1971 Buick Boattail Riviera

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by LS short box

As said I'm big time LS fan but I would be very tempted to pull the Buick engine apart and see what's good and bad if it's a 455. I would not rebuild a Buick 350.

I thought about it but if I'm going to commit to rebuilding it's getting performance upgrades. I already know it needs bored, new pistons, head work, etc. and you're left with a strong engine with horrible mileage. Since I intend this to be a cruiser and possibly doing road trips I want to be able to afford to drive it. These were originally rated at 10-12 mpg,that's not likely to improve with more compression and bigger cam. It would be like driving a motorhome without the benefit of living in it.

I get it, everyone does LS swaps in any kind of vehicle. I'm not doing it because I think it would be cooler, it's not. It's pragmatism, long term enjoyment of the car, simple and affordable. I've only done one LS swap, into my crewcab, and totally worth it.