1979 VSE FIRE-AM 400/4-Spd

[Nexus]

So...sadly, it took me until now to find this post. I love the story with it, that's pretty amazing you were able to find out everything. This will be cool to watch come together!!

Out of curiosity,  how long did it take you to track everyone down?

[kentucky yeti]

So...sadly, it took me until now to find this post.

Where you been?  LOL

[Maxthe222]

Out of curiosity,  how long did it take you to track everyone down?

It took about 3 months to get in touch with everyone, it was a lot of phone calls at midnight Australia time, and a lot of phonebook searching. A lot of the time was waiting for phone calls or forms to come back in, but took a while. Finding the original block was about a month of searching and waiting and going through emails etc.

I'm also considering just doing the floor cut outs and welding myself, if there's a Youtube video for it, can't be too hard, right? This channel has a lot of video guides on a car that's basically the same as mine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmRr8R7w1ic

[Casey]

Too late, now everyone thinks you're a codeine abuser thanks to scarebird.

I wish I had a codeine problem over a Firebird problem, probably be a lot cheaper....

Also if your car has rust holes in the bottom and it's left outside in the absolutely down pouring rain, it can't rust anymore because the water just leaks through the holes, right?

Right??

Well, not cheaper on your health.  So think of it that way.

I might rust less since it isn't holding the water, but that's not saying much.

[Maxthe222]

Well, not cheaper on your health.  So think of it that way.

Well, I think I might need 50 tetanus shots and I have certainly broken a thumb or two. Bench pressing gas tanks also is a bit rough...

[Casey]

Well those are relatively minor and won't lead to you dying before you're 30, so it's all good.

[Maxthe222]

Well those are relatively minor and won't lead to you dying before you're 30, so it's all good.

Ah-ah-ah! You haven't seen how I drive my Y84! Now imagine this with a real performance engine! Imagine if I had a mustang instead... the horror... the karnage...

[Casey]

Oh yeah, I forget not everyone is safe and responsible like me.

[Maxthe222]

Going through all the parts I have for the engine block now, I think everything is there for it mechanically. However, I think i'm missing the alternator and another miscellaneous bracket, and obviously the smog pump (boo hoo ;P) Can't tell if this camshaft is original or not, however I think I just want to build a completely stock '79 400. It sounds like it was an excellent performer with just minor bolt on modifications, like the exhaust headers, shaker opening, carb tuning and smog junk removal. What can I expect with that kinda rebuild? I'm open to other options, but I don't want to bore the block out, might consider A/C in the future, and wanna keep the stock valve covers.

[Casey]

Would have to ask the Pontiac gurus around here for an exact cam, but generally you can go a bit warmer than stock on the cam with no ill effects in terms of street manners or mpg.  I think the '79 400 was 220? or so net horsepower; so between cam, intake manifold, headers and exhaust I don't why you couldn't get 300 net at the flywheel.  Which is a nice starting point for moving around a 3,800-4,000 pound car.  300 net horsepower in a 3,400 pound car is enough, but I also think 142 net horsepower in a 2,400 pound car is enough so I'm easy to please in that regard.

[Nexus]

So...sadly, it took me until now to find this post.

Where you been?  LOL

apparently under a rock and not connected to society!!!       lol

3 month's isn't that ling to track down the history of thongs considering what you had to work with!!

I'm excited to watch this come together

as far as the welding goes...the more you do the better you get...the floor ia a good spot to do it...easy to fix mistakes and then gets hidden easily. Also gives you tine to learn your machine better.

very cool