Pontiac Engine Swap In 84' T/A
 

Well the process has started!
Front Clip removed & Engine bay stripped & front suspension removed!
Will post more pics Mon/Tues.

This is my Buds Senior class at the VoTech! They put together a 400 I had laying around, they did a nice assembly & it runs very strong! The kids can't wait to get the engine mounts fabbed and get it up & running.

Have a short video of the engine running on test stand but won't let me upload!!
I can email to anyone that wants to hear it run or try to help me post it!

cool project

I think Butler stuck a Pontiac inside a 4th gen so you should be good!

200 trans from Grand National is in place, gonna set the motor in today to check clearances and exhaust hook up points.
I have 1-LE dual cat system on the car & I hope to utilize it. I'm sure some fab work will be needed.
I have a 3.73 12 bolt posi from a 67' chevelle that will get the mounts from the 10, then measure for the drive shaft.
Have some pics in my phone but can't get loaded in my computer, will try later today!

This sounds like a very cool project! Keep us updated with a lot of pics!

Looks like the 200 won't mount where we need it too be, sticks into engine compartment 3" to far. I have the orig 700 so gonna set that in there Thursday or Friday.

The '89 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am used a TH200-4R. You might want to put a want ad on some of the Turbo Trans Am forums for the special cross member. Plenty have been parted out/wrecked plus over the counter service replacement parts so there has to be some available.

Have the engine & trans sitting in the bay. It will be about inch lower in the frame.
Have to get some off set frame mounts 71-71 GP seem to be exactly whats needed.

Things are looking real good.
Gonna use the 68-72 GTO bolt on triangular frame mounts, the 1LE dual cat exhaust with a few mods to the head pipes. The RA III manifolds are a perfect fit!
Its a pretty straight forward swap.

The High School shop got it set in place and waiting for mounts to arrive
(thanks Bob Vidan) then will tackle the exhaust.

No concerns with steering shaft, but AC box will be a tight fit.
l be will be using an oil filter relocation kit.

Engine coming out today to drill holes for frame mounts. Engine should be locked in place sometime tomorrow & will see how much needs to be done in order to line up the head pipes with the manifolds.

mounts are in, putting the motor back in tomorrow to tackle the exhaust!

Nice progress!

Coming along quicker than I expected, teacher keeps them going forward and they enjoy working on the car which is a big plus.
After the exhaust, gonna send out the K/sub-frame for powder coating.
The kids are gonna do a trans & front end rebuild.
I will have to get the engine bay painted during the down time.

Finishing up the final install of motor & trans today, gonna install AC/heater box to be sure it fits ok.
Then remove again & cut trans bellhousing for starter.
Get all parts together for coating.
PST Front End Kit arrived, lower arms are blasted.

no cutting needed for starter...looking forward exhaust will be only concern.
I want to utilize the 1LE dual cat set-up. So the head pipes will have to be modified.

just out of curiosity, why not run duals since its custom?

you can fit 2inch pipes on the passenger side of the torque arm and clear the panhard bar with a relocation kit

Its being done at the HS Vo-Tech class so I'm trying to use parts I have on hand to keep costs down. Plus they are prone to breaking stuff!
Don't have a budget but..........so far only spent about $300.
After its all together and running I will get a little spendy on it!

Ah I see, completely understand.

just as a reference, I paid about $350 for 304 stainless 2inch mandrel bends and pipe for the dual system I was building for my 97 Trans Am

thanks for the heads up!

here is a link:

http://ltxtech.com/forums/showthread...rk-In-Progress

and I remembered wrong, it was 2.5 inch, haha

nice thanks!

Pontiac originally planned on putting the 301 in the 84 bird so the hole for the Pontiac mounts were put in the front part of the front crossmember. Putting the 400 in the 84 should be real easy as I saw one done back in 86 in an 85 T/A. It was at a show in Shaumburb IL. at a show at a dealership & a guy had a $%% SD engine in it & everything was hooked up & working. Even the A/C worked with no problems & he said he did it with all GM parts from over the counter. Your is looking good, keep it up you'll have a great car when it's done.

Thanks Rex, working on getting a good rebuild kit for the 700R. All are listed as 87 & up.

I have a 84' unit so are they the same as far as rebuild kits go?

I'm not really a tranny guy but I would stop at one of your local trans repair shops & tell them what trans you have & they should be able to sell you a kit that is right for you. Also they will be able to tell you the best parts for the trans to stay together when you put it behind your Pontiac engine , because the Pontiac engine will be a lot more powerful then the chevy engine that it was with before.

Just a heads up, 1LE is the RPO code for the dual piston PBR caliper front brakes w 12" rotor.

N10 is the RPO code for the dual cat exaust and was offered from 89 to 92.. It was also on more non-1LE cars than it was 1LE cars.

Great project, I'll do one some day!!!

Great and fast progress! My son is considering a similar swap into his '83 T/A. Anyone do one using a stick? I assume the factory 5 spd won't live too long behind either a 400/455 and my son wants to keep the car stick.

Tininjun sent you a PM

Heres a link to my Phototbucket

http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/Mrrat1SSJ/library/

TT thanks for the correction!

The front suspension kit is installed, and shes a roller now. It's all gonna get broken down again after its up & running.
I will have to paint control arms & get some things powder coated.
The new struts & big brakes will go in on the final assembly.

