'78 LeMans Full Swap Onto '85 GP???
- Thread starter averagewhiteboy
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I know gas 350's were offered as optional equipment in many of what we think of as G bodies for '78 and '79. (These were designated "A" bodies for those two years, hense my '78 Lemans is an A body, my '81 Malibu a G, but virtually identical cars. The '78 LeMans has a few things about it that make it more solid though, especially the hood sheet metal.
Although the 350 was an option, it was (is) very rare to find it installed in these cars, I've only ran across one '79 Cutlass in the last 10 years that had it's original Chevy built 350 in it. I have seen both Chevy 305's and Pontiac 301's show up in Pontiac LeMans' from '78 and '79, original confirmed by the VIN numbers. Every V8 A body '78/'79 Buick Century I have come across had the Pontiac 301. This engine confusion in the late '70's and early 80's led to many lawsuits against GM. Mainly grandpa buying a Oldsmobile or Buick only to later find out it's engine was built by Chevy division or Pontiac div, which they felt were the cheaper variants of GM products.
-Mark-
Although the 350 was an option, it was (is) very rare to find it installed in these cars, I've only ran across one '79 Cutlass in the last 10 years that had it's original Chevy built 350 in it. I have seen both Chevy 305's and Pontiac 301's show up in Pontiac LeMans' from '78 and '79, original confirmed by the VIN numbers. Every V8 A body '78/'79 Buick Century I have come across had the Pontiac 301. This engine confusion in the late '70's and early 80's led to many lawsuits against GM. Mainly grandpa buying a Oldsmobile or Buick only to later find out it's engine was built by Chevy division or Pontiac div, which they felt were the cheaper variants of GM products.
-Mark-
srercrcr said:
The GM data manual I have shows the 4.3 liter 260 CI Olds engine for '80 as being VIN code, "F." The 301 4.9 Pontiac should be VIN code, "W."
The poster of that e-bay ad perhaps made a mistake?
-Mark-
i know this is nothing particulry exiting but it was so stupid and worked flawlessly,
i have a 1978 LeMANS, my gauges where fried(spark shot out from under the dash and i was out the window) i bought a set of autometer streetrod old tyme gauges i had ro sand out a 1/16 of an inch for the 4 cluster gauges but i just put them in the black plastic trim plate and thay look like thay could of came with the car i will have to post a pic
and if any one is looking for a hurst promatic 2 i have one for sale
i have a 1978 LeMANS, my gauges where fried(spark shot out from under the dash and i was out the window) i bought a set of autometer streetrod old tyme gauges i had ro sand out a 1/16 of an inch for the 4 cluster gauges but i just put them in the black plastic trim plate and thay look like thay could of came with the car i will have to post a pic
and if any one is looking for a hurst promatic 2 i have one for sale
Those Autometer gauges would be interesting to see. The LeMans stock gauges are horrible with the silver backdrop, hard to see in the daylight and about the poorest backlighting arrangement at night. The speedo in my '78 LeMans squeaks very loud when it's over about 70 degrees in the car, have to turn the radio up to drown it out LOL!
Sometimes I laugh at how cheesy some of the items in these cars were back then. But then again, how many 1978 Hondas or Toyotas do you see still cruising down the road?
-Mark-
Sometimes I laugh at how cheesy some of the items in these cars were back then. But then again, how many 1978 Hondas or Toyotas do you see still cruising down the road?
-Mark-
305 has a different exhaust bolt pattern than the 350. It's the easiest way to tell- if the stock heads are on it.
The 305 isn't a total wheezer, either. Swap the heads for some Junkyard vortec/TBI heads and replace the cam with a swap meet part and= a great running sbc.
The average chevy guys don't bother to do any homework and just reaches for a bigger hammer. Lots of useable parts get villified this way.
The 305 isn't a total wheezer, either. Swap the heads for some Junkyard vortec/TBI heads and replace the cam with a swap meet part and= a great running sbc.
The average chevy guys don't bother to do any homework and just reaches for a bigger hammer. Lots of useable parts get villified this way.
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