now i know why i was an idiot

If anyone has likes Bill Cosby's stand up acts, you will appreciate this. All because I thought my father, who knows nothing about cars, was an idiot when he told me not to do this,,,,,,now I realize he was right....7 years later.

Anyway, I had a 77 esprit....sky blue....130000 miles on a 305, given to me. Mechanically sound, but horrible rust on quarter panels and really pathetic acceleration. So in the height of my invincibility...I was 17...I decided I was going to restore the whole dang thing, and my father said "Bad idea boy". From top to bottom, not a nut or bolt would be left unpolished. So i started taking things apart, and I kept dang near everything but the wiring harness and those large bolts/ bushings that hold the lower A arm in place.

Well....now I am 24....in school...no money....itching to work on the car ( i got a 76 pontiac 400 out of a catalina), but I have a few concerns.

1) I would like to put the car back together just so I can move it around if I need to....because the house that the garage is attached to will be sold soon. There is nothing to the car......just a frame with the engines on stands next to it minus a wiring harness. So....where can I find one of these puppies for relatively cheap, that will work with the 400. I tossed the harness that bolts to the firewall....I am such a dummy.

2) Where can I find the bolts/ bushings for the lower control arms so that I can put suspension back on so I can at least push this thing to a rollback.

3) I need my head examined for dismantling this thing when I was so young. Good thing I labeled everything.

4). Will the 400 out of the catalina bolt right up? The tranny is still attached to it. Not sure if I will have to modify anything.

5) Can Santa Claus bring me a mig welder, torch, body panels, and help?

phew....thanks for listening...I needed to vent.

Any input is considered helpful.

Ames Perormance or Performance Years are your best source for the wiring and suspension parts you ask about.
You have a '77 that has a 305 Chevy in it? Interesting. I've heard of, but never seen such an animal. If it is the Chevy, no, the Pontiac won't "bolt right up". You'll need an adapter for the transmission and different mounting pads for the frame. Exhaust is all different, as well.

Ames Perormance or Performance Years are your best source for the wiring and suspension parts you ask about.
You have a '77 that has a 305 Chevy in it? Interesting. I've heard of, but never seen such an animal. If it is the Chevy, no, the Pontiac won't "bolt right up". You'll need an adapter for the transmission and different mounting pads for the frame. Exhaust is all different, as well.

If the 305 is a Chevy engine, it will be easier for you to sell the 400 and either build the 305 or hunt for a carbureted chevy 350, which is externally identical to a 305. Parts are cheaper for the 350 too, and there is ample performance potential in it.

The 400 makes for a really strong street engine, they are much torqueier (sp?) than the chevy 305 or 350. Should be simple to find the correct mounts to get it on that car. For quarter panels, I would probably try E-bay, I've had good luck getting parts there.

In a heavier car such as the mid-70s F-body, the 400 Pontiac has a definite preformance edge on the small block Chevy. 69Firebird nailed it with the "torqueier" comment. And the price of Pontiac engine parts WILL surprise you. Most are less expensive than BBC, and just a tad more than SBC. The power you gain over the small block makes the little higher price well worth it. The reaction you get from Pontiac guys, if you use the Chevy, will make you wish you had bought a Camaro...

thanks for the input guys.