[71SportRagtop]

In my never ending search for a set of decent heads to upgrade my 68 Bird, I came across a guy who has a Pontiac 400 for sale. The guy doesn't know much about Pontiacs or he's a good BS artist because he had NO idea where to find any of the ID numbers on the block or heads.

But after a few emails and one phone conversation here's what I've found.

The motor is a 1970, the block casting # is 9799914 and the 2 digit code on the front of the block reads XH. The heads are #13's.

I researched these numbers and it appears that this is a 1970 400 out of a B body. The info I found states that this was originally a B body 400 cui, 350HP motor with an automatic trans.

So my main question is this. The #13 heads come up as automatic Ram Air heads. But that's for a GTO. Were the B body #13 heads the same? Also would this motor have come from the factory with the 068 cam with the 350HP rating? I'm assuming a manual trans RAIII had a different cam because of the 366HP rating. I just don't know how differently this motor would be built for a B body as opposed to a GTO or Firebird.

The seller claims that it's a running driving motor and that it still pulls strong. He's asking $650.00 for the whole motor intake to carb, which I think has to be a steal.

My 68 Bird has a bone stock 68 400, 265HP motor which is kind of boring. I thought that maybe I could grab this entire motor, freshen it up a bit, and drop it into my car and instantly have about a 75HP difference. Since I have a 4 speed and a 3:73 rear I think it will make my Bird a whole different car.

Any info or feedback on this motor is greatly appreciated.

[Mr. P-Body]

Unfortunately, the mythology has crept into the specs. A d-port head, is NOT a "Ram Air" head. That term should be reserved for small chamber heads with ROUND exhaust ports. I say this because these heads (48s, 12s) were used on other engines as well. To the best of my knowledge, 13 was not used in Ram Air applications. I've disassembled hundreds of '70 400s. ALL the Ram Air III codes I've seen (both auto and manual) had 12s. I know, there IS one casting ('67 am Air I), but rare as hen's teeth, so not really of concern here.

A 350-horse 400 is a solid basis. The main difference between the 350 and 366 were the exhaust manifolds, carb calibration and distributor calibration. The 744 cam was used in '69 manual trans versions, but 068 was used in all the '70s (IIRC).

Relatively certain, XH is Grand Prix. A good friend in AZ is "sitting" on one right now, and we took it out of a GP.

Good engine to "start with". Not a bad price if it really is "standard" and running.

Jim

[johnta1]

A B-body car with 400 would have had the '16' code head.
The XH is for the GP which had the '13' head.

[steve25]

Unless you want and or need to have a spare block on hand I would dump the 650 bucks into your current heads to fully rebuild them with screw in studs and a bowl porting job, and in regards to your block if the oil useage now is ok, stuff in a new cam with a spring kit and bolt into the botttom of the block a 60 psi oil pump and a new oil pump drive shaft.