corvette_maniac

I'm mainly just curious. I know that the fuel pump is on the opposite sides ....and of course I'd have to use a Pontiac tranny. I have an extra Pontiac 350 laying around that could be turned into a 383 .....just curious.

Buddy1980

I've never seen it done, but thinking about all my previous GTO's from the past, I remember the front of the Pontiac oil pan being lower from the block than the Chevrolet engine. Just put the Pontiac motor on the engine hoist and lower it into the C-3 to see if the oil pan will clear the steering linkage. I think it will fit.

Greg73convertible

John DeLorean did

http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/1964...-xp-833-coupe/

FRSTR90

you might run into problems with the accessories..

63mako

That is cool! The 1st gen Camaros were Chevy engines. The first Gen Firebirds were Pontiac engines. I have seen Firebirds with Chevy big blocks in them so I would think you can do it. The oil pan and accessories will take some creativity but I bet it is doable.

c31980

aside from The oil pan and accessories ,,what I am sure of Pontiac engines ,, have heat issue long back ,, here in kuwait with temp range 104f-122f al classic cars
mostly all classic pointac/buck are converted to chevy sbc or bbc engine
so its your call doing it or no ??

mrvette

The last of those engine was built in '78 and shipped in '79 Fbirds, the 350 you have most likely came out of a Lemans being it was the most common use, all of that generation of strictly PONTIAC engines were nearly identical on the outside, weight, being the big thing, your engine there will weigh some 150+ lbs more than the SBC, and due to parts availability you will have a very hard time doing any performance tricks with it.....the really hot lick was a set of '71 GTO 400 heads on the 455 block, but with any heads you likely to find, the comp ratio will be lower than your lawnmower, so not good running at all.....

l managed to put DPFI on my 455/400 trick above, some 20 years ago almost...picked up 4 mpg, and the thing pulled like a bandit...

but that was the daze when parts were still around, today, fuggetaboutit...

1981Z06Vette

Another board member in Woodstock, awesome!

To answer your question, putting a Pontiac motor in a Corvette shouldn't be that difficult. Just about any application that accepts a Small Block Chevy is pretty easy. I have seen several 3rd generation Trans Ams (which came with the SBC only) with them swapped in, in many cases with the original donor car's mounts. Accessories could be a problem, however, and you will need a transmission adapter or a dual pattern or BOP pattern transmission. If you proceed, I have a dual pattern TH350 that I would let go cheap. Also, hood clearance could be a problem, unless you are running a raised hood of some sort. If you're dead set on a Pontiac engine though, why a 350 (other than the fact that you already have it)? I know it can be stroked, but you can get 400s, and even 455s, very cheaply from Pull-A-Part. For that matter, you can get a 350 Chevy cheaply there (short blocks are usually about $50-60, long blocks about $100), if you're just trying to save some cash.

1981Z06Vette

That used to be true, Mr. Vette, but now you can get just about as much for a Pontiac as you can for a small or big block Chevy. There are 3-4 manufacturers of aluminum heads (from RAIV style and beyond), inexpensive Eagle/Scat stroker kits, aftermarket blocks...you name it. They are still more expensive to build than a SBC, but about the same or less than a BBC. The only really weak area is the lifter valley, and there are plenty of ways to address that.

piperkansas

I've wondered about this swap as well. I had a GTO for over 20 years and like the idea of the Pontiac powered C3.

Just to make things absolutely clear, there are NO inherent overheating issues with Pontiacs and the parts are PLENTIFUL.

1982CorvetteDude

I have a 3rd gen Trans Am and if I'm not mistaken it's the same engine that came in the camaro of those years as well and not pontiac specific so I don't think there is a difference on those years. The 305 engine in my TA is identical to the 305 camaro engine I have on the stand in my shop.

mrvette

OLD Poncho parts MAY be available for a 350, but none of the really hot lick parts are cheep....

aftermarket production volume is LO, so tooling costs/prices YOU pay are much higher, and for 350 cubes, you are much better off with a LS or SBC engine....

