1966 Oldsmobile 442 LS3 Engine Swap Un-invasive Surgery

Change The Performance, Not The Car

Our customer’s dad bought this sweet green 1966 Oldsmobile 442 in July of 1966 from Granger Oldsmobile in LaGrange, Illinois, and now he wants to upgrade it for the next 50 years. Don’t worry, he’s got all the original parts stored safely, but now the car has numerous bolt-ons for better handling and performance. Follow along as the V8 Speed & Resto Shop team installs a modern Chevrolet Performance LS3 V8 engine – without harming the originality of the car.

Adding Tech and Power Without Cutting Up The 442

This Oldsmobile 442 is a significant car to the owner, and also to the Muscle Car world. It is in very nice condition overall, and the thought of gutting the driveline and swapping in modern power could make a purist queasy. However, we wished to honor the owner’s wishes when he said “I’ve had this car my whole life, and it’s always leaked, and it’s not very powerful”. To remedy this, the V8 Speed and Resto Shop Team went to work designing an approach to incorporate a modern 525 HP LS3 without significantly altering the original car.

A Complete Modern Drivetrain Swap Without Drilling Any Holes

To pull this off, the V8 Team devised a plan that would re-use existing mounting holes and bracketry under the 442’s hood. The original 400 V8 was carefully removed, and the new wiring harness and ECM were installed using holes left over by the orignal voltage regulator and other no longer needed accessories. All of the original parts… the engine, 4-speed transmission, rear axle, suspension parts, brakes, and more were carefully preserved and stored, allowing a future restoration to return the car back to 100% original and stock condition with no evidence of the modern engine conversion remaining.

The Plan Worked

The result is a wonderfully upgraded Muscle Car with much more power and reliability, vastly improved road-holding manners, and excellent stopping power. The LS engine produces tons of torque to get the 442 rolling, while the 6-speed manual transmission keeps the RPM down at highway cruising speed. Hydroboost brakes haul it down in a hurry, and the upgraded tubular suspension system ensures flat cornering and a comfortable ride… all things envisioned by Dr. Oldsmobile back when the original 442 was designed. The conversion is clean and simple, and can always be un-done… but after driving this sweet Oldsmobile, we’re pretty confident it’s going to stay this way for a long time.

What’s Your Dream Car?

You can always reach the V8 Speed and Resto Shop to chat about modifying your classic Muscle Car, Hot Rod, Custom, Street Machine, Pro-Touring ride, or other Classic Car. We can make it like new again or bring it to an entirly new level, or somehwere in-between like this 1966 Oldsmobile 442. Click the link to contact us today.