301 swap for 350 in 79 gp
- Thread starter TacO5000
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If you are going to a chevy engine then you will need new motor mounts. They should be fairly cheap and easy to find. If you use a Pontiac 350 it should bolt right in place of the 301.
motor
Stick to a Pontiac - if you go to a chev, you will need to change the trans as the bolt pattern is different, the alternator and many other parts may not work, the brackets for the motor are all different. Go to a later 350 or 400, use the same mounts, trans, ps pump etc. You will use the a/c H bracket off the 350/400 and alternator brackets as well. The ps pump mounts the same. The smog pump on the 301 makes the different brackets necessary. You may have a bit of clearance issue due to deck height with the trans shifting linkage from the column down along the firewall, but it shouldn't be a problem. Watch the height of your air cleaner as the deck height again makes it closer to the hood. Remember, it is a Pontiac, chev motors do not belong in them unless they were originally delivered with one. Lastly, with how old these cars are now and being the last rear driven big cars from GM, keep the 301 and other parts you take out, these cars will be more of collectors one day than now.
Stick to a Pontiac - if you go to a chev, you will need to change the trans as the bolt pattern is different, the alternator and many other parts may not work, the brackets for the motor are all different. Go to a later 350 or 400, use the same mounts, trans, ps pump etc. You will use the a/c H bracket off the 350/400 and alternator brackets as well. The ps pump mounts the same. The smog pump on the 301 makes the different brackets necessary. You may have a bit of clearance issue due to deck height with the trans shifting linkage from the column down along the firewall, but it shouldn't be a problem. Watch the height of your air cleaner as the deck height again makes it closer to the hood. Remember, it is a Pontiac, chev motors do not belong in them unless they were originally delivered with one. Lastly, with how old these cars are now and being the last rear driven big cars from GM, keep the 301 and other parts you take out, these cars will be more of collectors one day than now.
I always sound like I am beating the same drum but, what are your goals for the car?
Good points about keeping it Pontiac listed above.
I have done the swap a few times and was able to use all the 301 on a 400.
The only tricky part was making a spacer/adapter for the a/c if I remember correctly.
Never had any linkage issues but remember the starter is also on the opposite of the Chevy.
A very mild Pontiac 350/th350 makes for a great street/driver type combo.
We put one in a 3500# car and went high 13z and you could drive it anywhere.A Pontiac 350 out torques a SBC all day long.
Oh, no one but a select few TA owners will ever have any interest in a 301. They do have alot of parts that fit the standard Pontiac block so don't trash it without stripping it.
Where are you located?
Good points about keeping it Pontiac listed above.
I have done the swap a few times and was able to use all the 301 on a 400.
The only tricky part was making a spacer/adapter for the a/c if I remember correctly.
Never had any linkage issues but remember the starter is also on the opposite of the Chevy.
A very mild Pontiac 350/th350 makes for a great street/driver type combo.
We put one in a 3500# car and went high 13z and you could drive it anywhere.A Pontiac 350 out torques a SBC all day long.
Oh, no one but a select few TA owners will ever have any interest in a 301. They do have alot of parts that fit the standard Pontiac block so don't trash it without stripping it.
Where are you located?
Well, if you are looking for a crate engine it sounds like you are on a budget.
The budget for swapping to a chevy engine is larger than the chevy guys will tell you.
The best way if you are on a budget is to replace your engine with one from the same engine family. Since your car came with a 301, then you are in the Pontiac V8 engine family.
You can easily swap in any Pontiac V8 from 1969-1980 with no real mods needed. All of your accessories will swap on, the trans, torque converter and motor mounts swap right on, and you are down the road.
You are best off getting a good running 70's V8 to start with and just dropping it in. Then buy yourself whatever style engine you want (even chevy, yuk...) and start massing parts and swap items (such as the proper motor mounts, etc...) until you have everything together to do the job right.
In the mean time, you are on the road and happy with your car instead of it being a headache that is torn apart.
Good luck, whichever you decide!
The budget for swapping to a chevy engine is larger than the chevy guys will tell you.
The best way if you are on a budget is to replace your engine with one from the same engine family. Since your car came with a 301, then you are in the Pontiac V8 engine family.
You can easily swap in any Pontiac V8 from 1969-1980 with no real mods needed. All of your accessories will swap on, the trans, torque converter and motor mounts swap right on, and you are down the road.
You are best off getting a good running 70's V8 to start with and just dropping it in. Then buy yourself whatever style engine you want (even chevy, yuk...) and start massing parts and swap items (such as the proper motor mounts, etc...) until you have everything together to do the job right.
In the mean time, you are on the road and happy with your car instead of it being a headache that is torn apart.
Good luck, whichever you decide!
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