The cost issue of using a brand x engine in a Pontiac comes up from time to time not only here but other places as well. My .02 is. To whoever is procheb or prokrate and maybe others here will agree...... WHY is the cost such an issue when deciding on a possible engine swap for enconomic reasons? This may sound foolish on the surface but, really. This is what I tell many on the subject. If you are such a "gear head" and a car guy, why is the cost such an issue? Do you put the cheapest paint job on your car? Do you buy recaps? Do you use cheapo auto parts store seat covers? Do you live in the cheapest house possible? Do you go to garage sales for your clothes? Do you have your girlfriend/wife because she is the cheapest one you can find? Think about it. If you like cars so much, why are some people so cheap on the cost issue of running a REAL Pontiac?
Cheapest wheels? I could go on and on. How about the food we eat. If cost is such an issue, you could get by on mac 'n cheese and oatmeal but, most people like a good steak once in a while. If you enjoy your car so much, why would anybody put in the cheapest thing between the fenders you could? That sounds liek something a guy with a volkswagon or a rambler would do not a car guy. The extra expense (if their is actualy one) of using a Real Pontiac is more than worth it. It makes no sense to switch. Would you put in the cheapest stereo you can find? Do you have a 10" black and white in your living room?
Also, there are ways that prove that a cheb swap is more costly costly than may would think. If your car is an automatic, that cheby 400thm will cost you way more than the Pontiac one will. And you will have to buy brackets, motor mounts, stater motor, flexplate, exhaust and on and on. Chevs are goofy and hard to work on too. If you have worked on both Pontiacs and chevs you know this. Let's list some of the things that show how a chev is engineered poorly and more difficult to service or hot rod than a Pontiac. How about that goofy fuel pump shaft gismo. The dumb motor mounts were the nut isn't welded into the mount like the Pontiac is. How about the way most of 'em have the A/c mounted on the left side of the car so the hoses have to drap across the engine? What about when you want to pull the intake or even the heads? On a chev, you have to pull the dist (and it is even longer on the chev than the Pontiac so it is harder to install). How about having to use a puller for the balancer? And all the diferent one too? A few others, the timing cover has to have the pan down to r and r it, the intake surface angle is not 90 degrees to the deck making milling and aligning more difficult. There are so many reasons NOT to run a chev even in a chev. If the chev guys were smart (and some are) you put a Pontiac in the chev. Another thing about using a crate motor is that it shows you have no ability to build an engine yourself. You are advertising your inability. "I just took it out of a box and dropped it in". Wow, that's hot rodding NOT. Even if you can't build your own engine, still get with someone who can. The Pontiac is the best engine ever designed and has yet to reach its development peak, the interchange is without parallel. Keep it real. Keep it Pontiac. Steve
www.pontiacheaven.org REAL Pontiacs Only... NO corporate Nonsense!
[This message was edited by Steve Barcak on March 11, 2003 at 01:53 AM.]