The engine in the video & car is just a beater to get mounts and such lined up. I will have a built 462 that will go in with the HD 30 spline 700R. Waiting on Cliffs tranny book to order the recommended hard parts & rebuild kit.

The T/A starts on page 18.

Cliffs book arrived & now on the trans hunt!
New Steering box & shaft installed.
Power steering pump & alt installed, waiting on metric conversion inserts to connect lines.
Remote oil set up will be used so looking for a kit.
A/C compressor next.
I'll post up pics next week in my photobucket.

Thanks Dave

New to this forum
 

Hello I'm new to this forum. I also have an 84 Firebird, I race it at our local drag strip. This is cool because until today the only info and/or forums I have found on this subject was over 9 years old and out of date. The links and web sites connected to it were gone.
Right now in the car I have a std bore 350 chevy with a TH 400 and a Ford 9 inch rear end hung in there with Competition Engineering ladder bars and a CE sub frame kit. I'm only doing low 13 to high 12 sec 1/4 mile times at this point but I'm having fun with it.
I have acquired a 71 Pont 400 that I'm planning on building with a stroker kit to make either a 440 or 462 CID I haven't decided which one yet. At some point also I'll be installing at CE 8 point roll cage and other mods to stiffen up the car, as I have found these are weak unibodies.
I already have learned a couple things from your posts (what frame motor mounts to use and about the extra holes in the crossmember) I'll be looking forward to future ones. BTW what do you plan on do doing to stiffen up the car? It's clear you are going to drive this on the street and that engine will have a lot of torque and from the pics I saw you had a T-top so body strength likely will be an issue.
P.S. Here is a pic of my ride at the strip.

Hey Dragin , thanks for the post!!
I found the same when I looked for info on the swap!
I will be getting the Spohn frame connecters, tranny crossmember, and torque arm.

Your car is set up exactly as the Schools race car, minus the mini tubs. It's running a 383 w/144 super charger, T-350 4.70 9" rear. Its running 11.0's.

Will have cruise control & A/C also. Gonna look stock outside & inside.

Thanks Dave

Brake Booster & Master installed.
Engine harness laid out and partially connected.
Power Steering line inserts arrived and put in.
Waiting for remote oil filter parts to arrive.
Heater hoses are hooked up, installing radiator & A/C condenser tomorrow.

Radiator not in yet & not too much going on due to Easter & testing.
New Battery cables have been made.

I put a 4L80e on my Pontiac 400 and got it in my 88 Firebird

Not much to update! Lots of study sessions & practice tests going on right now.
Watching the mail for trans cooler lines and fittings & lines for remote oil filter.

Hey Howe you have it up and running..........I hope to upgrade the trans in the future.
Any hurdles to be aware of?
What controls the trans?

Had to order some fittings for remote oil set up. It should be completed this week.
Most of the wiring has been sorted. Cooling system in place.
Front suspension back together with new bushings.
New brake lines installed.
Need to find bracket for TV cable & go pedal, get a choke in place.
Only 2 weeks left of school. Should be up & running very soon.

Alt & PS pulleys are a little cock eyed so that has to be squared up.
Just have the throttle bracket to install, and turn the key!

Too busy at work today but will go up tomorrow to check status!

Schools out and the T/A runs from the key, stops & shifts.
A/C & gauges are next on the list to have up & running. Won't be much getting done over the summer.

Anything to update status? nice project.

new principle & Biz Administer..........the school has basically turned into a prison camp. It's hard to just take parts over, I have to go thru security and its a PIA. Watching times of arrival and departure so I can't BS and play there anymore.

Its been up & running, the class was working to get the gauges working. A/C still needs mock up. Then I need to get the exhaust hooked up at a muffler shop.

I really like to appear on forums.performanceyears.com on an ongoing basis , a lot of messages in the topic . Thank you and ... continue

Better late than never to the party here. Excellent thread. Keep us posted w updates as you can. ;)

Sorry about the lack of updates.......not much happened!!
Trans is out for rebuild, upgrading to 30 spline and HD hard parts.
455 will be getting assembled, and hope to get the sub frame & built 400 out in the next couple weeks. Paint up the engine bay.........

Trans is done........have to get the converted ordered.
About $1200 in the trans, labor for the rebuild included.

Gonna do a Moser 12 bolt conversion and maybe alum driveshaft. I have a brute strength carrier in my parts stash purchased used here a few years ago. Gonna have that gone thru and stay with the 3.73's!

Trans and converter is in. I went with a TCI Breakaway they say it stalls 1000 rpm over stock. Have to get a dipstick and new Speedo cable........coming along should be test driven next week!

unilite distributor stopped working so I took over a standard dist to get it running.
Should be up & running Monday or Tuesday. No exhaust yet so will just be going thru the gears on the lift to confirm all is good with the new trans.

Runs and shifts, finish up the exhaust next week. Get the front clip back on I hope next couple weeks and then get it out for a road test..........

Looking good!!!

all up and running now! Exhaust is completed but not great welding (kids), A/C compressor mounted, took up the condenser today. Needs a radiator & oil & water temp sending units.
Fan hooked up to relay goes on at 200* off at 185*. Wipers, heater working no defrost yet maybe a vac line. Radio next week, tires and alignment next year!
Might have a hood clearance issue with alt & bracket.........we'll see.
Gonna do a 12 bolt swap when cash allows........