Wildcat 310 from a 66 model year car. I still haven't been able to get the block code from between the exhaust manifold since i haven't yet pulled the engine but it seems safe to assume its an ML code knowing the rest of this info...right?
 
Yes, everything so far is pointing to it being a '66 2bbl 300 cid Wildcat 310. Once you find the 2-letter code, you don't need anything else to ID the engine.
 

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definitive engine ID

Hey Thanks Todd!:wavey: I finally located the code (ML). Last time this thing was registered was '72 so there was some pretty ugly crud to dispense with before I could find it. :D
Now, I'm on the hunt for the most workable way around the 4 to 5 lug conversion so I'll hit the archives to see what's been done in the past. Thanks again!
 
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