#1  
Old 04-15-2021, 07:28 PM
78Survivor's Avatar
78Survivor 78Survivor is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Partsbin
Posts: 14
Default Where to begin?

I just purchased a 78 TransAM. It is a first week october 77 cowl tag. The car appears to be WS6 equipped. It is a first style Hurst Hatch car with automatic W72 engine.
The carb is missing and stock manifold is gone also. I have no idea what cam is in the motor so i am looking for advice for cam, intake, carb combination.

It will be a street driven car. It was purchased as a designated powertour car so streetability with some mild upgrades are what im looking for. I have holly stuff kicking around that i would not use if i had the oe rochester but since i dont what are you all thinking would be the best setup?

Thank you

  #2  
Old 04-16-2021, 09:31 AM
78w72 78w72 is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: iowa
Posts: 4,683
Default

find a stock intake & 76-79 qjet built to match the engine specs. easiest way to retain the factory fuel line, linkage & shaker.

  #3  
Old 04-16-2021, 01:14 PM
burd's Avatar
burd burd is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MOTOR CITY
Posts: 1,526
Default

Nice save, I have a numbers 78 auto w72 carb, all done, ready to put on. Comes w/ SS EGR plate.

__________________
🧩 Burds Parts, Finding those Hard to Find PCs, no Fisher Price Toys Here

Just Say No To 8” Flakes

F ire B irds

🇮🇱
  #4  
Old 04-16-2021, 06:11 PM
78Survivor's Avatar
78Survivor 78Survivor is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Partsbin
Posts: 14
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by burd View Post
Nice save, I have a numbers 78 auto w72 carb, all done, ready to put on. Comes w/ SS EGR plate.
Are you saying you have one for sale? Im just trying to prioritize spending and a budget. I would be interested potentially. I have lots of holly stuff as im a chevy guy. Im a total green horn on the pontiac stuff. Ive always wanted a lemans or gto from the 60’s. And i have been a fan of the 77-78 TransAM since they came out. Heck, i had them as hot wheels as a kid.

  #5  
Old 04-16-2021, 06:14 PM
78Survivor's Avatar
78Survivor 78Survivor is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Partsbin
Posts: 14
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 78w72 View Post
find a stock intake & 76-79 qjet built to match the engine specs. easiest way to retain the factory fuel line, linkage & shaker.
This is the long term plan unless i find something reasonable first.

  #6  
Old 04-16-2021, 06:21 PM
78Survivor's Avatar
78Survivor 78Survivor is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Partsbin
Posts: 14
Unhappy

Quote:
Originally Posted by 78w72 View Post
find a stock intake & 76-79 qjet built to match the engine specs. easiest way to retain the factory fuel line, linkage & shaker.
How easy is this to obtain. How much should i spend. The air cleaner base is also missing.

  #7  
Old 04-16-2021, 10:44 PM
Mike Davis's Avatar
Mike Davis Mike Davis is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Athens Ga, or at a NMCA race
Posts: 1,994
Default

Where are you located? I have a intake you can have but shipping would be high.

__________________
66 GTO Nostalgia Super Stock/Street Legal Car
421 CID, stock block, Wenzler Intake, 2- Carter 750 AFB's, 3.90 Gears, Full Factory Interior, Full Exhaust, Stock Suspension 3750LBS 9.77@136.99
Multiple NSCA/NMCA World Champion

66 GTO 389 3x2, 4 speed, 4.33 gear, Montero Red 33K original Miles
67 GTO 2dr Post, 428, Tri Power, 3.55 Gears
80 Trans Am Black SE Y84 W72 WS6
The Following User Says Thank You to Mike Davis For This Useful Post:
  #8  
Old 04-17-2021, 09:30 AM
78w72 78w72 is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: iowa
Posts: 4,683
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 78Survivor View Post
How easy is this to obtain. How much should i spend. The air cleaner base is also missing.
the intake should be easy as they are very common from any 77-79ish pontiac v8, if you wants #'s correct it needs to be from a 78... looks like the member above has one for you though.

the carb might be a little harder to find #'s correct 78 W72 but cores are out there usually for $100-200 & you can rebuild them with a good kit from cliff. no need to pay outrageous prices though as any 76-79 pontiac v8 carb will work when rebuilt & calibrated right which cliff can help you with once you know a little more about the cam & engine specs.

the air cleaner base will be a little harder to find & they are usually quite expensive, W72 or the earlier style 76 400/455 bases sell for $400+, but you can use a standard L78 400 base too that will be a little cheaper around $250.

but if youre ok using holly stuff it doesnt sound like you care too much about #'s matching parts so should be easier to get any factory Q-jet & a base model air cleaner of this era to fit & work right.

