[70RAlll]

Originally Posted by johnta1

See if I can get some blood flowing here!



Doing some digging, looking, cogitating, etc.

Here's a pic of the early engine codes for 1973.



Notice no XD/ZJ SD codes? (also no Y8/W8)
At the bottom it says W8 & Y8 use hardened iron foot (lifters)

Now in the pic from HPP article from years ago:




Look closely at the driver head: Y8
I think most people assumed it was a 1974 model SD engine?

Look at the hanger paperwork:
It says 1973 at the top of the paper. (plus the usual SD stuff elsewhere)

The engine behind it is a 350 of course, but that code is for a 1973 350.
(none in 1974 with that code)

I have quite a few EUNs for K112 cast date Y8's (and other early date codes like that)

So,

1st they are more than likely pre egr fiasco
2nd they would not probably have the partial VIN on them
3rd they must have been removed from the engine line for rework
( Would they have the 1st style cam probably?)
4th Since they had Y8 (and W8?) on them they could not be used in 1973 cars

Now on the thread here:
1973 Y Code SD

Would his SD be a Y8 or the XD?

Also, would the 'Y8/W8' engines be held until the 1974 model year? (after rework- intake, cam maybe, etc)

Just think if the EPA hadn't found the egr problem (or found it a lot later) how much power the SD would have made?
(along with it being in the GTO, etc possibly)


Just wish I could have been there in the plant back then.

My comment is a bit off topic, but this picture gave me some interesting proof of something I have said for a while. Look at the spark plug wires boots. All the correctly stamped repo wires we have available use black boots. Over the years I have bought 5-6 1970-75 various numbered Pontiac distributors that still had their original wires attached. All had the orange/red like boots, not the black we all accept as correct. I have a bag full of these orange boots. All were identical to each other, but came from various Pontiac distributors. Always said, these were original or there was an extremely popular secondary seller of plug boots for Pontiacs back in the day... Anyway, looking at these pictures of the SD engine and what appears to be a 350 Pontiac engine, can't confirm these plug wire boots are the orange due to the black and white photo, but without a doubt can confirm they were not black. Wires are obviously black, but the plug boots are a lighter color. interesting..

[SD73]

Originally Posted by 70RAlll

My comment is a bit off topic, but this picture gave me some interesting proof of something I have said for a while. Look at the spark plug wires boots. All the correctly stamped repo wires we have available use black boots. Over the years I have bought 5-6 1970-75 various numbered Pontiac distributors that still had their original wires attached. All had the orange/red like boots, not the black we all accept as correct. I have a bag full of these orange boots. All were identical to each other, but came from various Pontiac distributors. Always said, these were original or there was an extremely popular secondary seller of plug boots for Pontiacs back in the day... Anyway, looking at these pictures of the SD engine and what appears to be a 350 Pontiac engine, can't confirm these plug wire boots are the orange due to the black and white photo, but without a doubt can confirm they were not black. Wires are obviously black, but the plug boots are a lighter color. interesting..

I've got a set of repro's on my car now. I've had them probably at least 10 years. They are orange boots.

[70RAlll]

Originally Posted by SD73

I've got a set of repro's on my car now. I've had them probably at least 10 years. They are orange boots.

The repo's I was referencing are the dated Packard sets that Ames, PY's etc. sell. I have bought a number of sets and they have always had black boots?? I brought the boot color up years ago on the threads and was pretty much shouted down as everyone agreed correct was black and told me the ones I removed from salvaged distributors were aftermarket..

[Jim Rotella]

Bill, in past year or so, I bought two sets of reproduction dated packard plug wires and both sets came with the correct orange boots. Maybe this is something that the manufacturer has corrected.

[70RAlll]

Originally Posted by Jim Rotella

Bill, in past year or so, I bought two sets of reproduction dated packard plug wires and both sets came with the correct orange boots. Maybe this is something that the manufacturer has corrected.

It has been at least 3 years since I purchased a set, so that sounds like a deal. Glad they got the colors correct.. I hated it when I brought this up yrs past and everyone told me I was wrong, especially when I held original distributors here with the orange and I knew they were original..I'm not a SD guy, so thanks for letting me visit