[GTOLou]

I bought this cheap a couple of years ago with plans of a drag car - It had the landau top and as you can see some rush on drivers side. It drives a little with an obvious rod knock in the olds 260.

What do you guys think? I do not have time for it - it has a few decent parts, edelbrock carb and intake. Olds headers - they don't look great. The rims and sidepipes...Accel ingnition. Selling that stuff - I could get my money back.

White w/ red interior - would look pretty cool ??

Opinions?

The front subframe could be a keeper - as it'll fit a trans am..

[GTOLou]

few more pics..

[GTOLou]

I guess question is whether it should be crushed or junked.

[Lightfoot]

I shake my head that someone would throw a carb & manifold onto a 260 Olds (read smog/econ engine) and expect it to be a land rocket.
Do you know for sure it isn't a transplanted 350?

It'd be a cool parts chaser or weekend cruiser but I'd have to ditch the side pipes and overly off-set wheels. If I still lived in NE Georgia I'd love to save it and put it to use.

[Lightfoot]

My fondness for these 75-77 Venturas makes me hate to see anything drivable go to the crusher. Even with that much rust under the quarter windows. I'm guessing it's pretty solid underneath (lower body). I'd band-aid the 260 or drop in another 260/307 and drive it into the ground.
Rod knock is probably due to abuse. Those 260s will run forever if driven sanely.

Those front bumper guards are kind of rare.

[GTOLou]

Don't know for sure on engine. Pretty sure seller told me it was a 260.

When I was a kid (15 or so), my mom's VW bug caught on fire. Pretty much ruined the motor. I talked her into giving it to me for my birthday that year. Took me awhile, but I bought a junkyard motor and put in a cam, a holley two-barrel and overbore pistons/cylinders. It was a blast. My Chilton's was covered w/ grease.

I would have waaaayyy rather had a car like this to mess with. If I had space unlimited, I stick it somewhere and let my 11year old son have it when he got older.

[Lightfoot]

IIRC, the engine size is cast onto the side of the block.

I suppose it could even be a 403. Same exterior demensions as the 260.

[goatwgn]

Originally Posted by Lightfoot

I shake my head that someone would throw a carb & manifold onto a 260 Olds (read smog/econ engine) and expect it to be a land rocket.
Do you know for sure it isn't a transplanted 350?

It'd be a cool parts chaser or weekend cruiser but I'd have to ditch the side pipes and overly off-set wheels. If I still lived in NE Georgia I'd love to save it and put it to use.

My bet is that it is a transplanted 350. The 260 has small ports not shared with other SBO engines, and an aftermarket manifold installed would create a huge vacuum leak under the intake. '75 or '76 Olds 260's don't have the displacement cast into the side of the block. My dad has a '76 that had the 260 in it. Pulled it for a 350 years ago. That 260 had no dispalcement numbers cast into it. It was even a solid main web engine.

[GTOLou]

I appreciate the help u guys. I am 99% sure it is a 403 out of a TA, was pretty surprised as the guy who sold it to me said it was a 260 - I haven't looked at the tranny, but I suppose they transplanted that as well? I think the 260/ventura's came with a pretty lame transmission.

[GTOLou]

Here is a bit of info I got off of 442.com. (Excellent site for Olds info.

ID/ Casting
Code Year(s) CID Number Notes
1 '64-'66 330 381917 45° cam bank angle.
1A 330 381917 45° cam bank angle.
2 '68-'76 350 381917
2 '68-'70 350 395558
3 '66-'67 330 394417 39° cam bank angle.
4
5 '73,'74 350 395558
2A '75-'81 260 Solid main webs for 2A's only? At least for '76.
2B ??-'81 260 557751 Windowed main webs. Windowed main webs for 2B's only?
3A '79 350
3B '77-'80 350 557752
4A '77 403 557265 Solid main webs possibly
553990 for these three
554990 casting numbers.
4B '77-'79 403 557265 Windowed main webs always.
?? '85 307 556607
5A '81- 307 3161
D3 350 7582 Diesel




the code on this motor is clearly 4B 557265 - so I think it has to be a 403. That motor + the edelbrock carb/intake and headers should make it a decent runner. Still trying to decide what do to with it as I've got a couple of other poncho projects ongoing. I might keep it for my son and let him have it when he turns 15...

[Lightfoot]

Originally Posted by GTOLou

- I haven't looked at the tranny, but I suppose they transplanted that as well? I think the 260/ventura's came with a pretty lame transmission.

My buddy had a '76 Ventura w/260 and I'm pretty sure it had a TH350. My '75 had a Sag 3-speed.
Believe it or not, a 5-speed was optional behind the 260 in Omega & Cutlass/Lemans around 76-77, but it was the same trans that was used in Monza bodies. I new a GM mechanic that had a '76 Lemans 5-speed car which was changed to a 3-speed after about the 3rd failure of original trans.
I spotted a factory 5-speed Omega parked on a local main street back in the eighties.
Only one I've ever seen.

[goatwgn]

Originally Posted by Lightfoot

My buddy had a '76 Ventura w/260 and I'm pretty sure it had a TH350. My '75 had a Sag 3-speed.
Believe it or not, a 5-speed was optional behind the 260 in Omega & Cutlass/Lemans around 76-77, but it was the same trans that was used in Monza bodies. I new a GM mechanic that had a '76 Lemans 5-speed car which was changed to a 3-speed after about the 3rd failure of original trans.
I spotted a factory 5-speed Omega parked on a local main street back in the eighties.
Only one I've ever seen.

Some may had come with a TH350. My dad bought his new, and when it quit the first time, I installed a TH350.(About 1984) (had about 100,000 miles on it at that time) It came with a TH200 3 speed. All '75s came with a TH350 to the best of my knowledge. The 200 did not exist until '76.

[GTOLou]

What should I ask for this car if I have someone interested in it? Only real issue outside of what I descried is that the drivers window is broken/needs replacing.