[macdroid]

First of all, I own a #'s matching '74 T/A(400-auto).Restored all the way from bare metal. My question revolves around upgrading the front brakes while keeping as close to a stock appearance as possible. I've heard you could just take parts from the bigger cars of the same year and swap them(bigger rotors, calipers, etc.)Is this possible? Is there an article explaining EXACTLY how to do this?
Secondly, I have a mystery around my carb. The correct # should be 7044266, but I have a 7044276. No one seems to know what this number is from. Any ideas?
And third, is there an article out there telling exactly what color paint to use for every component on the car-brake booster, gas tank, shocks, etc.? For a particular year('74). Just for correctness. I truly appreciate any help that is offered.

[macdroid]

First of all, I own a #'s matching '74 T/A(400-auto).Restored all the way from bare metal. My question revolves around upgrading the front brakes while keeping as close to a stock appearance as possible. I've heard you could just take parts from the bigger cars of the same year and swap them(bigger rotors, calipers, etc.)Is this possible? Is there an article explaining EXACTLY how to do this?
Secondly, I have a mystery around my carb. The correct # should be 7044266, but I have a 7044276. No one seems to know what this number is from. Any ideas?
And third, is there an article out there telling exactly what color paint to use for every component on the car-brake booster, gas tank, shocks, etc.? For a particular year('74). Just for correctness. I truly appreciate any help that is offered.

[Bud Lyons]

Mac, Here is how your Carb# breaks down.

70= All Rochester Products
44= 1974
2 = 49 state emissions
7 = Pontiac (for some reason Roch. used a 6 OR 7 for Pontiac's)
6 = Automatic


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Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.

[This message has been edited by Bud Lyons (edited 03-12-2001).]

[Will]

Mac, I think I answered your brake question in another forum, but just in case I didn't...

I don't know the entire year range that you need spindles from, but I do know for sure that any B-body from '77 to '86 that originally came with 12" rotors will work. The 12" rotors were optional on cars with heavy duty suspension or towing options, and they came on many wagons. A mid '80s full-size wagon is probably your best bet. The spindles are a direct interchange with your current spindles, nothing fancy about installing them.

Next issue is the rotors. The B-bodies with 12" brakes used a 5x5 bolt pattern with 1/2" studs as compared to your 5x4.75" bolt pattern and 7/16 studs. The best thing to do is order up a new set of brake rotors for the mid '80s 1LE optioned Z28 or TA. These rotors will go right onto the big car spindles and even use the same wheelbearings. The only issue with them is that they're setup to take metric studs. You may be able to find SAE studs with a knurl that is close enough to the same size to work, or you might just use metric lugnuts on your front wheels.

This setup gives you larger front brake rotors while retaining the stock appearance and caliper that you desire. If you want to get fancy, you can order up a set of VB&P "sport" rotors that have aluminum hubs and slotted, cryo'd, and heat treated rotors. To that you could add a set of Wilwood GMIII aluminum calipers.

As to your paint question, there is no book I know of that describes the correct factory finish for the parts you're concerned with. Many of them, such as the gas tank, swaybar brackets, hood hinges, etc. were plated using various processes, not painted. For example, the swaybar brackets were probably silver cad, the gas tank was zinc coated, and the hood hinges were a dark grayish to black colored phosphate coating.

The brake power booster was finished with zinc dichromate that is kind of a gold color with red and greenish highlights. There are a couple places out there that can rebuild your power booster and replate it for a pretty reasonable price. Power Brake Service in Portland, OR did mine and it looks and functions like new.

The brake master cylinder was left as bare cast iron from the factory, so painting it with a cast-iron paint is a good way to go to keep it from rusting.

Good luck with your restoration. You can probably get most of the info you need by asking specific questions here on this BBS.

-Will

[Chiefpontiac]

The 7044276 carb might be correct for your car. This carb is calibrated leaner than standard for high altitude and was part of the Mountain performance option.

[Huebner]

Hi. My Swedish sold 1974 Formula has carb nummer 7044274. But what the diffence carb nr 7044274 and carb nr 7044276?

Owner of a 1974 Formula in Sweden!

[form74]

Acoording to a book I have, Carb 7044274 came on a 74 Firebird, Formula or Trans Am that had a 400 motor block code A3 or AT, so your carb should be correct.

http://www.pontiaconline.com/members/117/

[Huebner]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by form74:
Acoording to a book I have, Carb 7044274 came on a 74 Firebird, Formula or Trans Am that had a 400 motor block code A3 or AT, so your carb should be correct.

http://www.pontiaconline.com/members...></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thank you for the info!

Owner of a 1974 Formula in Sweden!

[Huebner]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by form74:
Acoording to a book I have, Carb 7044274 came on a 74 Firebird, Formula or Trans Am that had a 400 motor block code A3 or AT, so your carb should be correct.

http://www.pontiaconline.com/members...></BLOCKQUOTE>

I check out the block code on the engine today. It was to my surprise it was stamped ZT and had seral nr. 350771.

What I heard that is also an 1974 engien. Pretty cool to own an 400 stock engine whit only 10.000 miles on it!

Owner of a 1974 Formula 400 in Ängelholm, Sweden!

[myckee]

There is a website which explains step by step how to do the 12" rotor upgrade on your car:
http://home.pacbell.net/bigiron/Articles/BigRotor.html