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Thread: 1965 Buick Skylark replacing engine with a 401 1964 Buick Wildcat

  1. #1

    1965 Buick Skylark replacing engine with a 401 1964 Buick Wildcat

    I have a 1965 Buick Skylack with an 80's 231 v6 needless to say it was not what I expected. I thought it was an original but thats what I get for not checking it out first. That aside, I am looking at a 1964 buick wildcat with a 401 in it . I am trying to find out how difficult or easy it will be to swap the engine out and put it into the 65 Skylark along with the transmission. Any help would be great.
    Thanks,
    Jason

  2. #2

    engine swap.....

    Jason, I have done that specific swap... and it is somewhat more detailed than meets the eye... Basicly what you will be creating is a factory 65 gran sport clone... just get the specs ... do your home work and start rounding up parts, before you start in on the car... because it will take a while... not a week end swap... you will need the motor mounts and plates and frame pads for a 65 gs....also the brackets and pulleys and water pump for a 65 gs and a rear sump oil pan for a 65 gs... be aware that all rear sump oil pans will not fit a 401 engine.... you will need the oil pump and pick up for the rear sump pan and the pan must be 401/425 specific... you will need a heavy duty rad and fan shroud with a good hi volume fan... the easiest trans to find and use is a th400,, the best of those is the 65-66 switch pitch version.... you will need to move the rear crossmember back like 5to 6 inches... you will need a set of the special exhaust manifolds and the th 400 short nosed starter... you will need to move the battery to the other side of the engine compartment or to the trunk... you will need another air cleaner... the th 400 will hook up and work with the trans shift linkage you have now with a little jake leg engineering... the trans cooling lines will be different... the yolk coming out of the trans will be different and the drive shaft will have to be shortened... you need air lift air bags inside the rear springs and heavy duty shocks all the way around... to handel the torque... the brakes will work but will fade out after a couple of back to back runs... you need disc brakes or at least the special extra wide drums that came on the factory gs's...you will need heavy duty u joints in the driveshaft...
    you will need a good dual exhaust system with 2 1/4'' pipes and mufflers...
    When you get it together, learn to drive it very gently at first to understand how it will handle... it will be a entirely different animal...

  3. #3
    Doc, the brackets, pulleys & water pump can be used from the '64 'Cat. On the '64 engine an oil pick-up is available for the rear sump pan. The plates bolted to the engine can be made from a plate of aluminum or steel. the motor mounts can be SBC. Other rear sump pans besides 401/425 will fit. Depends on the year. For manifolds, headers or shorty's can be used. Since it's a '64 it will already have the correct starter. The yoke from the '64 can be used on his driveshaft. There's nothing wrong by using the '64 TH400 that comes with the '64 engine. What will be needed is the rear control arm braces for the support of the rear part of the frame. This is even MORE important since he doesn't have the boxed convertible frame.
    Tom Telesco
    Classic and Muscle Automotive
    12 Cook St.
    Norwalk, CT 06853-1601
    Day Phone 203-324-6045 ET
    NailHead Mini-Starters '53-'66
    Adjustable Roller Tip Rocker Arms - All NailHeads
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    Many other "Nail" parts
    "If I can't get it, you don't need it!"

  4. #4
    Thanks, For the info you guys have been a great help

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