Im in the process of restoring my 79 GP and I can't decide what engine to put back in it. It's a factory built 4 speed car with a 301 should I keep the 301 or should I go for something that puts out more power?
Should I keep my 301?
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Yes. I would make the 301 the best it can be with headers etc. It is a unique car, and although changing the engine won't necessarily hurt the value, it would take away the point of the car. Anyone can drop in a 400 or 455.
If you have a verifyable factory-original 79 GP with a 301 and 4speed, you want to put everything back exactly the way it came. Not many were made and they are getting to be considered "collectables". Any mods will drop the value. The fifth digit of the VIN would be a Y or W if a 301.
Did the 301 ever inspire you? I mean is it fun? The factory 4 speed is unique and makes the car worth doing but if anything you will make the car more desireable with a 400/428/455. Not sure why it would take away from the point of the car. I don't follow that.
Couple of things:
Headers for a 301 in a Gbody don't exist.
The 301 responds to minor tweak but 200/250 hp is the limit before you start spending big $ and even then it's not worth it.Been there , done that.
My opinion is these cars are 10 years from gaining any kind of collector status.
What I would do is this, build a mild PONTIAC 350.
To 99% of the people looking will never know the difference. Anything more then a 350 with start to overpower the rest of your drivetrain.
Plus for the collector camp,save anything you remove including the original 301 for someday.
This would make a great cruiser that still pulls away from a light with some authority.
I have a "recipe" for a mild 350 that went mid 13z in a 3500# car if you are interested.
EDIT, found it.
Here's the specs as I have written down:
69 350 +30
216/218 454/480 Crane 272-2?
Stock rebuilt #47 heads
Edelbrock performer
Holley 600cfm
3 tube headers
2400 stall
stock th350
3.55 posi
Car weighed 3500# and went 13.82@98
Headers for a 301 in a Gbody don't exist.
The 301 responds to minor tweak but 200/250 hp is the limit before you start spending big $ and even then it's not worth it.Been there , done that.
My opinion is these cars are 10 years from gaining any kind of collector status.
What I would do is this, build a mild PONTIAC 350.
To 99% of the people looking will never know the difference. Anything more then a 350 with start to overpower the rest of your drivetrain.
Plus for the collector camp,save anything you remove including the original 301 for someday.
This would make a great cruiser that still pulls away from a light with some authority.
I have a "recipe" for a mild 350 that went mid 13z in a 3500# car if you are interested.
EDIT, found it.
Here's the specs as I have written down:
69 350 +30
216/218 454/480 Crane 272-2?
Stock rebuilt #47 heads
Edelbrock performer
Holley 600cfm
3 tube headers
2400 stall
stock th350
3.55 posi
Car weighed 3500# and went 13.82@98
It's definitely a factory 301 4 speed car, I have a folder full of paper work for this car including the build sheet dealer invoice and phs docs. The engine is not the original one that came in the car but it's a period correct 301. The guy I bought it from put aftermarket suspension parts under it so it's not a 100% original car. Im leaning toward the mild 350 shotgun suggested but I'd also like to see a recipe for building 200-250 hp with the 301.
It may be rare, but that does not automatically equate to valuable. I would drop a Pontiac 350 in it's place, but make it look stock. I doubt there will be a huge market for matching numbers 301 cars in the future, unless the future is full of self-loathing masochists. However, there likely will be a market for cars with the same basic "stock feel" as your car has that dispense with the awful. I would put in a 350, paint it like stock with an aftermarket intake painted like stock, and add a set of 15x7 Pontiac Rally II wheels with 235 60 15 white letter BFG's and call it good. Well, that and a 3.23 gear and a posi too. No one will see these things (except the wheels and the look like they belong), but they will make the car nicer to drive. It is your car, after all. Put it together so that you can enjoy it.
4speed79 said:
If the 301 isn't original, I wouldn't worry about originality then. Personally I would keep the 301 for a few reasons. It would be more economical than bigger engines, especially with the 4 speed manual. But if you are after high performance, get a bigger engine. A lot of the bigger Pontiac engines are getting really hard to find now too, like 455's for example. I have a Pontiac High Performance magazine from 1998 that had article by a columnist about finding a mid 70's full-size wagon with a 455 (just for the engine). He said it was like finding a unicorn (or something like that), and that was 11 years ago. Of course, if you are a Pontiac nut, you probably have 100's of 428's and 455's stashed away and don't understand what I'm talking about.
350's should be a little easier to find.
But also, if you find the 301 to be fun as is (if it is drivable) keep it.
Keep the 301...in storage, drop in something else pontiac and have fun with it, when you ready to sell, if you sell slap in the 301.
Not hundreds, but I do have "a few"301,326,350 and 455s :lol:
Anyway, here is a link for ya on the 301, I am T1000 301 in the post:
http://www.301garage.com/forum/index.php?topic=1728.0
The 301 stops breathing at 4500 rpm with a stock cam, 5000 with an aftermarket.
I varied my shift points from 5000 to 6000 :shock: and ran the same ET.
Anyway, here is a link for ya on the 301, I am T1000 301 in the post:
http://www.301garage.com/forum/index.php?topic=1728.0
The 301 stops breathing at 4500 rpm with a stock cam, 5000 with an aftermarket.
I varied my shift points from 5000 to 6000 :shock: and ran the same ET.
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