4-speed in a '79 Grand Prix?
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It can be done and was for Pontiac Grand Prix in 1979, check this out. http://www.highperformancepontiac.com/f ... index.html
That is a nice car in the link but sad he did that to a factory 4 speed of which there were only 236 or so made. I own two myself and will get one going hopefully in the next year but it will remain 301 saginaw and 7.5 due to the rarity. I made a 80 lj into a 400 th400 8.5 rear but it is a lot more (or at least was) common of a car.
It can be done, but not easilly. Best bet is a 400 4 speed from a Firebird as a donor. I've run a Saginaw 4 speed behind several 400's and the worst I did was spin a thrust bearing but other folk have grenaded them with lesser motors. The Saginaw was offered from the factory and a Hurst shifter/install kit is available and will fit like stock and clear the bench or 60/40 seats. All the pedals, linkage, bellhousing, flywheel, clutch, etc, needed are available new and used. You may want to start with a ST-10 or something else strong. Useing that will require bucket seats as the shifter will end up on the end of the tailhousing about 6" farther back than a Saginaw and the bench or 60/40 seats won't clear. I ran a 7.5 rear and had no trouble but again, some have split it open like a mellon with less power than a Pontiac 400. My advise is to use decent gears so the drivetrain is not stressed. Nothing worse than a torque monster 400 trying to push dead gears around. Once it's done, you will have a case of smile-itis every time you drive it.
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