pontiac in a chevy?

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by rwhit57

Dollar for dollar you can build a SB Chevy motor that will do just as much or more than the Pontiac 400, but if you had a motor that was good and only needed say gaskets then the idea doesn't sound as crazy as some might think. I actually like the idea if you can do it without spending a bunch of money doing it cause if you ever get tired of it and decide to sell it, it's going to be a lot harder finding someone else that likes what you did.

Not true..... you will spend more on a chevy 1st gen small block to equal the torque output of a stock Pontiac. I have 35 years of experiance in building both motors to make that claim.. Pontiacs make more torque than sbc... dollar for dollar.

[Firebirdjones]

Love the pontiacs, (grew up around them) and have had my share of birds (currently a 70 ram air III formy). Great engines that make grunt.

Actually should make an interesting engine for a truck. Like mentioned, grab the accessories to make the swap easier. Accessories on a pontiac are mounted opposite of the chevys, including the fuel pump and starter, so you may have to deal with moving wires and fuel lines to opposite sides of the engine.

For the record,,,the pontiac 400 was made up through 79 but was only available outside of California. California built/sold Pontiacs got the 403. The 4 speed super T-10 was also still available then only on the pontiac 400,,,,the 403's were auto's only.

[ozark]

I bought a 1 ton dually the other day that someone has put a pontiac in it. We had a 58 gmc tractor truck that came factory with a pontiac.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Love the pontiacs, (grew up around them) and have had my share of birds (currently a 70 ram air III formy). Great engines that make grunt.

Actually should make an interesting engine for a truck. Like mentioned, grab the accessories to make the swap easier. Accessories on a pontiac are mounted opposite of the chevys, including the fuel pump and starter, so you may have to deal with moving wires and fuel lines to opposite sides of the engine.

For the record,,,the pontiac 400 was made up through 79 but was only available outside of California. California built/sold Pontiacs got the 403. The 4 speed super T-10 was also still available then only on the pontiac 400,,,,the 403's were auto's only.

Originally Posted by ozark

I bought a 1 ton dually the other day that someone has put a pontiac in it. We had a 58 gmc tractor truck that came factory with a pontiac.

Late 50's GMC V8 trucks had Pontiac motors exclusively.
It is an all too common assumption that GMC and Chevrolet trucks are the same. Definitely not the case from the 50's up to 66 for sure.
Today's car culture has been brainwashed into believing GM is GM.
That just isn't how it was before 1979.. People bought a Pontiac because it was a Pontiac. Not just a trim option over a corporate powered chassis.
Buick, Olds and Pontiac can all be bolted into the 63-87(?) trucks using factory parts.
Pontiac's, using an early timing cover with the motor mount at the bottom, can go in 55-62 trucks.
I have done several Pontiac and Olds motors in these trucks.
If anyone wants to know what parts to look for, PM me and I will do my best to minimize your search for info on this conversion.

[hatzie]

This brings back some memories. Many years ago I had a 73 Catalina no floor field car that donated its 400/375 drivetrain to revive a 75 C20 pickup. The truck had floors and the swap was well within the skill set of a 16 year old gear head.
A pickup is lighter than a Catalina or Bonneville and the 400 would push those right down the road. I got the tickets to prove it. Suspension isn't cool to dads or grandfathers...

[Palf70Step]

Loved my old "PontyRats". 59 (389 2bbl) & 65 Catalina (67 400 w/ 65 GTO tricarb) 2 doors, 74 TransAm (455SD), 68 GrandPrix (428)

[j hannah]

I ran pontiacs for years. The weakest link is the timing gears. I would suggest pulling the cover, and if it has the fiber gear, then replace it before you set the engine in there. Just trying to save you a major headache in the future.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by j hannah

I ran pontiacs for years. The weakest link is the timing gears. I would suggest pulling the cover, and if it has the fiber gear, then replace it before you set the engine in there. Just trying to save you a major headache in the future.

The nylon gears were junk.
I wouldn't say that that is the weakest link....
TRW makes a great double roller setup that is well worth the money.

