HDIronman

Has anyone ever used one of these blocks as a foundation for their engine build up? I believe these blocks will accept standard sbc internals and heads. These blocks are supposed to be bullit proof, if this is correct what do I need to know?

Thanks, Phillip :cool:

stpman

If I remember right the 1969 Olds has more in common with the Buick than the Chev and all the pieces don't interchange betwen Olds and Chev. others with more knowledge may chime in.

Steve :steering:

The Money Pit

I've run the 350 Olds block but never even dreamed Chevy parts would fit.Best advice I would give is stick with a Chevy.Parts are way cheaper and the ground has been tested by many before you. :yesnod:

mvftw

If you want to run an Olds block, the 350 diesel block is the way to go (but with Olds internals). It's much thicker then a stock 350...good luck finding one...

Barry's70LT1

The Olds bell housing bolt pattern is completely different. Olds, Buick, Pontiac share the same bolt pattern.
SB/BB & inline six Chevy share the same bolt pattern.

Olds 350 is a completely different engine from the Chevy 350.

In the late '70s or '80s, Olds did use the Chevy 350 in some of their cars.
Perhaps these 350's were cast with a different steel than the Chevy 350s.

Cadillac in the '60s used a high nickel content block. These things would wear for ever.

gerry72

A "Rocket" block is not from your father's Oldsmobile. It is a block developed for drag racing and had no production line application and it certainly wasn't around in 1969.

If you have no intention of installing custom-machined racing components it would be best to abandone your quest for one of these.

Imagine, an Olds Rocket block, spinning some SBC internals with Buick 15-degree heads. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Sigforty

Olds had a series of engines they called the "Rocket". My friends dad had an old Olds Delta 88 with a 350 Rocket in it. Olds used the "Rocket" name to denote its high compression performance engines in the cars. The Rocket blocks you speak of are newer production stuff, but the Olds cars back in the day did have engines called "Rockets" in them.

Here is a link I have found with some Rocket info: http://www.drivingtoday.com/greatest...olds_rocket88/


[Modified by Sigforty, 4:24 PM 3/31/2004]

78 Vette

Thats the one he is talking about :thumbs:

Russ Bellinis

I believe the "Rocket Block" was originally the Olds 350 diesel engine. However Chevy heads will not fit the Olds diesel block. You would have to build it using Olds parts. When the Olds diesel died, G.M. had the tooling for the engine, so they changed it to fit S.B. Chevy pieces and marketed it through G.M. Performance Parts as the Rocket Block. I think it has since been discontinued. If you want something similar, you could get a Dart block.

Solid LT1

The "Rocket Block" refers to a small block cast iron Chevy type block with a raised cam bore (0.400"), wide oil pan rails for big stroker cranks (wer'e talking a custom oil pan here!) and they can be std or tall deck. These are the castings they use for 450 cu/in small block motors, but many details are unique. There are cheaper aftermarket alternatives like the World Motown and Dart blocks.

HDIronman

Thanks everyone for your knowledge and answers. I passed on the deal and will soon have my 355 back in the car. Hope to be driving by end of May.
:cool: