ethomp

So I am thinking about buying a 1977 TA off of a buddy at work. I'm putting this in the newb section because although i grew up around all kinds of muscle cars, i was too little to really remember how to work on them.

This car has an Oldsmobile 350 in it. I was just looking for some help on where to find good maintanence and mechanical manuals for this engine and car. Also for a good place to buy performance parts for it. Been searching the internet for a few days and found a few sites but was hoping some of ya'll would have better insight.

I plan on doing a cam, heads, exhaust, rear end, etc. and doing all the work myself for the first time. I want this to be MY car. Thanks in advance for any help and sorry about the long post.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

If you want to hop up a 350 you will be money ahead
by pulling that Olds and finding a Chebby. Parts premium
on the BOP motors is harsh (nearly as bad as LSX stuff).
Not that the 350 Olds was terrible, but it's not any
better of a base to build on. And by '77 it was a smog-
strangled turd, bet on it.

Personally I want nothing to do with anything built
between 1975 and 1997. And not that keen on '73-
'74, other than maybe a super clean chrome bumper
Stingray.

zamora7

iTrader: (4)

If were you I would get because if you don't you'll regret it later, trust me. I already missed out on a 77 TA and a 79 bird. The 77 was almost perfect for its age for $1500 and 79 was a great car too for $375. I would take that olds 350 and swap it for 455 olds(I don't know why I like these) and mod it or LSX swap. Pics would be nice.

ethomp

Don't have any pics of it. It's in ok shape but not great. Needs paintjob, interior and stuff, nut thats what i'm looking for; something i can make completely my own. I have been looking at doing an engine swap too though. It originally had the 6.6L in it. I was irritated when i found out it had been swapped, but i love that style TA so I would deal with it. He's selling for $1,500 and I've looked around and cars in his shape and year are going for around 3-4K, so he's giving me a deal and its hard to pass up

RaggedRides

iTrader: (8)

Can't help but ***** my old bird out..

I bought this one a few years back when my '95 GT got beat up by a Kenworth. I paid $3,800 and daily drove it for nearly two years before getting the Z28. No heat, ac, power steering, overdrive or fuel injection; just a Pontiac 400/TH400 combo with an open differential and 2.41s. The car was pretty damn reliable and only left me stranded when I got brave with the gas gauge. Gave it to my brother for his 16th. He's been working on it ever since, now tying up the loose ends of an LT1 swap.





Look at that room....




I've been over this car with a fine tooth comb and can tell you that rot will find it's way into places you will not notice. An original paint car is a gem because there's no body work hiding the cancer. Mine had some make up on. Check the rear frame rails, floor pans, trunk floor and drain valleys, taillight panel, around the window trim, door jambs and all lower sheetmetal.

These cars are extremely mechanic friendly, get untold amounts of attention and will appreciate in value if kept up nicely. For what 1st gens bring these days, these are an awesome alternative. Just keep an open mind and don't let yourself trick you into buying a piece of ****. Join the nastyz28 forums if you'd like o get up to snuff on 2nd gens. Awesome bunch of fellows and a wealth of information there.

As far as the Olds mill goes, I'd pass. I could see swapping for a big inch Pontiac or even a big block Oldsmobile, but you'll spend nearly twice the money on parts. I used to get pissed when ordering things out of Jegs for the 400. Look at intakes and compare the prices to a small block Chevy. Rediculous! A carb'd SBC or BBC swap would be so stupid simple and dirt cheap. A lot of people overlook them, but the LT1s drop right in with nothing but 3rd gen mounts. Throw on some bolt-ons, heads, cam and have 400 to the wheels.

DeltaElite121

iTrader: (1)

I would ditch that olds motor, personally. If you want to go with a small block, either do a 383, or go with a 400 SBC.. otherwise (and this would be my choice on the matter) I would go big block. There's no reason not to in those cars considering the amount of space they have to work with.

- OR like mentioned before.. do a LSx swap.. maybe even stroke out one of those instead?

LS1W66

First you need to find out if the engine is an actual Old's 350 (something that was never factory installed in any Trans Am) or the Old's 403. if it's the original 403 the 5th digit of the Vin # should be K.
While a 400 Pontiac is a better starting point the 403 can be made to run reliably in the low 14's considering it's still just a bored out 350 Olds.

