1976 Pontiac Astre
 

How difficult would it to be to put a Pontiac V8 and a TH400 in a 1976 Pontiac Astre? Anyone done it?

It wouldn't be any different from a BBC Vega swap.

Are you thinking of a dedicated race car or something street legal? The reason I ask is there was a Astre race car for sale on Craigslist about 6 or 8 months ago in New England.

Motor plate+ mid-plate would make it more simple
Exaust would be the harder part (headers)

GT

There was a guy ,cant remember his name put a Pontiac V8 in his Vega and used it for work. He was from Greensburg Pa and worked in Maryland at a truck dealer. Him and his father in law ran a 1965 GTO new. Article was in old HHP I think. The rear end would need the attention,12 bolt or 9".

Do a little Internet searching for Bob Maxey and Bert Strauss.

Eric

I can attest to this. I just did my first front/mid plate setup on my Fairlane. Headers were a nightmare. Just make them custom and be done with it.

I was thinking of a dedicated drag car. Not sure what would need to be done to stiffen the unibody for a drag car.

I was half tempted to put one on an s10 frame and shorten wheelbase to match and channel the body over. or use a front clip or differant front clip and run rails to the back with a 4 link or ladder bar chassis? Depends on how solid the car is would make a big difference , how well it would hold the power.

In 1989, I put a 455 in a 1980 Sunbird...I kept the complete stock front end...Let me tell you now, the headers were a bitch, and the engine compartment was so tight, NOTHING could keep it cool even on a 35 degree night...After 6 months of trying everything, I pulled the engine and put it in a 1981 Cutlass, and you couldnt pay it to get over 180 with a stock size 3 core brass/copper radiator...

That was my experience with those types of cars.

What an interesting project tho...there is still a vega around here terr0rizing the streets

Something like these may be the ticket unless you're looking forward to doing the fabrication.

https://www.racingjunk.com/door-cars...1&np_offset=64

https://www.racingjunk.com/door-cars...p_offset=102#3

My current project. 1976 Astre with a 71-73 Vega front end. I thought about putting the 455 from my totaled Firebird in it, but I thing a big block Chevy is going in the car.

Although not related.
When I was test driving my TA, mind you, new on the lot 3.4 miles. I pulled back into the dealer lot after the test drive. A new car transport was unloading cars. The next car off was a new Astre. I knew what they were...........The salesman that rode with me screamed at the driver, "Don't unload the P.O.S. here!!! Take it back where it came from....it got unloaded. I can't imagine what it's been recycled into by now...

FWIW, I had a friend that made a SBC dedicated drag car from a Vega, he tweaked the front end every time the wheels came off the ground. After one season he determined that laminated sheet metal spot welded together was far to weak for what he was asking it to do. It had a full cage in it, but the weak sheet metal that was a known problem in the stock Vegas that the front frame clips had to be pulled on a frame machine to keep them from inducing too much camber, and tearing the inside tread off the front tires.

Either he was going to have to front clip the frame, or sell the car as it sat, he sold the car to someone else and let it become their problem.

The added weight of a Stratostreak V8 is only going to exacerbate this tendency. If you're intent on doing it I'd figure a real frame under the Astre body to keep the wheels all pointed in the same direction. Do it right, and only do it once.

:2cents:

Hey Tim,
I know Mike Cooper in Ks ( or a family member) has one. You may want to reach out to him about the build. Best to you and miss seeing you as well.

Put a Pontiac in that thing.
Its why we are here.

Any difficulty is worth it x 100...

I would put a Briggs and Stratton in before I did that.