[74 stepside]

Pontiacs are good torque motors and can look bad a$$ too.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by 74 stepside

Pontiacs are good torque motors and can look bad a$$ too.

that a photo of my 440 inch dual quad Pontiac motor??? Must be a twin...

[74 stepside]

Found it on the web. My inspiration for my 55 pontiac. If its your exact motor, its real nice.

[66-PMD-GMC]

No, my motor is black, has Hooker ceramic coated headers and that ain't my shop so...
The Pontiac 350 for my wife's truck makes 380 hp and 417 ft lbs of torque... Nice lil motor running a stock ram air "T" cam shaft.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by 66-PMD-GMC

People bought a Pontiac because it was a Pontiac. Not just a trim option over a corporate powered chassis.

Yep, However I also have a 71 ventura sprint here that has a chevy motor from the factory, a bit from the other side of the spectrum so I can appreciate both I like them all.

And what are you doing all the way out in Apache Junction? All kidding aside I'm looking at places in Queen Creek just south of you,,,small world.

[oldgoalie]

The Pontiac 400 is a good swap. My dad did it with a 455 a number of years ago, lots of torque. The 74 400 would still have some pretty good horse power an torque numbers, Not as good as say pre 72, but better than 77 and later. If you want to wake it up a little, the exhaust manifolds are the first thing to change. The intake would be next. An after market one or an early stock one, pre 72 non egr, works great too.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Yep, However I also have a 71 ventura sprint here that has a chevy motor from the factory, a bit from the other side of the spectrum so I can appreciate both I like them all.

And what are you doing all the way out in Apache Junction? All kidding aside I'm looking at places in Queen Creek just south of you,,,small world.

Interesting, must be a canadian built Pontiac. U.S. built Pontiacs never used Chevrolet motors until 1980.
Look me up when you move. LOTS of good real estate deals here.

[butch86]

if you need any info on your pontiac motor one call to butler performance in tn will answer any and all questions you may have.

i am sorta on the lines with palf with the 74 75 pontiac 400s. i remember hearing some things just cant recall what all it was.

honestly if your uncle has a bb pontiac thats the ticket for your truck. but if you drop that 400pontiac in there enjoy it. i love something different.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by butch86

if you need any info on your pontiac motor one call to butler performance in tn will answer any and all questions you may have.

i am sorta on the lines with palf with the 74 75 pontiac 400s. i remember hearing some things just cant recall what all it was.

honestly if your uncle has a bb pontiac thats the ticket for your truck. but if you drop that 400pontiac in there enjoy it. i love something different.

Pontiac never made a big block. Just so you know.

A 400 block will take a 455 (4.21 stroke) or a 428 (4.0 stroke) crank. <-(with a 3" main)
My 440 is a 400 with a 428 stroke crank for example.
Butler performance has lots of good tech info on Pontiac but likes the edelbrock heads.
Kaufman in Ohio makes a better head and has some nice parts available.
Ohio crank makes beautiful forged cranks for a very reasonable price and many different strokes for the 400 block.
The draw back to the 455, 428 and 421 blocks are the 3.25 main diameter. The 400 3.0 diameter is better.
The 70-79 blocks have 5 motor mount holes where the earlier blocks have 2 per side. The 5 hole is easier to bolt in to the trucks for parts availability but all can be bolted in without fabricating a single thing.

[Palf70Step]

Yeah as 66-PMD-GMC sated all modern Pontiac blocks were the same (least far as I remember). The 326, 350, 389, 400, 421, 428, 455 were all the same block. I think that is where a lot of folks got the idea Pontiac's were hard & not cheap to get to perform were from the smaller displacement blocks. The 326 and 350 were good engines, but they were way heavier than their Chevy equivalent.

Not having one in a while I am a bit rusty on specs and all.

