pontiac 350

[loneSTRregal]

I bought a pontiac 350 to drop in my grand prix . My plan is to do the basic bolt ons . My problem is I dont really know anything about pontiacs , such as where to get parts or what will transfer from the other small blocks in the gm line .
Any help would be great .

 

[85GPLef41]

I believe most Pontiac engines ("301,350,455")share most of the external parts ie. accessories, heads,manifolds, etc etc. somebody correct me if I'm wrong.I also have read that they are torque monsters but don't like to rev that high. I don't know too much about them since every Pontiac G body I've owned has had a SBC between the fender-wells. I know somebody will chime in and provide more accurate info. I am trying to find something for my 81 GP preferably a 350 as well instead of a SBC. What years are better then others? I am also interested in this as well.. 😀

 

[loneSTRregal]

O so pontiacs work likes olds 350s ? you can bolt big block external parts on ? can anyone confirm this ?

 

[tdvick]

Pontiac 350, 400 and 455 interchange most everything. You don't want to put 455 heads on a smaller motor though or your compression will be very low. 455 heads have a large cc combustion chamber. The 301 has different heads and intake completely. They do not interchange with the other Pontiac motors. Many of the other 301 externals interchange though, timing cover, valve covers, etc.

Troy

 

[Peter]

well as far as i know BBO accesseries with brackets will not fit right (without mod) on a small block so i would imagine its the same story with pontiac

 

[Bonnewagon]

Tdvick is correct. I would add that the 350 is a very good motor for a G-body and can be made to respond very nicely. Be hesitant about ditching the stock 4 barrel manifold and Q-jet if so equiped. The stock 4 barrel is a good performer and the Edelbrock Performer is an aluminum clone of the factory model. If it's a 2 barrel, my first Pontiac swap into a Malibu was a 76' 350 2 barrel and it worked very well plus got decent mileage. Of course a 4 barrel will outperform a 2 barrel at a cost to gas mileage. A well set up Q-jet will be hard to beat, and the factory correct original is the one to have. Be sure to get the matching brackets for ALT/PS/AC as only Pontiac will work. If it has hot air choke it can be adapted to electric very easilly.

 

[dan2286]

well as far as i know BBO accesseries with brackets will not fit right (without mod) on a small block so i would imagine its the same story with pontiac

All Pontiac V8 blocks are the same size externally so all brackets will fit fine. There technically is no small or big block Pontiac engine.

 

[79GP6.6L]

You can stroke a Pontiac 350 up to 410ci. Just sayin'

 

[Bonnewagon]

Nothing wrong with a 350. All Pontiac boards will advise you to dump the "boat anchor" and drop a 455 in it. I dissagree. A 350 HO was offered fron the factory with better cam, big valve heads, etc, and it was potent. The Crane 262 cam that was a pussycat in a 400 was a wild child in the 350. Same stroke as a 326, 389, and 400, so torque peak is the same. If it's an earlier model with high compression, lots of 400 heads available that will give you bigger vaves and lower compression for today's cat-p gas. Any Pontiac 4 barrel manifold 65' and up will bolt on, as will RamAir exhaust manifolds or headers. Almost every 70's Firebird produced came with a 350 and they weigh about the same as an 80's GP. If the emissions and mileage issues weren't a factor, 350's would have been in those as well.

 

[ilduce]

Why wouldn't you want a Pontiac engine in a Pontiac car?

I wish my GP had a 350P. I had a 79 LeMans with a mid-70s detuned-style 350P with a 2GC dropped in it. It was a piece of crap. My neighbor bought it, rebuilt and souped up the engine and made it ridiculously fast. My 72 LeMans had the original 350 with a dual-jet or whatever the Rochester 2-banger was in the early 70s. It had a three-speed automatic. Occasionally if I floored it just right it could squeak the tires going into second gear. It didn't have much power past about 90 though.

My goal was to throw a Carter AFB (I think it's Edlebrock AFB now) 625 electric choke on there out of a box. I figured that would do it. I wish my 86 GP had that setup.