MUCH in my past is of old Ponchos....but time moves ON, and to sink tons of bux in an inherently heavy cast engine even with aluminum heads and then super prices for a FI setup makes little to NO sense....

over the decades, I built my share of HP Pontiac engines, cars, etc....

nice gear for the age, but times have changed....

now for a 455 block/good heads....yeh I can see the effort, maybe...

but the 2xx?, 326, 350 blocks are so far short on cubes/weight ratio that you much further ahead with the 389/400 configuration.....or better yet 455/428/421 setups...IF you can find them....

between me Johnny, and Dick Kreiger....we done forgot more about Pontiac than even Ron Johnson knows....

corvette_maniac

mrvette, you hit the nail on the head. That engine came out of a `77 Lemans. I have a `79 Firebird that I pulled the 350 out for a 400 that I built. I went through all the decision making back then when I thought that it would cost as much to build a 400 as a 350. The heads that came off are 6-4xs that are doing 9.2:1 cr. I would still have to get heads for the 350. Maybe I'll do it in the future if I get a wild hair. I thought it would be a cool novelty. I'm gonna have to build something. My L48 is tired and needs building.

mrvette

Age 65 here, not ready for the dirt nap yet, but kinda tired....

I would look around for a junkyard roller SBC like my engine in my '72 shark is a '89 all roller truck block....

but really these daze, look around for a decent LS style engine...

mucho more power, and YOUR chance to learn electricals, with some help/reading maybe from friends or commercial outfits....obviously depending on your needs/wants.....

I"m the crazy old bastard that stuck a DPFI system on a 462 I had in a '70 Lemans/GTO convertible winter 92-3 it flew....

550 ft lbs, 1000 cfm t'body, instant torque up the gazank....



keep in mind, it's been nearly 20 years....do that today?? how much MONEY you got???

1981Z06Vette

You're not mistaken as far as the engines the cars came with; they are the same. However, what I was saying was that it wasn't a huge deal to put a true Pontiac engine (not a "Corporate" Chevy V8) in those cars, although they never came with one. I have run across a few of them at the Trans Am Nationals, and considered building one myself at one time (I have 87 and 85 Trans Ams). Some use aftermarket mounts from Indian Adventures, others have used the stock mounts from whatever they pulled the Pontiac motor from. A few have used headers, but nearly any of the stock manifolds will fit most chassis. If anyone is interested, there is a good thread on Pontiac engine swaps in the engine swap section of http://www.thirdgen.org. Its 3rd Gen F-body specific, but nearly anything there would apply to the Vette, or any other RWD GM platform, as well.

piperkansas

Yes, times have changed. It's easier than ever to make the Pontiac run well. No problems getting the parts if you just know what you are doing. Not especially expensive either.

markdtn

I don't think it would be hard to do but I see a few issues.

Alternators are high and centered on all Pontiacs. You will probably have hood clearance issues. Exhaust will be an issue, I don't recall any center-dump Pontiac manifolds or headers. Motor mounts could be tricky, but not impossible.

The transmission is easy, you just need the BOP version of the auto trans or a bellhousing and flywheel for a stick. Pontiac (actually BOP) bellhousings and flywheels are easier to find than Olds.

I do like a Pontiac engine, but I would not put one in a Corvette. There is just no good reason to do it. My .02

mrvette

Especially a 350 Poncho.....Last I heard Edel made a set of heads....something like 1400 bux....but will be very lo comp for a 350 engine....

anyone make a REALLY NICE induction and exhaust setup?? not any more....and certainly nor for a C3 anyway....

maybe cheeper to hotrod a flat head FORD, for christsakes....

corvette_maniac

Damn .....you might be 65 but still "kicking" in my book!!

Aggitated Monkey

If your looking for somthing different than i say do it. Ponchos run strong and I have had a couple over the years. My neighbor has a 78 TA with a 400 in it. Th engine has Edelbrock heads and I'm not sure about the rest of the engine. I just know that when it comes out it sounds realy cool. I always liked the sound of a Pontiac.

Cool swape. Lets see it