Pontiac 265/301 to 326/350/400/etc swap?

[King_V]

Ok, so, first off, I'm not doing this swap, yet. I may in the future, on project "Cheap b*st*rd"

But, my real question is - how easy/difficult is this? I'm given to understand that it's just a difference of deck-height, and that supposedly everything else is the same.

So, is it just a matter of getting a few different accessory brackets? If so, which ones? I'd likely want to keep the A/C as well (if the only reason my AC isn't working is just an "out of freon" case).

What else would be involved?

 

[adam6640]

It is not a hard swap many people here have done it all the info is here, Keep the A/C too many people rip their A/C out & if you ever sell your car you limit yourself to the amount of buyers that would want it, I know I wouldn't want it, if your Freon is gone you do have a leak and will most likely need a new compressor & for sure a dryer, orfice tube & all new orings at all connections been through this 3 times with older cars, do not switch to 134a it will not cool as good & takes way longer to get the car cool especially around town,r12 is still available at most parts stores it just requires a mechanics license to get, Make sure it is real r12 ! Dupont r12 ,have someone that knows A/C help or do it.
Good Luck

 

[84GP455]

It wasn't a hard swap for me going from Chevy 305 to Pontiac 455. First you need to use the 301 motor mounts (they fit all Pontiac V8's but are shallower so you won't have hood clearance problems) Depending on what transmission you use, you might need to cut your driveshaft 1" inch, at least I did going from TH400 to a TH2004-R As far as I know, all the brackets are interchangeable on Pontiac V8's but are specific by year, as long as the engine is from the seventies and not the sixties because they were different.

 

[King_V]

I was under the impression that, since the 265/301 deck height is lower than the 326/350/400/455, that there would be some other underhood differences, and guessed that accessory brackets would be at issue.

So, I guess really it's a question of what can I re-use from the 301, and what can I NOT reuse?

 

[King_V]

It is not a hard swap many people here have done it all the info is here, Keep the A/C too many people rip their A/C out & if you ever sell your car you limit yourself to the amount of buyers that would want it, I know I wouldn't want it, if your Freon is gone you do have a leak and will most likely need a new compressor & for sure a dryer, orfice tube & all new orings at all connections been through this 3 times with older cars, do not switch to 134a it will not cool as good & takes way longer to get the car cool especially around town,r12 is still available at most parts stores it just requires a mechanics license to get, Make sure it is real r12 ! Dupont r12 ,have someone that knows A/C help or do it.
Good Luck

I am a STRONG believer in keeping the AC! I hate Hate HATE when I stumble across a car I'd like, and then find out that the A/C was simply ripped out! Dammit!

I have the license, and I have some cans of R12, so I'd go that route. Odd note, I once did a quickie conversion (some kit that had the fittings and some chemical it claimed made the old lubricant R134a compatible) of R12 to R134a on a 1985 Accord of all things. That sucker wound up cooling WAY faster with the R134a, and almost Siberia-cold. That was extremely unexpected!

That said, as to the swap . . people have done it, the info is here . . my search-fu must suck a$$ because I didnt find it. Though I only did a search on "301" in the Engine Swaps forum.... have any links saved offhand?

I'm thinking if I ever find a dirt-cheap Pontiac 350 or 400, I'd swap it in. Though I suspect it's probably easier to find a dirt cheap SBC, and just a bit more involved with the swapping itself.

 

[Bonnewagon]

I did it. Easy peasy. You MUST use those 265/301 mounts or it WILL sit too high. You must get ALL the accessory brackets from the new motor for PS and AC. Then you will need to put stronger front springs in, as the bigger motors weigh a lot more. BUT, you will LOVE the power!!