Chevy big block in a Trans Am?

[BigBlock454]

I found a 79 Trans Am that I might buy if..., and those of you that have read some of my last posts might remember I am also trying to rebuild a big block Chevy 402 and small block 327, and I might buy the Trans Am if it isn't too hard to get the 402 in there, I know the engine compartment has to be big enough cuz the 79s still had the 400 and 403 motors, but how well does a Chevy fit a Pontiac, being they are both GM I figure I could get it in there without much work... anybody know? fastrThanU I bet you would know this...

[R1-rider]

Why not just try and rebuild the original T/A motor? The car would be worth alot more that way. The 79 transam came with the 400ci 6.6L engine. Granted it only put out 220hp, but that engine craves a blower.

my thoughts anyway.

Unless you want to try and put LS1 in it


btw, why not get the 77 bandit version?

[DemonZX]

they're both GM cars you should have no problem. There may just be other different things, but it should be able to work out just fine.

[fastrThanU]

a swap should be no problem at all... i seriously doubt the Poncho 400 is craving a blower after 20 years of use... my gut instinct tells me that (depending on the year, and if it was a car or truck 402) you should build the 400 to put in, and go naturally aspirated. there's a decent amount of go-fast parts available for the Pontiac 400, but the 402 i believe still beats it. what year 402 was it? i'd be interested in the bore and stroke compared between the two motors among others things.... i'll get back to ya more after this weekend regarding the two specific engines and comparing connecting rods, cranks, mains, flow etc.... to see truly which one is better...

[DMC12]

My friend had a Trans Am with the 403 6.6, and even with high miles it kicked as*. I'd love to see one rebuilt, but I'd imagine parts are harder to find than the Chevy...

[BigBlock454]

the 402 is from a 1972 Chevelle SS, one of my dad's first cars, I have a picture of it right here, one day when I am not so lazy I will scan it and post it, and yeah the 6.6 TA engines got less and less powerful as time went on, in the early 70s they had over 300 hp, by 1979 it was down to around 220 because of emissions

[4mrhappy1]

I have a 76 Trans, that I bought new in Faitbanks Alaska, its a 4-speed with 2+2 seats factory chevy orange. The first thing I did was put N-50 on the rear and G-60 on the front, I never left the light not smoking the tires. I was then station at fort Bragg N.C.. where I blew the engine. When I left the Military in Feb 81, I towed my car back to Atlanta, where it sat until 84. I built a 455 Pontiac motor, no SD or ram air stuff. the motor was strong and a killer of mustangs bottom to top. In April 85 One day I tact the engine to 5000 RPM and dump the clutch, as a young man I then relized that there's a limit you can push a two bolt main not balance or blue printed motor. But the point I trying to make is go with the big block conversion, it not hard at all I now have a 402 chevy in my TA-rated at 470hp. The engine will fit under the hood, you will actually have more room to work on headers and with the steel motor mounts the engine will look factory. The only thing if you plan to use headers at the time I did my swap in 94 Hooker was the only headers that would accomandate the big block on F-bodies car. The only year GM but a big block in a F-body car was the 396 Camaro in 1969. But difinetly go for the swap its simple, cheaper HP, Parts are available.


Robert

[-The Stig-]

Originally posted by 4mrhappy1
The only year GM but a big block in a F-body car was the 396 Camaro in 1969. But difinetly go for the swap its simple, cheaper HP, Parts are available.

Sorry, but thats wrong.

Ever hear of the SS396 Camaro's?

67-72 SS Camaro's came with the 396. After January 1970, however, the 396 engines no longer displaced 396 cubic inches. Chevrolet actually enlarged them to 402 cubic inches but the executives decided to name it the 396 to take advantage of the name recognition and avoid any attention from insurance carriers. It was also reffered to as Turbo Jet 400 in some cases.

[4mrhappy1]

Thanks, for the Info. Yes I'm aware of the SS-350 and SS396 Camaros I was not aware of the earlier Years chevy put the big block in them. I sold a 69 ss 396 back in 84. I purchased it from my neighbor. Not being a fan of Camaros when I was doing my engine swap and purchasing my parts from a nationally known parts suppiler I was given that information on the 69 F-body as the only big block year??? My Trans-Am has the 72-chevy 402 casting#3969854, I also have an additional chevy 402 collecting dust in my garage. just two weeks ago I sold a 1966 396 engine casting#3855961. In 2003 I will purchase my first Mopar car a 76 Duster with a 440 engine this car run 10s thru the quarter mile.

[-The Stig-]

Ahh cool, no problem man. Always glad to enlighten the masses on Muscle Car history.

Sweet a Duster! Good Luck with it!

[Cbass]

Well, a big block would fit in a TA just fine. Then again, the stock engine in the 79 was the 400CI/403CI, and either way, it's a 6.6 liter smallblock. I'd just rebuild the stock engine, and save the other mills for another project.



Unless you are building a stroker big block, there isn't that much of an advantage over a 400CI smallblock, in fact, the TA will be a good 100lbs lighter with the smallblock, and it'll handle much better because of the weight distribution.

Besides, we all know that 402 belongs in an RX7


http://nac.tamu.edu/rob/rx7/rx-7.html

[banditkiller]

or do what a friend of mine did he found a 65 327 form a vette built it the right way and dropped it in his 79 z-28 sweet engine sweeter car it was dynoed at 433 hp and 463 lb. ft. of tq runs low 11's and has always been a street car but the 400 is also a good choice either way if you build the motor right you will have a wickedly fast car

[Cbass]

The 400 is pretty much the same as the 327, same block, more stroke. The 327 is a higher revving engine, but the 400 makes more power at the same rpms because of the extra displacement.

Of course, you can build a 7000rpm 400 if you want, all the parts are available from any catalogue... Good thing to remember about building a big smallblock, it doesn't cost any more than building a smaller smallblock, but gives you the same performance of a big block, at a much more reasonable price. Phew. :o

[banditkiller]

this is true but you have to admit the 327 is one hell of an engine last night we rolled up to some older muscle cars an array of chevys, novas and chevelles and another camaro and a charger rt the dude in ther charger is like hmm your car sounds pretty good my buddy joey is like yup it goes when i step on the gas
the dude starts talking bout his charger he was like well its got a 440 six pakc blah blah blah hes like what do you got a 400 427 ?? joe was like nope he was like a 350 383 ? he goes nope dudes like damn wtf joey says its a 327 hes like lol joe is like why you laughing hes like a 327 and i bet u could beat me with your 327 joe is like depends on what you got done to ur motor hes like just a mild cam and some other mild stuff hes like wanna run ? joe says sure
so we go out on the highway we got a flagger joe revs his motor to his stall and puts on the t brake it starts clicking and the dude looks over and his eyes got huge flagger drops and were off he stayed with us through first after that we started running away from him we get back and the dude was like god damn we talk a lil longer and left needless to say a 327 is a great motor to build if u have a lil spare time and money

[67Bird]

I would build a pontiac for the bird...a very mild 428 or 455 could get you in the low 12's and still be for the most part stock.I only run buick pontiac and old's, once you taste 510 foot lbs of tq you will never want a small block again. With a 455 in that car you could still have nice gears for highway use and the 455 wouldnt know the diffence, where as a smallblock NEEDS gears to move a car that heavy.



I have a 1968 428 in my 67 firebird,3.55 gears,headers msd ignition and a holley 850 sitting on top of performer rpm intake and a ram air IV cam. I drive it everywhere and still run 11.93 @ 116mph