buick 3.8?

[alumi numb]

i understand about the gear ratios but was wondering.
will the 3.8 bolt up in place of the chev 4 cyl 120 mercruizer?
besides the inline 6, what will bolt up?
just kind of brainstorming, i think.?:-|

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: buick 3.8?

There have been a half dozen different Buick 3.8's over the years. Depends what you are considering, but unless you have deep pockets, no.

Buicks have a different bellhousing shape - wont match the Chevrolet pattern bellhousing on your I4 setup.
Mercruiser never used Buick, so no drive coupler exists.
Plus, the last Buick marinized in north America (by OMC) was in 1972 so a few parts are scarce. They made lousy power.... 155HP.... hardly worth the extra weight.
Might end up slower.


In recent times, there is a company in New Zealand marinizing the modern supercharged GM corporate 3800 (design based on the Buick V6). Big dollar stuff, but they probably have Mercruiser couplers and packages for alphas... not sure
I am sure $10,000 would just be getting you started
http://www.waspaust.co.nz/


Why not a Chevy V6.... much simpler swap.

 

[triman]

Re: buick 3.8?

There have been a half dozen different Buick 3.8's over the years. Depends what you are considering, but unless you have deep pockets, no.

Buicks have a different bellhousing shape - wont match the Chevrolet pattern bellhousing on your I4 setup.
Mercruiser never used Buick, so no drive coupler exists.
Plus, the last Buick marinized in north America (by OMC) was in 1972 so a few parts are scarce. They made lousy power.... 155HP.... hardly worth the extra weight.
Might end up slower.


In recent times, there is a company in New Zealand marinizing the modern supercharged GM corporate 3800 (design based on the Buick V6). Big dollar stuff, but they probably have Mercruiser couplers and packages for alphas... not sure
I am sure $10,000 would just be getting you started
http://www.waspaust.co.nz/


Why not a Chevy V6.... much simpler swap.

Damn, you edited your original post. I was going to point out that Tasmanians get really aggro when they see things like "Australia or Tasmania" and the like.
There has been little done out here with the 3.8L Buick so far but the NZ mob seem to be adding that little bit extra with their turbo kit. I note that they offer kits to mate the Buick to a Mercruiser sterndrive.
May have to pass this lot onto a friend of mine who is looking at converting his merc 470 to the 3800 Holden engine.

 

[zbnutcase]

Re: buick 3.8?

And that 155hp OMC Buick wasn't a Buick at all.....It was still owned by Kaiser Jeep at the time, which AMC bought, then sold it back to Buick in '74. The castings in those years are devoid of any GM markings...just a bit 'o history 'nutcase

 

[4bait]

Re: buick 3.8?

Just re-hashing this Post

Triman you didn't think I visited here LOL

I'm in the process of fitting a Buick (Holden as they are known in Australia LOL) Fuel injected V6 into my Bertram.

The old motor is a 470 mercruiser which is big bulky and getting tired.
The Buick is smaller and lighter and still delivers 170hp as a standard engine and 200hp is easily achieved with a computer chip mod and a couple of bolt ons. 350hp is not out of the Question with a factory Blower and a bit more work as the New Zealand mob show in their Jet boats.

For around $600 Aussie dollars or approx $550 USD you can purchase the Bell housing to bolt the block to the stern drive, and you simply drill the Buick Flywheel to suit the Mercruiser drive Plate. Front mounts are also available or can be easily made.

These motors are a dime a dozen here because there are millions of them, so it seems to be a wise choice for me, parts are cheep and I wont need to wait 3-4 weeks for Mercruiser stuff to be sent from the states.

I have started getting all the bits together so will start a new post when the transplant starts in a month or so. Just waiting for our peak fishing season to end before I take the boat out of action.

I also have an Alpha 1 gen 2 set coming from the US so at the moment just waiting.

Cheers Andy

 

[180shabah]

Re: buick 3.8?

welcome aboard Andy!

 

[4bait]

Re: buick 3.8?

Thanks for the welcome

I have been looking here on and off for a while and been a member for 12 months, it seems like a nice friendly forum.

I will start a new post of the conversion when all the bits come together down under here in OZZ.
The parts are coming via Sea so I expect to have a 4 to 6 week wait. Grrrrrrrr

Mercruiser parts are so dam cheap in the states compared to here even with shipping added in there is no comparison. So I guess I am adding to the economy LOL


cheers Andy