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I thought I would share this build with the community that helped make it happen. Backstory of the car first. This car was once owned by Dick Miller’s wife. Dick was associated with Joe Amato’s top fuel team and a local to me. Dick was buddies with a guy named Larry Baish aka Mountain Man. Larry was a classmate of my mother. I’ve known Larry since I was 12. He was a great guy and amazing farmer-based mechanic. He was a staple at the local drag strip, South Mountain Dragway at that time. When Dick Miller’s wife wanted a new car, he and Larry went to work on this car. They removed the original 350 cube diesel and installed a ‘70 455, TH350 and swapped in a wagon rear (narrowed with aftermarket axles) to get the 3.08 gear ratio. It had all the 80’s speed tricks done to it. It had 6 mufflers to keep it quiet. And it was used to torture the local youth on the street. He would drag race it periodically and I thought it was a cool car (in a butter-face girl kinda way). So years later Larry is getting up in age and I asked what happened to the Olds. He said it was sitting at his house and would I like to buy it. I said “hell yeah!” And so the saga began. This is what it looked like when I dragged it home.
I thought I would share this build with the community that helped make it happen. Backstory of the car first. This car was once owned by Dick Miller’s wife. Dick was associated with Joe Amato’s top fuel team and a local to me. Dick was buddies with a guy named Larry Baish aka Mountain Man. Larry was a classmate of my mother. I’ve known Larry since I was 12. He was a great guy and amazing farmer-based mechanic. He was a staple at the local drag strip, South Mountain Dragway at that time. When Dick Miller’s wife wanted a new car, he and Larry went to work on this car. They removed the original 350 cube diesel and installed a ‘70 455, TH350 and swapped in a wagon rear (narrowed with aftermarket axles) to get the 3.08 gear ratio. It had all the 80’s speed tricks done to it. It had 6 mufflers to keep it quiet. And it was used to torture the local youth on the street. He would drag race it periodically and I thought it was a cool car (in a butter-face girl kinda way). So years later Larry is getting up in age and I asked what happened to the Olds. He said it was sitting at his house and would I like to buy it. I said “hell yeah!” And so the saga began. This is what it looked like when I dragged it home.
Awesome story and cool car!!! As much as I love LS's, Id leave it Olds powered. You can turbo the 455 or, if you want to serious, build the 350 diesel block if it's still around The Olds 350 diesel block is same as a gas block, but monster thick cyl walls. Can bore it 4 125+, no prob. Would be a killer turbo motor. I have seen several NA built 350 diesel blocks at around 400-440 cubes make 2hp per cube, no sweat. Give it a thought before you swap
Awesome story and cool car!!! As much as I love LS's, Id leave it Olds powered. You can turbo the 455 or, if you want to serious, build the 350 diesel block if it's still around The Olds 350 diesel block is same as a gas block, but monster thick cyl walls. Can bore it 4 125+, no prob. Would be a killer turbo motor. I have seen several NA built 350 diesel blocks at around 400-440 cubes make 2hp per cube, no sweat. Give it a thought before you swap
Thanks! The 6-8mpg and 700lbs of 70’s technology isn’t for me. A 442 restoration shop bought the motor and transmission. So it went to a good home!
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1981 Olds 98 turbo LS swap 
