Woohoo! Picking up stuff for my swap today!

[Riviera Dude]

For starters, I have a 51 Roadmaster Riviera "Bettie" and unfortunately I found out her straight 8 was toast. I am picking up a Buick 455, TH350, front clip, rearend, driveshaft and other misc parts from a 74 Riviera for a swap! Paid it all off finally and am bringing it all home today! Goal is to have the clip in before snow flies (November hopefully) and have her roadworthy before Viva Las Vegas this coming spring. Anyone else do a swap like this? tips?

[raycow]

That sounds like a pretty ambitious project, although I suppose nothing is impossible if you are determined enough. Just a couple of questions though. Does the 74 clip actually line up with the 51 frame rails? If not, how far off is it? Was the TH350 bolted to the 455 when you got it? I would have expected a 74 Riv to have a TH400.

Ray

[Riviera Dude]

Ok yeah I dont know what I was thinking when I said TH350. Its a TH400 duh. I dont know about how the frame and stuff will line up since I havent had a chance to mess with it. If it needs to be widened/narrowed where I am mating the framerails it wont be an issue with the tools I have. Amazing what you can do with a porta-power, welders, oxy-acetylene torch and lots of friends (beer too)

[suntreemcanic]

Sounds like fun! I am always worried when you put the weight of the car back on the new front end and set it on the ground, it will look like the car is bent in the middle.

[hugh ness]

Wow! Big project!
When I discovered my straight 8 was deceased, I swapped it with a working 350 chev, bought a series 3 jag front and disk brake commodore (GM Holden- Australia) rear end. Got a bit daunted by it in the end. I never got to the stage of fitting it up. I couldn't get over getting rid of the straight 8. I should have had it rebuilt. But good luck with it.