The Following User Says Thank You to 78w72 For This Useful Post:
  #9  
Old 04-17-2021, 10:00 AM
78Survivor's Avatar
78Survivor 78Survivor is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Partsbin
Posts: 14
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 78w72 View Post
the intake should be easy as they are very common from any 77-79ish pontiac v8, if you wants #'s correct it needs to be from a 78... looks like the member above has one for you though.

the carb might be a little harder to find #'s correct 78 W72 but cores are out there usually for $100-200 & you can rebuild them with a good kit from cliff. no need to pay outrageous prices though as any 76-79 pontiac v8 carb will work when rebuilt & calibrated right which cliff can help you with once you know a little more about the cam & engine specs.

the air cleaner base will be a little harder to find & they are usually quite expensive, W72 or the earlier style 76 400/455 bases sell for $400+, but you can use a standard L78 400 base too that will be a little cheaper around $250.

but if youre ok using holly stuff it doesnt sound like you care too much about #'s matching parts so should be easier to get any factory Q-jet & a base model air cleaner of this era to fit & work right.


The engine is completely un known. It appears the car was being prepped to drag race. The stock manifold, carb and aircleaner are gone and a rpm performer, edelbrock carb and electronic fuel pump were installed and never finished getting put together. I have a hunch there is a new cam and there is a hurst vmatic version 2 partially installed. This all looks to have been done 15 years ago.

My plan is to do a compressing test. Inspect the cam and lifters. Assembly lube it and re assemble with stock intake and carb and go through cam break in procedures. Depending on what’s in there I may just use it in less he put in a sir lopesalot cam to go with the rpm intake. In that case I would look for a mild street upgrade from stock.

It does have the 6x4 heads that look stock on oe numbers matching block. It isa x7 stamped block and the stock trans appears to be in place. This is an October 77 car so I’m of the belief it has the factory shift kit.

I will also be going back to the stock shifter and console. 😀

  #10  
Old 04-17-2021, 11:41 AM
78w72 78w72 is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: iowa
Posts: 4,683
Default

sounds like a good plan, im sure you can locate some stock stuff to use. i was going to tell you about the qjet for sale here but looks like you commented on it already.

a suggestion on the cam.. since you dont know what it is & unless you can confirm what it is with part numbers, consider just starting fresh with a good cam/lifters for what you want, that way there are no questions & the install & break in process will be basically the same as what you plan to do now. shoot they might have tried to run it already & there could be an issue with the cam/lifters etc. just a suggestion so youre only doing it once, would suck to do all that work & find out its a "sir lopesalot" (LOL) cam & have to do it all over again!

The Following User Says Thank You to 78w72 For This Useful Post:
  #11  
Old 04-17-2021, 01:14 PM
78Survivor's Avatar
78Survivor 78Survivor is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Partsbin
Posts: 14
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 78w72 View Post
sounds like a good plan, im sure you can locate some stock stuff to use. i was going to tell you about the qjet for sale here but looks like you commented on it already.

a suggestion on the cam.. since you dont know what it is & unless you can confirm what it is with part numbers, consider just starting fresh with a good cam/lifters for what you want, that way there are no questions & the install & break in process will be basically the same as what you plan to do now. shoot they might have tried to run it already & there could be an issue with the cam/lifters etc. just a suggestion so youre only doing it once, would suck to do all that work & find out its a "sir lopesalot" (LOL) cam & have to do it all over again!

Based on my comments is the stock cam a good choice or would you step it up a notch? I have a engine break in stand so a cam swap can happen before it goes in the car. The engine will be fully tuned and broken in before install. The engine currently has a bit too much rtv on the gaskets and the rockers have break in Molly paste from 15 years ago still present.

I’m looking at the melling spc-7 cam?

It will have the stock automatic trans and stock gearing but I don’t want it to be a turd.

My corvette is a solid lifter m-20 4 sp with 4:11’s and it wants to bee driven like it’s stolen. This is going to be a cruiser that will see some spirited use occasionally.

Finally how do I post pictures? Do I have to use a photo hosting site?

