Petevelasco Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Good day car enthusiasts, would anyone know what year car I can replace rear axle and driveshaft on 1936 Buick special. I am looking at putting in 292 inline 6 with 3 speed transmission motor came off C10 and transmission C20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 If you mean what I think you mean there is no rear axle and driveshaft that will fit your car, and bolt up to a Chev engine and transmission. Anything will have to be adapted and result in more or less butchery, at great expense, and reducing the value of the car to practically nothing. Easiest solution would be to repair or rebuild the original engine. If it has gone missing, or the rod is sticking thru the block, next best would be to find another small Buick straight eight. I leave it to the experts what years and models will fit. Finally, it might be possible to adapt the Chevy six to the original transmission and this would probably result in a satisfactory driving car since the Chev engine is reasonably close to the original in size and HP. If you do this advise you to keep the hood closed when any old time Buick fans are around . This would be the worst solution but could be made to work if you were a good enough engineer and mechanic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petevelasco Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 Thanks Rusty, only reason I’m changing it out is because rod bearing went bad and having to Babbitt is also going to be costly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcslr Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Just last evening, at a board mtg, I explained a general approach on projects. One thing is - do nothing. Of course that almost always won’t work. But try to list the options all the options - their benefits, drawbacks, time, mods/designs, etc. and each options expected life. then examine the cost to implement each option. Prior to objectively examining each, place a standard weight - say technical might be 60% of decision and cost 40% or whatever you want -but do it before you weight. you may have lots of design work with one but available parts. Another may be different cost but a ‘like-kind’ replacement. Be objective. Good luck in whatever you decide to do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 (edited) Pete, maybe ask lower down in the Buick forums. Many of the Buick folks never come up here. Beginning in 1937 later engines could be retrofitted. I am not sure about 1936. Again ,not sure but there may be an adaptor to hook your transmission [ the 1936] to the 292 bell. Good luck Ben Edited February 21 by Ben Bruce aka First Born (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petevelasco Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 Thanks Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1939_Buick Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 (edited) 3 hours ago, Petevelasco said: Good day car enthusiasts, would anyone know what year car I can replace rear axle and driveshaft on 1936 Buick special. I am looking at putting in 292 inline 6 with 3 speed transmission motor came off C10 and transmission C20 Buick's of that era have torque tubes. Basically a solid connection transmission to diff. A lot of engineering and $$ to convert to an open drive shaft and a new differential/rear axle/rear suspension set up. Not 100% sure but Ponti & Chevs of mid 30's had open drive shaft 320ci was fitted to 1936 series 60 Century. 1936 series 40 special a 233ci[?] 1937 was the first year of the 248 Edited February 21 by 1939_Buick (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petevelasco Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 I’m starting to notice that after having the car lifted at my friends shop, someone did comment that 1941 Buick is my better choice because it straight fit but out here in California can’t seem to find a 41 buick, any suggestions? At the moment I have a mechanic trying to modify engine mount and see what else can be done for the drive shaft, I seen it as a lost cause because now I may have to replace the rear axle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 If I wanted to do this - and I already explained why I wouldn't - I would be looking at adapting the Chev bellhousing to the Buick transmission. With luck this might require drilling some holes or making an adapter plate. If you can fit the engine onto the trans, next you need to make sure the pilot bearing fits and the Buick clutch plate will work, or find one with the right spline that fits the Chev clutch. There are other details to it but teenagers used to do this kind of thing in a one car garage building hot rods in the fifties. In fact there was probably a Chev/Buick adapter advertised in fifties hot rod mags, but you wouldn't find one today. There are several videos on Youtube showing the making of such adapters. The important factor is how the input shaft fits into the pilot bearing, this determines how thick an adapter you need. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petevelasco Posted February 21 Author Share Posted February 21 Thanks Rusty, I’m see if I can find making adapters on you tube thanks again that was educational to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne sheldon Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 Probably a lot cheaper to have the rod re-Babbitted than to engineer and make even half the modifications necessary to butcher the poor car. How is the crankshaft, and the block? You're in California? There is a really good machinist that does Babbitting work in Auburn California. People always seem to think that replacing an antique engine with a modern one is simple one-two and done plug and play! Ain't so. Not ever. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted February 21 Share Posted February 21 9 hours ago, wayne sheldon said: You're in California? There is a really good machinist that does Babbitting work in Auburn California. Agree about Eric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uptowndodge Posted May 17 Share Posted May 17 On 2/20/2024 at 7:52 PM, Petevelasco said: I’m starting to notice that after having the car lifted at my friends shop, someone did comment that 1941 Buick is my better choice because it straight fit but out here in California can’t seem to find a 41 buick, any suggestions? At the moment I have a mechanic trying to modify engine mount and see what else can be done for the drive shaft, I seen it as a lost cause because now I may have to replace the rear axle If you have a 36 Buick special the only rear end ring and pinion that will work is your 4.4 gear ratio that’s in your car now. No other one will fit in your rear end. I know for a fact I own the same car and have bought a 3.9 out of a 36 Century that I was told will work. Finally I talked to someone who knows what he’s talking about. They now make adapters that will work using a five speed out of a Chevy truck but for a 248. 36 special have a 233 so here we go again. If I decide to keep my 36 special I’ll probably do a 248 swap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCHinson Posted May 17 Share Posted May 17 First, a 1936 Buick Special would not have a 320 engine. You could probably find a good running used similar year Buick small series engine to swap in easier and cheaper than doing anything else. The best source for an engine would be Dave Tacheny. He sells 1936-1941 Buick parts. You can best reach him by calling 763-427-3460 between 4 and 7 pm Central. I would also suggest that you consider joining the 36-38 Buick Club. If you send me your email address via private message on this forum, I will be happy to send you a sample issue of the newsletter and an application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petevelasco Posted May 17 Author Share Posted May 17 McHinson I wouldn’t know how to send email private Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozstatman Posted May 17 Share Posted May 17 1 hour ago, Petevelasco said: McHinson I wouldn’t know how to send email private Pete, Click on MCHinson's name and it'll open up a page with a blue message button in it. Then go from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petevelasco Posted May 17 Author Share Posted May 17 Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1939_Buick Posted May 17 Share Posted May 17 The other thread by Petevelasco on this car~engine ---> https://forums.aaca.org/topic/415659-motor-replaced/#comment-2680627 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arcticbuicks Posted May 17 Share Posted May 17 might be easier to get a parts car if its a different year....so you can use a matched engine trans and rear all together.......the rear with the torque tube is really the least changes of what you are trying to do........if already going with a different engine and trans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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