[NHRASuperStock455SD]

There is a complete pictorial of my 1980 Sunbird being fabricated in Pete McCarthy's Pontiac book. Pictures are in black and white, but I have some complete pictures (several years later) in color. If you want this book, just contact Pete at www.petemccarthy.com and buy the book. I can send you pictures if you email me.

This winter it is going to get some paint touch up, and a 455SD. This engine went 9.92 in the black firebird at 3300lbs and 2500 feet of air correction with bias ply tires. I ran the computer prediction and this makes for a 9.55. However, I cannot run the Victor intake, so we did a very good Tomahawk. We are hoping the flow values lost do the cross sectional area will be made up with the shorter intake runner length.

The cylinder heads have been improved due to changes in the NHRA SS rules on valve seat angles. By changing to the 55 degree seats we went from 296cfm max flow to 314. The exhaust improved going from 45 to 50. (could have gotten more, but gotta watch that balance).

We also are doing radial tires which should net out at least a tenth. My future plans is to get this car down to 2770lbs. The current class weight in GTCA is 3070.

Lynn

[455firebird1969]

It seems the lighter weight of a LS1 could make for a nice little street ride with a H-body. Has anyone seen info on such an install? I have been searching the web with little success regarding LS1 installations? I guess once the 2x3 frame extensions are installed as per Byrons post, anything would be possible?

Whats the best way to mount a 9" rear for street/strip use?

[goquick]

455firebird1969, The ls engines take alot more work to put in one of these cars. Not a good combo. Oil pan issues with front end links, and the transmission issues along with rewiring everything to run the ls. I'm not a big fan of the over hyped ls series engines. There is nothing they did on that engine we can't do on our Pontiacs plus we can still out power them for alot less money. And the ls engine isn't that much lighter once you add the od transmission,(which is where the mpg is at, not the engine design itself, shocking eh? Don't believe me, put a 400th behind the LS and it's a gas hog!!) extra wiring, computer stuff, etc. Sure it's a little lighter, but not worth it in my book.

As for mounting a 9" rear, what are you doing, using the factory rear suspension arrangement? If so, it's like anything else, just reuse the old mounting brackets and I think you need to use the bolt on brackets for the F-bodies if you re building the later swing-arm set up.

[NHRASuperStock455SD]

My Sunbird is pretty easy, you just write me a check. It was peanuts compared to doing the front wheel drive conversion in the Grand Am. However, unless you are a master fabricator with tons of time on your hands, dont attempt it. You can get the Pete McCarthy book and see several pictures during stages of building the Sunbird chassis.

Lynn

[goquick]

Lynn, If I had the money, I would have by now!

[RandyW]

I put a 455 Pontiac in a '76 Olds Starfire, which is a Monza 2+2 clone. It was damn near a bolt in, in place of the 231. I used the BW 4 speed tranny that was there even used the cable clutch set up with a bigger Pontiac clutch and pp set. I had to move the radiator forward and lean it back like a Vette. I also added two rather large heater cores behind the headlight areas for additional cooling. Those poor 13" tires were soon gone! I eventually put a Dana 44 with 3.54 gears and some 28" tires. I had to use one of the very early Pinto flexable steering shafts( the wound cable type not the multi u joint like the later Pintos and Mustang II's used), with the GM ends welded on to clear the exhaust. People would look at that shaft bent around the header and couldn't figure how it worked until I turned the wheel to show them that bend stayed where it was and the whole shaft turned like any cable would.

[goquick]

Nothing wrong with your engine compartment looking like this...

[mrrat1]

My buds V-8 Vega wagon used Corvette radiator and remote fill tank. It was a very nice simple set-up. Dave K.

[pontiac_banshee]

I did allot of research on this many many years ago and this is as far as I got. Every thing of course was related to Vega. Had a contact all those many years ago that gave me a list of parts that he used. Cant find it but here are a few pics of mine before I sold it.
Front and rear frame was going to be tied together as they were both avaible back in the late 70's

[Johnny406]

Originally Posted by pontiac_banshee

I did allot of research on this many many years ago and this is as far as I got. Every thing of course was related to Vega. Had a contact all those many years ago that gave me a list of parts that he used. Cant find it but here are a few pics of mine before I sold it.
Front and rear frame was going to be tied together as they were both avaible back in the late 70's

I was in a partnership with a guy that ended very badly about a year ago. We were building a Pontiac powered Vega wagon. I had a set of solid mounts that we fabricated to the chassis. Unfortunately I picked a bad partner for this but... such as life.

The exhaust was the hard part, I had a set of Hedman 3 tube headers that we were going to start with as they "sorta" fit.

[PLAY400]

I've been looking at this for something newer to cut-up and put the last rebuilt 455 I have into. Would have been a no brainer if he had left in or kept the interior from it

http://medicinehat.kijiji.ca/c-cars-...AdIdZ244892550

[Ollie]

This is a link to another Monza/Sunbird,site
http://forums.h-body.org/index.php

[Bill Eveland]

I had a factory v-8 Monza 2+2, it was quick for a 305 and 4 speed. The Pontiac would be impressive in a light car. There are several around here I could get cheap, including an Astre wagon. But the subframes are rusted out. I believe the track width is about the same , but I would cut up the body and put it over an s-10 truck frame. Adjust the wheelbase and channel the body over to get how low you want to set the body.