__________________
78 Cameo White
W72, WS6, tilt, a/c, cruise, pw, ps, pl, automatic, Hurst Hatch version 1
  #12  
Old 04-17-2021, 01:21 PM
78w72 78w72 is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: iowa
Posts: 4,683
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 78Survivor View Post
Based on my comments is the stock cam a good choice or would you step it up a notch? I have a engine break in stand so a cam swap can happen before it goes in the car. The engine will be fully tuned and broken in before install. The engine currently has a bit too much rtv on the gaskets and the rockers have break in Molly paste from 15 years ago still present.

I’m looking at the melling spc-7 cam?

It will have the stock automatic trans and stock gearing but I don’t want it to be a turd.

My corvette is a solid lifter m-20 4 sp with 4:11’s and it wants to bee driven like it’s stolen. This is going to be a cruiser that will see some spirited use occasionally.

Finally how do I post pictures? Do I have to use a photo hosting site?
i would definitely upgrade the cam to something better than a stock W72 cam, but will refer you to other members here with more knowledge on that, start a new thread in the street section & you will get lots of good suggestions.

posting pics is easy, dont need to use a hosting site, when you make a post there is a tab called "manage attachments" right below the comment box, click it & it will let you select where to upload your image from, once you select the image click upload & then post the reply.

The Following User Says Thank You to 78w72 For This Useful Post:
  #13  
Old 04-17-2021, 10:23 PM
Aus78Formula Aus78Formula is offline
Suspended
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,389
Default

I'd be doing some research into what you actually have before guessing a cam to suit. You think it may have been set up as a drag car? He was wasting his time with just bolt ons, maybe already has cam etc.

  #14  
Old 04-18-2021, 07:18 AM
78Survivor's Avatar
78Survivor 78Survivor is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Partsbin
Posts: 14
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aus78Formula View Post
I'd be doing some research into what you actually have before guessing a cam to suit. You think it may have been set up as a drag car? He was wasting his time with just bolt ons, maybe already has cam etc.
The car was blown apart. In a box I found:
Msd igniter box
Two hurst shifters-Hurst v matic 2 installed
Electric fuel pump holley not installed
Edelbrock rpm intake installed
Edelbrock carb new sitting in place not installed
Steel bars installed to connect front frame to rear
All work done was pre 2007


My intended use for the car is power tour, cross country road trip car drag week car. It needs to be able to do 500 or so a day for a week straight then Friday night cruise with the wife and kids to Dairy Queen.

My understanding so far is for the shaker and stock air cleaner it’s the performer or the stock manifold but not many choices...check

So working backwards 3.23 rear stays, factory 3 speed auto stays, engine stays, rpm manifold gets sacrificed in favor or air cleaner and shaker hood. I’m in favor of an oe 800 cfm Rochester to retain factory look, linkage and reliability so I’ll keep the edelbrock carb just in case till I’m dialed in with stock intake and linkage possibly reinstall the cruise control.

This is what I’m shooting for visually:
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	28B511E9-1988-4D3D-8D90-9D932A556C2E.jpg
Views:	122
Size:	72.9 KB
ID:	564934  

__________________
78 Cameo White
W72, WS6, tilt, a/c, cruise, pw, ps, pl, automatic, Hurst Hatch version 1
  #15  
Old 04-18-2021, 09:51 PM
Poncho Dave Poncho Dave is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 176
Default

Hopefully the motor wasn’t built with cheap pistons featuring all the valve reliefs. You’ll want to bump the compression up to wake up one of these smog motors.

  #16  
Old 04-19-2021, 07:50 PM
78Survivor's Avatar
78Survivor 78Survivor is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Location: Partsbin
Posts: 14
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Poncho Dave View Post
Hopefully the motor wasn’t built with cheap pistons featuring all the valve reliefs. You’ll want to bump the compression up to wake up one of these smog motors.
Anything is possible. There are signs of bubba everywhere. It will get pulled apart and most re checked then broken in on a stand before install. I think he was in way over his head and gave up long ago. My hunch is cam, lifters intake carb. Spraypaint.

__________________
78 Cameo White
W72, WS6, tilt, a/c, cruise, pw, ps, pl, automatic, Hurst Hatch version 1
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:34 PM.

 

About Us

The PY Online Forums is the largest online gathering of Pontiac enthusiasts anywhere in the world. Founded in 1991, it was also the first online forum for people to gather and talk about their Pontiacs. Since then, it has become the mecca of Pontiac technical data and knowledge that no other place can surpass.

 




Copyright © 2017