over the years we have all seen 350 chevs work they way into all sorts of toranas ,bigger holdens boats and fords.but i have never seen or heard of one going into a vb-vl commodore for road use (not talking about drags)has anyone else.i have been toying with this after being very impressed by the performance of the near stock 350 in my hatch and would love to slot one in my vh group 3 replica that im going to build.i have been making enquiries, im not interested in a stroked 308 and i can build the chev for roughly the same as the 308 .but obviously would get more bang for my buck out of the bigger engine.just wondering if it is a massive pain in the arse and thats why you never hear of it being done much?
any help would be greatly appreciated.
350 into vh commodore
Started by
_rob350hatch_
, Dec 05 2010 11:16 AM
14 replies to this topic
#2
_Quagmire_
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Posted 05 December 2010 - 11:40 AM
legality would be my guess
check with rego before you start
have heard of it done over here but not sure if they got it regoed legally
acually strach that
a gen3 can be rego'd so i don't see how a 350 from a later year couldn't
check with rego before you start
have heard of it done over here but not sure if they got it regoed legally
acually strach that
a gen3 can be rego'd so i don't see how a 350 from a later year couldn't
Edited by Quagmire, 05 December 2010 - 11:42 AM.
#3
dattoman
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Posted 05 December 2010 - 12:47 PM
The lagality question would be related to year of engine vs year of car for emmissions
Anyway
I'd do some hunting re availability of mounts,extractors etc
I've seen many a drag car but never looked at doing it to a streeter... not a commodore fan after owning a couple
Anyway
I'd do some hunting re availability of mounts,extractors etc
I've seen many a drag car but never looked at doing it to a streeter... not a commodore fan after owning a couple
#4
_JBM_
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Posted 05 December 2010 - 12:53 PM
The main hurdle is the sump position. A stroked 308 is lighter than a Chev. Unless you want more than 400 cubes a Holden motor would do job. When Chevs were being put into Toranas and H series full size Holden stroker cranks didnt exist.
#5
_LH SLR 3300_
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Posted 05 December 2010 - 01:23 PM
Legality is the main problem. I've been told that because SBCs weren't emission compliant & ADR approved in Australian built cars after ADR 27 was introduced, to get one engineered & registered in a post 1976 aussie car in NSW they have to be made to run on straight LPG. Check with RTA technical standards, though i had one RTA tech engineer tell me the only Torana to come from factory with a V8 engine option was the XU-1, so who knows what they'll tell you.
#6
_Matty_torana1978_
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Posted 03 August 2011 - 01:26 PM
apparently I've heard it's easier to put a ford V8 into a commodore than it is to put a chev into one lol. There is a white commodore wagon down here that runs a 351 cleveland quite easy. It's pretty fast too. I think the conversion kit for chev into commodore is like over $1000 because so much is needed. In commodores the steering rack is at the back of the cross member so it has clearance problems with the starter motor position on a chev. I think a small starter motor is one of the many requirments to put a chev into commodore.
#7
_perkoracin_
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Posted 02 November 2012 - 01:37 PM
sorry to bring a Dead Postback but did u go ahead on the chev into your commodore mate ? there is CRS for the kits for around $3,000 i've heared once u get all the Problems out of the way its well werth it at the end of the day and im also interested in doing a chev into my vk 
so what there anything u didnt have to buy / do from the CRS kit or what people say or is there a few things u dont have to do like the K-Frame Spacers ? cheers Josh
so what there anything u didnt have to buy / do from the CRS kit or what people say or is there a few things u dont have to do like the K-Frame Spacers ? cheers Josh
#8
_rollo_
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Posted 27 November 2012 - 04:20 PM
i have all this and i,m selling it shortly but mine is all custom 1 7\8 gozo 4into 1 ,s, custom alloy tank, mounts, spacers ,alloy radiator etc
#9
Dr Terry
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Posted 27 November 2012 - 05:32 PM
A SBC V8 into an early Commodore is a horrible conversion.
The main drama is the fact that the Chev oil pump sits exactly where the Commodore's steering rack is located.