[66-PMD-GMC]

If anyone is interested, here are some spec.'s on the Pontiac engine.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Yeah as 66-PMD-GMC sated all modern Pontiac blocks were the same (least far as I remember). The 326, 350, 389, 400, 421, 428, 455 were all the same block. I think that is where a lot of folks got the idea Pontiac's were hard & not cheap to get to perform were from the smaller displacement blocks. The 326 and 350 were good engines, but they were way heavier than their Chevy equivalent.

Not having one in a while I am a bit rusty on specs and all.

Any displacement Pontiac motor with aluminum heads and intake using headers weighs less than an iron head small block.
SBC is a much higher rpm motor than the Pontiac but the Pontiac makes up for that in brutal low rpm torque.
The two motors can not be built using the same tech mind set. They are that different.

[Bishops Trucks]

It's still GM powered. I see no problems with that. Now if it was a blue oval, you might have gotten an earfull.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by Bishops Trucks

It's still GM powered. I see no problems with that. Now if it was a blue oval, you might have gotten an earfull.

I have a friend that loves rust-tangs and loves Olds motors...
Yup! you guessed it... he is putting a Olds 455 powered, chrome moly full race chassis with a 67 fastback mus-stain bodied car together...
The pony car/blue oval fairies will be in an uproar over this one...
It is a freakin cool street car.. yes street car.. he's a nut.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by 66-PMD-GMC

Interesting, must be a canadian built Pontiac. U.S. built Pontiacs never used Chevrolet motors until 1980.
Look me up when you move. LOTS of good real estate deals here.

Nope, built here in good ole USA. Not many around and little known, but it's one of the first (that I'm aware of) where Pontiac used the SBC in a pontiac vehicle, 3 speed manual on the floor even. It's an original unrestored car with PHS documentation. I'll shoot you a pic if you like.

What pontiac did was take the Xbody (nova) and change some sheetmetal to make it there own, spif up the interior, add an option Sprint package (stripes and woodgrain interior trim). 1971 was the first year for this body style ventura. I'm guessing rather than shoehorn a pontiac engine in there it was quicker and easier to drop a SBC in this first year since Chevy had already been making everything since 68 for this Xbody. It was the later year Ventura's (may have been as early as 72) when Pontiac decided to put a real pontiac engine in, and it was the 350 pontiac, they stayed with that until the end of ventura production. So I sort of have a 1 year only type of car you could say.

Edit: I'll be down there on June 5th searching for those good real estate deals. My problem is that what I need I'll probably have to build, so I need some property with room to expand. Impossible to find a house with a large enough garage already in place it seems.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Nope, built here in good ole USA. Not many around and little known, but it's one of the first (that I'm aware of) where Pontiac used the SBC in a pontiac vehicle, 3 speed manual on the floor even. It's an original unrestored car with PHS documentation. I'll shoot you a pic if you like.

What pontiac did was take the Xbody (nova) and change some sheetmetal to make it there own, spif up the interior, add an option Sprint package (stripes and woodgrain interior trim). 1971 was the first year for this body style ventura. I'm guessing rather than shoehorn a pontiac engine in there it was quicker and easier to drop a SBC in this first year since Chevy had already been making everything since 68 for this Xbody. It was the later year Ventura's (may have been as early as 72) when Pontiac decided to put a real pontiac engine in, and it was the 350 pontiac, they stayed with that until the end of ventura production. So I sort of have a 1 year only type of car you could say.

Edit: I'll be down there on June 5th searching for those good real estate deals. My problem is that what I need I'll probably have to build, so I need some property with room to expand. Impossible to find a house with a large enough garage already in place it seems.

I would love to see the PHS documentation on that...
It doesn't show on any original Pontiac order forms I have from 70,71 or 72 ..

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Edit: I'll be down there on June 5th searching for those good real estate deals. My problem is that what I need I'll probably have to build, so I need some property with room to expand. Impossible to find a house with a large enough garage already in place it seems.

There are tons of deals in "county islands" means no city restrictions, HOA's or any other nuisances.. but you're surrounded by a city.. best of both worlds.
Send me some pics at chrisglott@yahoo.com