Buick 350 Should I?

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CoronetRTguy

Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Messages
12
Hey everyone,

I was offered a full Buick 350 that is torn down and on an engine stand (I get to use the stand) ready for rebuild. I was told I could have it for $40.00 brought to my house.

The guy who is offereing it is selling it for a friend who was just going to scrap it for metal price. He has also offered to help me rebuild it.

Tell me should I do this and would it be a cool small block in a T bucket?

I want to build a traditional T Bucket from the late 50s to the late 60s. I know going with a Buick 350 wouldn't be the motor used for this project but at the price I can for sure stay within my budget...I hope.

Tell me what you guys think and is it going to cost a lot to get 300HP out of it?
 
I was thinking about using a Buick 350 in my rat,I wanted to use something other than a sbc.but after doing the math,I decided to use a sbc.Its boring but its hard to beat on a budget.What kind of trans are you using? Buick trans may cost more also..Good luck which ever way you go..
 
Buick is best - forget the rest!

It will be more expensive to build and more difficult to find aftermarket parts for. It's lighter than an SBC, will put out more torque in stock form and it is different. I've got 4 projects going all with Buick motors...
 
I would make a list of all the parts you want/need and then spend some time to research them... see what the cost is and availability.

Even if you bought it for $40 I don't think you could go wrong with a price like that.

Keep me posted. [P
 
check out a site called v8buick.com lots of good info there. i have a 350 buford in my 63 chevy truck.
 
The small block buicks I've been around didn't impress me much.

And there is probably a reason he's scrapping it. Most likely cause its to expensive to justify a rebuild.
 
Yeah I will be doing a bit more homework I sitll have time before I buy it or not. The one thing with the motor is the guy that is the go between in the sale is a friend of both of us and he is willing to teach me how to rebuild a motor and that is worth above the 40 bucks of the motor.

I have also found two 383 Mopar motors and being a Mopar guy those are tops on my list. The one that runs is 300 and the one that doesnt is 200 and both with 727 trans.

I'm leaning heavy to the Mopar motor but the Buick might be fun too. I will do some more homework.
 
I know there are Buick fans out there who would stand by the 350 and definitely it is something different than the ever present SB Chev but there just isn't the amount of aftermarket support you'll find for the 383 Mopar.
Go with the 383, it's a proven engine and you can get virtually anything for it.
Of course it's not a Chevy, so parts cost more - but so do Buick parts - but for the same money, you'll get much more performance from the 383.
 
The biggest thing to me on the Buick 350 is the friend is going to teach me how to rebuild a motor. His friend is the one selling it.

Yeah I know the Mopar motor will be expensive to redo but I do like the 383s and anything Ma Mopar has done lol.

I did make an offer on a 283 of $250. The guy has a lot of chrome its valve covers, oil pan, water cooler and I think timming chain. The price with all that was $400 and with out and delivered to my house is $250. The motor turns freely but he has never started it. He wants a big blck now for his truck.

I also have a Dodge truck with a slant six in it and if I do get one of the 383s I will put it back for the truck if I dont use it for the T bucket.

The 283 might be what I'm looking for in this traditional built T.
 

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