need help doing some homework... 83 vh sl fitting 307 sb ?????

[LIAMJ VH MISSION]

hey all,,, names liam new to this whole thing but figured reading bout it no point when can ask all you knowledgable peoples.. i have a 83 vh sl commodore sitting in my garage i picked up from a panel beaters college they were going to use it as a project car but they got as far as making it straight as a die and spraying it in primer... now shes in my garage with stock 202 was on gas.. pffft no more... auz 4 speed box and blown diff... i have picked up really really cheap a 307 small block cheap due to it was my dads engine from a tonner ute.. long time ago it breathed but i have pulled the engine right down to bare block and she looks like was made yesterday... before i getting carried away any more i wanna do bit of research into how much drama and headaches am i going to cause myself to fit the 307 into my vh when ive worked that out wanna work on building up the engine to be a absolute torque pig thats later.. anyone here ever fitted a chev sb into a vh or similar and anything u can advise me of would be much appreciated

 

[Hangman]

The only advice I can give is go a 308. Easier, cheaper to get parts for etc.

Or if it's gotta be a chev, go for a 350. Same work to put in, 43 extra cubes... :driving:

 

[ari666]

castlemaine rod shop sell kits to put SBC in in early commos. lots of off the shelf bits to pretty much bolt it straight in.

but advice: 307's are boat anchors. the worst of the SBC. bore and stroke are all retarded and dont work together. dont waste your money on it, as hangman said go 350, parts will end up costing you less to rebuild the 350 than the 307 (cos they are cheaper/more common) and the bore and stroke match really nicely to make tonnes of HP.

also the fact that there are a bazillion different threads online about making power out of a 350, which means you have heaps more tech support should you need it.

 

[Darren_L]

SBC into early Commodore is a terrible conversion.

 

[383 hatch]

SBC into early Commodore is a terrible conversion.

Yep, agreed. Holden V8's belong in Commodores not Chevs.

 

[LIAMJ VH MISSION]

i have been told over and over about my little 307 and how it is not worth building up thats what was driving me to do it but i can see that im not going to get anywhere with it and is only going to cause me headaches... i only wanted it for that deep purr of the chev sb i remember my dads ute sitting in shaking at the lights everyone looking at us while it roared everywhere but im not keen on the massive muck around with the engine.. ok so next angle of attack im not that up on holden info as my dad was only a chev freak spent time as a kid playing with chevs as u guys have mentioned 308 parts i can virtually pick up from the local milk bar... im going to hunt for a 308.. whats the deal with dropping a v8 into my vh set up with the 6 ???? anything major i have to look out for ??? any issues in fitting it or will it just drop in and bolt up with the right bits n peices ??? i am getting my baby sprayed real soon gun metal grey.. boring colour yes but theres no plastic crap on my vh and i love the whole solid metal look of her whant it look like solid beast... hope yall can offer a few words of advice on the swap... and hey 307 small block chev for sale in really good nic but let me guess no one will wanna buy it lol..

 

[Hangman]

308 should bolt straight in mate.

 

[DerekP]

You will need to do a few other things like suspension and brake upgrades, radiator and power steering rack etc

 

[RazzaCaine]

need a v8 k-frame if am correct?

 

[ari666]

no dont need a K frame, but if you can find a complete k frame then bolting all the V8 parts is as simple as lowering the car onto the frame, tightening the intermediary shaft, doing up 6 bolts on the k frame and 3 bolts per strut top.

steering rack, brakes and springs are different, but they are all on the K frame. if that makes sense.