Need Advice On Engine Swap

[Fuzzy_C]

Hi, i recently got a bank loan and decided i would put my 1980 trans am back on the road, i siezed my 301, now it's in the shop and i'm having a pontiac 350 put in, the 350 is from a 1978 grand prix i believe, the guy was telling me that since it's an older engine it'll have more horse then a newer one, which makes sense, and since i'm just buying a complete engine instead of rebuilt or remanufactured, i figured that would be the way to go, but what i'm wondering is how much of a difference it will make? i can't find any horse power or torque specs for a 78 pontiac 350, so i'm not sure, any opinions or advice would be great, thanks.

[CreepingDeath94]

Well, it will definitely have more get up and go than that 301, unless it was a turbo...and even those aren't spectacular. I think that you're on the right track so far.

[MrPbody]

No Grand Prixs in '78 had 350s. 231s and 301s. MAYBE the lttle 265. 350s were in "big cars" and Firebirds.

If you haven't already spent the money on the 350, I would recommend at least a 400. If you're going through the adaption, might as well make it run!

Most of the brackets from the 301 can be used with the bigger Pontiacs. Indian Adventures in Foxboro, Mass., has headers for it (301 exhaust does not fit). You can also use the "Ram Air" or "HO" exhaust manifolds (D-port).

350s are "torquey". They're not very powerful. They also do not respond to performance modificatons as readily as the larger Pontiacs, OR the 350 Chevy. On that note, be sure you understand, a Pontiac V8 and a Chevy V8 are completely different animals, sharing nothing.

FWIW

Jim

[88camaroproject]

grab a chevy 400. i got one in my bird. its a hell of ride. check out www.paceperformance.com they sell complete engines that are bad ass

[Fuzzy_C]

Well, i might upgrade later, i actually was gonna have a 455 put in, but he said for the engine and install it'd be $2600, as opposed to the $1200 it's costing me for the 350, and i was thinking of getting a chevy 350 put in, but that would mean a new tranny, bloody pontiac had to go and make the housing different

Basically, i needed something with a bit of potential, such as the 350, that would give me better performance then that 301, and wasn't going to cost too much, having a trans am sitting in storage with a siezed motor sucked, i had so much fun in that car that i figured i owed it to the car to pop a 350 in it and put it back on the road, right now i have $3000 to invest and it needs new ball joints, tie rod ends, and new tires, so i didn't see the point of putting in a 455 when the front bumper would be on the ground, and it probly wouldn't steer.

[volkerc]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy_C

Well, i might upgrade later, i actually was gonna have a 455 put in, but he said for the engine and install it'd be $2600, as opposed to the $1200 it's costing me for the 350, and i was thinking of getting a chevy 350 put in, but that would mean a new tranny, bloody pontiac had to go and make the housing different

Basically, i needed something with a bit of potential, such as the 350, that would give me better performance then that 301, and wasn't going to cost too much, having a trans am sitting in storage with a siezed motor sucked, i had so much fun in that car that i figured i owed it to the car to pop a 350 in it and put it back on the road, right now i have $3000 to invest and it needs new ball joints, tie rod ends, and new tires, so i didn't see the point of putting in a 455 when the front bumper would be on the ground, and it probly wouldn't steer.

stinking chevy changed the housing. your tranny fits on bop(buick, oldsmobile,pontiac), but not chevy.