301 Turbo

[79TransAm]

was wondering does anyone have any build ideas theyve seen or what not.. I know on www.pontiacpower.com they got a guy with a 80 Turbo T/A (stock?) Runnin 12.55@103 with 4.56 gears and 15lbs of boost.... thats just a pinless grenade... I dont wanna do that. I wanna port the heads and all and do it right so it dont blow... I was wondering perhaps maybe someone back in the deep archives that they have has like a combo or build sheet on this motor.

[Joe 1320]

I did mine with nitrous instead of high boost. Still a ticking time bomb no matter how you do it. The 301's heads flow like crap unless you throw a ton of dough into them. Even then you'll likely spin a bearing. The oiling system is crap too. These engines share little with the rest of the pontiac mills.

I managed mid 12s but could keep it together at that level for too long, but that was back in the late 70s so perhaps there are better parts in this day.

[N20LT4Bird]

Not many guys waste their time with that turbo motor. Your much better off with a big cube pontiac - (400, 421, 428, 455). In a 79, thats not the original engine anyways (turbo)? Right? I would set it aside for bigger cubes and you can run mid 12's with relative ease - a nice cam, intake, carb and a good set of heads would get you there. Then all you'll need is traction.

[79TransAm]

Well i want something nobody else has. As long as i build it right It will hold up.. Money isnt an issue since this would be a looong project. Plus the motor is a 301T out of a 80 T/A.

[TraceZ]

Originally posted by 79TransAm
Well i want something nobody else has. As long as i build it right It will hold up.. Money isnt an issue since this would be a looong project. Plus the motor is a 301T out of a 80 T/A.

My cousin had that motor in a T/A. It was the worst engine I ever dealt with. My quad 4 Cutlass could beat it. Hot Rod magazine once published a list of the top 10 worst V8 engines ever built. The 301T got number 1.

Having something different is good, but the 301T is just a turd. Do you really want to polish the turd?

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Originally posted by TraceZ
My cousin had that motor in a T/A. It was the worst engine I ever dealt with. My quad 4 Cutlass could beat it. Hot Rod magazine once published a list of the top 10 worst V8 engines ever built. The 301T got number 1.

Having something different is good, but the 301T is just a turd. Do you really want to polish the turd?

That's funny.

How about a turbo 400 or 455?

[79TransAm]

yea but if i built it how bad would you feel knowing you got owned by "a turd"

[markd79ta]

I always thought it would be fun to build a big block Pontiac converted to fuel injection and put a supercharger on it You would annihilate people with that. My brother had a '81 Turbo 301 T/A in the early 80s. Even when they were new, they had a lot of problems. I am not sure how you are going to build it. The computer and the QuadraJet are not so good...high rate of failure. The turbo doesn't spool very fast on that motor so with the weight of the T/A, it is a slug off the line. The bottom end won't take a lot of boost, and there isn't a whole lot of parts out there to harden it. So, by the time you put a forged rotating assembly, buy new heads, intake, carb, ignition, and turbo head unit, you will have serious $$$$$$$ in this motor. I wonder if you can modify the turbo system to fit a 400 and find a 400 block with the 6x heads (7.7:1), port them, install solid lifters and a roller cam (blower grind) and buy a new 15-18psi head unit. This would be an absolute monster and very different from the rest of the crowd.

My '79 is a number's matching original with very low miles. I am going to pull the heads, intake, carb, cam, and manifolds, store them, and replace them with the Edelbrock line. If you stick with the 301T, good luck, that is a tough build up.

[Joe 1320]

Now hold on a minute...... while the basic stock motor is a little weak, it can take a certain amount of abuse. I should know. Mine easily handled a 150 shot for many years and did rather well when built and tuned properly. The problem is that the upgrade parts are more expensive due to it being a less than popular starting point. A 175 shot did it in though.

[79TransAm]

thanx there is a way to turbo a 400... lemme check a site where a guy turbod a 79. But I'd rather supercharge a 400 rather than turbo... but turbo might work better.
http://turbocharging2ndgens.transamcountry.com/

[N20LT4Bird]

Originally posted by 79TransAm
thanx there is a way to turbo a 400... lemme check a site where a guy turbod a 79. But I'd rather supercharge a 400 rather than turbo... but turbo might work better.
http://turbocharging2ndgens.transamcountry.com/

I remember reading in High Performance Pontiac Mag on turbo charging a big cube pontiac. Now that would be different! Even if it hasnt been done, "where there's a will, theres a way". Right?

I would have to agree with most the guys on here about dumping the 301. Theres a reason why most people dont build them.

[TraceZ]

Originally posted by 79TransAm
yea but if i built it how bad would you feel knowing you got owned by "a turd"

Any of us here could get beat by a heavily modified car. There is always someone faster. If you spent thousands polishing the turd and were able to own me with it, I would not feel bad about my lost race. It would just go to prove that with enough money, anything can be fast.... even turds.

BTW.. I say "turd" with only fun. no hostility or disrespect is intended.

If you want to be different, put a turbo V6 from a Buick Grand National in it. That would be sweet.

[markd79ta]

Here is what I would build if I had the option. Full roller 400, solid lifters with a steal stroker crank, blower cam, ported Edelbrock heads port matched to the Torquer II manifold tapped to run fuel injection, 1,000 cfm four barrel throttle body, and a Procharger centrifugal supercharger. You would have a 400 that you could take to around 7,000 RPM along with some pretty wicked midrange torque. I've seen a '71 455 HO T/A here in CO chew up M3s autocrossing so you can play with the suspension...ball joints, bushings, sway bars, etc. Although, that driver was AWESOME! This build would create one wicked car.

Does your '79 have the WS-6 option that includes the rear discs and the rear sway bar?

[Jeff_in_Atl]

Originally posted by 79TransAm
yea but if i built it how bad would you feel knowing you got owned by "a turd"

I know some people you could ask. I used to have the ultimate turd. A Dodge Dart that I put a non stock 340 6 pack 4spd with 3.91 gears. People used to look at me and laugh until the light turned green and all they saw was tail lights.