What to do with an ‘80 Pontiac 301

Status
Not open for further replies.

SJ-400

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Nov 19, 2021
27
36
13
Seriously guys, is there any reason to hold onto this engine? I’d gladly give it away if someone had a use for it.
Stock 4 Barrel engine (no carb) from an ‘80 GP SJ with about 40k miles, been in heated storage for 20 years, sprayed cylinders through plug holes with WD-40 annually for several years. Replaced it with a ‘72 400. Hate to see it go to the scrappers, will deliver to good home in New England.
Tony
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

ck80

Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Feb 18, 2014
5,742
9,111
113
What's your timeline to be rid of it, and, what part of New England are you in?

I'll be headed up to grab a couple vintage early series Vermont castings stoves and have a home for it, whether space dictates I leave it with some projects by the big e in west springfield or take it all the way home same trip
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

pagrunt

Geezer
Sep 14, 2014
9,122
15,255
113
Elderton, Pa
Run GIF by Challenger
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

SJ-400

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Nov 19, 2021
27
36
13
No hurry CK, it’s stored at my friends house in Dayton, Me about 90 minutes north of Kittery on Rt 35. There are a couple of ways to get there. I’ll have him turn it over just to be sure it still rotates but I’m sure it will.
Tony
 
Oct 14, 2008
8,806
7,746
113
Melville,Saskatchewan
The 80 is the Turbo block correct? Hopefully it finds a good home.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Bonnewagon

Rocket Powered Basset Hound
Supporting Member
Sep 18, 2009
10,536
14,217
113
Queens, NY
Even though the '80-'81 blocks are "supposed" to be the turbo blocks- they are not. Even though there is a "T" cast into the side. Only a car ordered with a turbo got the beefed up block. It has slightly larger main bolts and dished pistons to lower the compression. But there is nothing wrong with an '80 4 barrel motor and I hope someone appreciates it for what it is. I have a '79 in my Bonnewagon and people can't believe how great it runs. Use good gears out back and it will surprise you with peppiness while getting 20mpg all day long.
 
  • Like
  • Informative
Reactions: 3 users

Streetbu

Know it all, that doesn't
Supporting Member
May 22, 2011
3,721
11,525
113
Central NY
My very first car was a '79 Bonneville 2 door with a 2bl 301. They weren't power houses, but it was quite smooth
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

ck80

Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Feb 18, 2014
5,742
9,111
113
Even though the '80-'81 blocks are "supposed" to be the turbo blocks- they are not. Even though there is a "T" cast into the side. Only a car ordered with a turbo got the beefed up block. It has slightly larger main bolts and dished pistons to lower the compression. But there is nothing wrong with an '80 4 barrel motor and I hope someone appreciates it for what it is. I have a '79 in my Bonnewagon and people can't believe how great it runs. Use good gears out back and it will surprise you with peppiness while getting 20mpg all day long.
I drove some non-turbo 2nd gens with 301s in them and they were OK for what they were if you wanted to cruise and weren't after speed.

As I keep talking about randomly, I have an 85 firebird I can finally touch again as 5 years later it's out of evidence no-touchy hell. I know the 3rd gen platform borrowed heavily enough from the 2nd gen that the front subframe.can use the exact same motor mounts as a 2nd gen car. So, any parted firebird that was Pontiac powered can donate its crossmember mounts and they work.

At some point I know I NEED an engine for it, the one in there could be used for fogging mosquito duty or run it to screen a destroyer, it'd serve either purpose. And it's sat 5 years since.

I keep saying if I can find a good running poncho I'd like to make it Pontiac powered instead of chebby.

Rear end is a borg-warner 9-bolt, 3.23 gears. Should be sufficient I'd think. Has a 700 trams so I'd need to run an adapter, no biggie. Everything else would likely be OK from spring weight to cooling capacity. I'd save the original just because, but, even though it's an 85 SE it's really not super desirable as such.

That'd be the goal for it anyways, assuming it could be worked in. I'd have to see how time looked though, getting all the way up into Portland-ish territory might be stretching the trip length just a tad too far up there and might need to let someone else grab it. I've got to see how much time we have to work with for the trip.
 
  • Like
  • Winner
Reactions: 2 users

SJ-400

Not-quite-so-new-guy
Nov 19, 2021
27
36
13
Drive it untill you have something better to drop in................ My .02
That’s what I did. My ‘72 400 dropped right in with some exhaust pipes from a TA that Y’d right into my “test pipe” that replaced the cat. The car came with factory duals out of the muffler, I think I got the last muffler and 2 tail pipes that Walker had anywhere in the country for that. It was the standard setup for the SJ 4 bbl in ‘80.
6A31951C-A043-4EA4-ABB6-2CDF6570EA71.jpeg
80.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6 users
Status
Not open for further replies.

GBodyForum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon, the Amazon logo, AmazonSupply, and the AmazonSupply logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Please support GBodyForum Sponsors

Classic Truck Consoles Dixie Restoration Depot UMI Performance

Contact [email protected] for info on becoming a sponsor