LUVTruck.com

I see a lot of sbc conversions to your trucks. Is it an easier swap to put a buick v-6 like an early 80's. I have a bone stock 1980 2wd, 1.8l, 4spd shortbed.

the buick V6 is an excellent swap if you just want some more get up and go for the luv. you can get by with 3 coreing the stock radiator and use the stock mounts with an adapter. I used a 78 model buick V6 in my truck for 9 years. I took the engine out of my truck and put it in another luv in 2 days and sold it to my cousin. he is still driving it.
the buick V6's will run dang near forever and very reliable.
if you think you might want to put a V8 in for more power go ahead and do that first off, because you can sink more money in the V6 to get it to run as fast as a stock V8.

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03Cobra

I almost did a v6, I wanted to get ahold of a Cyclone type turbo v6. I had the funds. When checking into the HP and torque, a v8 can be taken a lot further. No matter if you 'build up' your v8 or not, just having one in a luv speaks louder than any v6. I am not at all rippin on any v6 in a luv, but for me two more cylinders are just that- two more cylinders.

Ive seen some v6 installs that made me moist with envy. A guy in spokane has about 12K into his, turbo charged(big turbo) EFI... its in a buick. hes says hes gettin 550+ hp. all chromed out.

How come whenever people talk v6, noone ever talks 4.3 litre. Just curious.

have fun.

g

prolly because you have to do the same stuff to the luv to put a 4.3 in it as you do to put a V8 in it.

yes I was kicking myself for years for putting the V6 in the luv because all I wanted to do was go faster....with the amount of money I had in that V6 I could have built a reeeeeely fast V8.

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03Cobra

I've had 4 Buick motors under the hood in the last 18 years and i've never regretted it. I dont think i would have owned the truck this long if i didn't do the original V-6 conversion. Life has been really good with this setup. But i've come to the realization that when this motor wears out or has a catastrophic failure, it will be replaced with a SB Chevy. There aren't many options with the buick motor anymore compared to a SB. With a SB, you will get more bang for the same amount of bucks. Plus the truck is 60% ready for a V-8(it needs motor mounts and firewall mods) Everything else is V-8 compatible. If your mind is made up on the buick motor then by all means put that puppy in! It will be a massive improvement over the stock motor. Good luck to you on your project .

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

Has anyone ever done a V6 or V8 conversion with a 4 spd or 5 spd manual trans? I'm kind of attached to having a stick, so going automatic would feel like a downgrade no matter how big the motor was.

I ran a 5 speed almost the entire time my V6 was in my truck.
same tranny that came out of the buick skyhawk.
just had to fab a rear tranny mount bracket. no problem.
I used the stock clutch cable and everything!

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03Cobra

That sounds like exactly the type of setup I'd like to have. A nice driver with enough power to play with, but not so much that I would get myself in trouble every time I let out the clutch.

The Buick V-6 is the only way to go! I have had my Buick in my LUV for 12 years and the onl thing about it is iot cists 2 time as much to make go fast as it does a SB Chevy. But, ther is a lot more room, lighter, and way cooler to look at then the usual SB Chevy. I'm not saying that a SB Chevy is cool, but the Buick is just different. If you want any help on engine combos, just ask, cause I've done them all from a solid roller cam, NOS, total lumpstick hyd. cam, and finally now a blower with a hyd. roller cam

Throw out your best suggestion for a reliable fairly stock motored combo.

You want a reliable fairly stock motor that hauls?Try what I'm doing ,basically putting an 86.87 turbo v6 from a Grand National together for my luv.It will take a little while because of the lack of workspace I have right now,but I'll show it can be done.

I think the reason is, back in the heydey of the LUV and engine swaps, the 4.3 didn't exist, plus all the kits were for the 231 buick.

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Click on C.M. logo to go to my webpage


RIP R.J.B.

77ssluv wrote:


How come whenever people talk v6, noone ever talks 4.3 litre. Just curious.

Tilted is exactly right! The first kit offered was a "bolt up" conversion for the 3.8 Buick. They stopped selling the kit as a bolt up because too many people were not installing them correctly and they would rotate their engines within the compartment. Also this would damage the crossmembers. The liability on Hookers part forced the kits to be a weld in set up.

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Previous setup: 4.1 Buick V-6/TH 350
Current setup: 400 Small Block Chevy V-8/TH 350
9" ford rear end/short bed/blue
What do Water, Electricity and Humans have in common... They all travel the path of least resistance.

got it!