The common way around this is to space the K-member downwards & extend the engine mount towers. This stuffs up the front suspension roll centres etc. & the car is turned into a 'bulldozer' with the K-member so low it makes the car un-driveable at anything below standard ride height.
A dry sump set-up can avoid most of this, but with Holden strokers now so affordable & reliable why would you go to all of the extra work & expense.
If it's a race car & you what the power of a Chevy, you can fabricate your way around the problem, but for a streeter it's rubbish.
Dr Terry
The main drama is the fact that the Chev oil pump sits exactly where the Commodore's steering rack is located.
The common way around this is to space the K-member downwards & extend the engine mount towers. This stuffs up the front suspension roll centres etc. & the car is turned into a 'bulldozer' with the K-member so low it makes the car un-driveable at anything below standard ride height.
A dry sump set-up can avoid most of this, but with Holden strokers now so affordable & reliable why would you go to all of the extra work & expense.
If it's a race car & you what the power of a Chevy, you can fabricate your way around the problem, but for a streeter it's rubbish.
Dr Terry
#10
_rollo_
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Posted 27 November 2012 - 07:46 PM
So true Dr Terry,i bought this car done and robbed it of the drive train ..............
#11
_skidb_
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Posted 27 November 2012 - 09:03 PM
i done this conversion on a vh i used as a tarmak rally ,hillclimb car and with commodore cup style suspension mods this was a fantastic handleing car. with no probs from the rego boys
#12
_LONA-CK_
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Posted 29 November 2012 - 05:38 AM
A SBC V8 into an early Commodore is a horrible conversion.
The main drama is the fact that the Chev oil pump sits exactly where the Commodore's steering rack is located.
The common way around this is to space the K-member downwards & extend the engine mount towers. This stuffs up the front suspension roll centres etc. & the car is turned into a 'bulldozer' with the K-member so low it makes the car un-driveable at anything below standard ride height.
A dry sump set-up can avoid most of this, but with Holden strokers now so affordable & reliable why would you go to all of the extra work & expense.
If it's a race car & you what the power of a Chevy, you can fabricate your way around the problem, but for a streeter it's rubbish.
Dr Terry
when i was doing my vl 10 years ago castlemain rod shop sold a kit to fix that problem,,,
400 chev
remote oil pump
25mm alloy spacers that sat on top of you front end mounting brackets
and a lot of other mods was needed, it was street rego and of this planet with power
9in with 31 spline moyor axels, full msd set up hpc coated extrators turbo 400 box and needed floor mods full walkin shaw kit and callas head lights, i did put pics up here when selling the car back when i was chasing gtrs and xu1s
The main drama is the fact that the Chev oil pump sits exactly where the Commodore's steering rack is located.
The common way around this is to space the K-member downwards & extend the engine mount towers. This stuffs up the front suspension roll centres etc. & the car is turned into a 'bulldozer' with the K-member so low it makes the car un-driveable at anything below standard ride height.
A dry sump set-up can avoid most of this, but with Holden strokers now so affordable & reliable why would you go to all of the extra work & expense.
If it's a race car & you what the power of a Chevy, you can fabricate your way around the problem, but for a streeter it's rubbish.
Dr Terry
when i was doing my vl 10 years ago castlemain rod shop sold a kit to fix that problem,,,
400 chev
remote oil pump
25mm alloy spacers that sat on top of you front end mounting brackets
and a lot of other mods was needed, it was street rego and of this planet with power
9in with 31 spline moyor axels, full msd set up hpc coated extrators turbo 400 box and needed floor mods full walkin shaw kit and callas head lights, i did put pics up here when selling the car back when i was chasing gtrs and xu1s
#13
_LONA-CK_
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Posted 29 November 2012 - 05:44 AM
here is more pics
let me tell you mate they can be a money pit
cheers gong
let me tell you mate they can be a money pit
cheers gong
#14
boomfunk
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Posted 29 November 2012 - 08:31 AM
that was 1 nice car john, i shoulda bought it, we ummed and arred over it!!!
#15
_LONA-CK_
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Posted 29 November 2012 - 08:29 PM
thats for sure man and it did have the boomfunk about it hey.
cheers gong
cheers gong
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