265 Bolt on Upgrades?

[rubio9800]

Hello everyone!

New member to the forum!!

Recently picked up an 81 GP with a stock 265 engine, not much power there.

Any easy upgrades i can do for HP? Not looking to turn this into a muscle car, no plans on swapping engines.

Thank you!

 

[gnvair]

Replace it with a larger Pontiac engine would be the most cost effective. The 265 and 301 were Pontiac engines but not much interchanged with the larger engines.

 

[64nailhead]

Kidding aside, a small blow through turbo, like the factory did. By small, I mean small, T70 or so. Something to get it to 270-300 hp with 10-12 lbs of boost. It’s not hard to do if you can handle the carb.

Other than that, you have to do something that you said you didn’t want to do (swap motor).

 

[motorheadmike]

Yup, turbo it.

 

[lilbowtie]

Changing the rear end ratio would make it feel better - you probably have a 2.29

 

[motorheadmike]

Changing the rear end ratio would make it feel better - you probably have a 2.29

When I went from 2.29s to 4.56s it really made the anaemic Buick 231 V6 think it was a 232.

 

[pontiac guy]

I am happily running a 301 in my car. the biggest improvement you can make to the way that car is going to drive is an overdrive transmission and more gear ratio in the back. If you already have the are four just swap a gear go to a 3.23 or even a 3.42 and it will be a different car if you have a two barrel upgrade to a four barrel. You can only use a 301 four-barrel intake however. They can be had very cheaply because people usually throw them away. I think your car is the last year before the computer controls so a carb swap is easy. Increase your base timing a little and put a curve kit in the distributor.

 

[pagrunt]

I think your car is the last year before the computer controls so a carb swap is easy. Increase your base timing a little and put a curve kit in the distributor.

His car will have the CCC as '81 was the year every passenger car platform had it on the gas engines. Unless he's in Canada then it's all good.

 

[MrSony]

My votes for engine swap.

326, 350, 389, 400, 455 Pontiac will bolt in with little to no mods.

Don't have to go crazy. A 9:1 400 with 6x heads ram air manifolds and a good quadrajet will be a great cruiser.

 

[81cutlass]

Turbo TA drawthrough turbo setup!