[mpowell]

A few of the Chevelles I've been checking out in the ads are Powerglide/307 cars - not exactly the makings of a hotrod, know what I mean? So, I was wondering about what it would cost (including labor, as I have neither the tools nor the ability - currently - to do the replacement myself) to swap in a 350/TH350 or 350/700-HR (or whatever the AOD tranny out of the eighties GM cars were). (Better still, I find a nice one with a 4-spd.

)

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Matthew Powell
Arlington, TX
~'70 Chevelle, soon
~'65 Vespa scooter, not-so-soon
"Imagination is more important than knowledge" - Albert Einstein

 

[gUmBaLL68Malibu]

I have not completed my conversion i have a 327 with powerglide and i have estimated about 1800 dollars but this is which lots of the parts i am putting in my car either free or really cheap i would estimate if u want a good engine and a TH350 (what i am using) to be around 3000 + maybe a new exhaust if your pipes aren't large enough but i could be on the low side

 

[Tedster]

Well, there are a few parts to this question. Going rate for a used 350 in good shape is approx $100-$300 (depending on condition). The tranny can range from $50 to 150. To have an experienced backyard mechanic install this motor/trans would be approx $100-$200. This is assuming that all they have to do is yank a running motor/trans and replace it with a running motor/trans.

To have a shop do this would border on ridiculous as pricing would be through the roof. ($50/hr labor X 8 hrs)

If you want to build the motor, plan on spending $2000 for a "properly" rebuilt engine and $500 for the trans. (your cheapest bet is to use the TH 350)

IMO, your best bet is to pull a running 350/TH350 out of a 70's Caprice, stab it in your Velle and slowly build it up. This way, you can learn to do it yourself instead of paying others to do it.

Plus, it's no fun driving on someone else's work. Half the fun of Hot Rodding is knowing that you built your machine.

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Ted Stojkovski
(formerly Skunkynuggets)
(so add about 300+ posts)
Syracuse NY
Team Chevelle #172


[This message has been edited by Tedster (edited 09-28-99).]

 

[Michael]

Jusy a thought. If you don't have much $ then I assume you don't have the power to break a glide. So why switch? If you're gonna make power then go for a 400. If you're gonna make mondo power then get a mondo glide. What is your goal?

 

[Kevin]

If you don't have the ability to perform this task or any friends who do then I suggest that you be patient and wait for a car that already has what you want. To have someone do a swap for you will cost at least $4000 including engine/trans. You'll be bucks up in the long run.

 

[Manny Gomez]

Hey M,
Previous advice is good; I just spent about $5K! (hope my wife doesn't read this). You could probably do an engine/trans swap with some new and some used but servicable components for $2,500 or so but you'd have to be pretty creative. Consider this ads in my local paper (Las Vegas) 1980 Chevy stationwagon, auto, air REBUILT ENGINE AND TRANS, $650. I called this guy and he swears the 350 egine and TH350 trans in this old boat are about a year old and invited me over to hear it run and drive the car. If it's real, you could have a basis for building a pretty good performance car for less than $1K. You could probably use, swap or sell the A/C and disc brakes and get $50 or so for the remains of the car at the scrap yard. There are six or seven other Chevy 350 equipped cars advertised in the same paper that claim to be running and serviceable, all for less than $1200 for the complete car. If you find a good runner you can run a compression test to see if it's worth messing with then freshen up the engine and trans with new gaskets, and other expendables before you swap it into your car. Or just pull the engine and trans, set them aside and rebuild them (or have them rebuilt)as you get the money. Lot's of work? Sure, and there is an element of risk involved too but there's probably an old Chevy for sale in your town with a very servicable engine and trans that could work for you. Think about it. mgg