99blownLS-WON

Totally agree with the exception of the 73-74 part...if you can find a super duty 455...thats the ticket laddy!! Me personally I wouldnt purchase a 77-81 TA because they are every where at the car shows! Plus you can find a real nice one either already restored or orginal for decent money (pick up a "old car autotrader 90% of the TA's are from 77-81). They are slow as dirt too even though yours has a olds 350 (not original as posted before) its still not worth the build IMO. If you want a nice 2nd gen the 70 1/2- 73 would be the best bet and it will only increase in value.

cambirdracing

iTrader: (4)

GM didnt put a 350 Olds in a T/A. It has to be a 403. I would find an early 455 olds and do a swap. That way it is way easier-brackets, starter,etc. there are still plenty of 455 Olds left, you just have to find them. I wouldn't screw it up by putting a Chevy in it. Not sure if they came with those or not. I think the regular Firebird came with a 305 that year. But you would hav eto put the battery on the other side since the starter is on the wrong side. A pontiac engine would fit real nice in it, except you would need to find the accy brackets for the engine.


Personally, I would stick with the Olds and find a 455 to swap. Bolt it in and tell people it's a 403.

ethomp

Well first off, it is not the original motor. The original 6.6L took a dump on the previous owner and the olds 350 was swapped in. So is there no way i can get a reliable 400-450rwhp with that engine(adding heads, cam,etc). Because if i do all the work myself i will save more than i paid for the car and parts in labor. Not wanting to make it a beast. Just a respectable weekend warrior that can run low 8's or high 7's at the local 1/8 mile track. Does anyone think that is possible. If not, i start saving for a new engine to swap in and tear up the old one in the mean time

ZONES89RS

iTrader: (25)

Man, if you want originality, get a 400 pontiac and stroke it with some 6X heads or find a 455, but the 455 is harder to find in good shape.

Other than that, a SBC would do wonders but there is SOOO much room for a big block chevy it is hard to resist...

ethomp

Well, i'm not looking so much for originality as i am just for something that i can build up myself. That's why i don't like the idea of an engine swap, because they come allready modded and putting out great power. I would like to take something no one would expect and make it powerful. Plus, with the money i would spend on an engine, i could just buy another car. Not trying to be an ***, so sorry if i came off that way. Like i said at first, i'm not very knowledgable about the older engines, so i'm just trying to do my research and find out if i can do what i want to with this olds 350.

ethomp

And by the way, thanks to whoever moved this thread. Think i'll get better info in here. Guess i need to start reading this section so i can learn some stuff

ZONES89RS

iTrader: (25)

Plenty to learn here. Just remember, it is cheap as hell to build a small block 350, not to mention easy. They can be stroked to make power too, it will be needed to get that heavy boat to move out of its own way.

F-Body Lover

DO NOT PUT LTX OR LSX IN THAT BEAUTY old stays old I just hate it when I see a very beautiful muscle car with lsx or ltx swap I wish I can burn all those cars I dont know how ppl think that way putting a new gen engine in old school muscle car even my '92 Z28 was converted to carb and old block to keep the old school alive

cambirdracing

iTrader: (4)

I hate when people screw up good cars by putting Chevy motors in them. I am going to stick with my original idea and say keep the Olds in there. Go to your local wrecking yard, find and early 70's Delta 88, yank the 455 out of it, pay the yard $300 for it, take it to the machine shop and have them do a basic rebuild on it. Find a good low rpm, high torque cam for it, get good gas mileage and have some fun.

I had a 77 Formula with a 400 Pontiac. Blew it up, luckily I had a 455 laying around, rebuilt it, put a above cam in it. The car had 2.41 gears from the factory and it got 26 on the highway.

Start here:

http://www.mondellotwister.com/

ZONES89RS

iTrader: (25)

Ditch the olds and get a pontiac 455.

The olds is not original so F it.

The pontiac and other 455s are torque monsters.

ethomp

Thanks for the site cambird. And i'm gonna check out all these options. If i can get lucky and run into an engine for a good price, then i'll do it. I'm not trying to break the bank though. Got four kids, house, and this would make car number three so i gotta keep a budget on this thing. That's the only problem with an engine swap; these big blocks cost more than i paid for my 2000 TA. Either way though, i appreciate all this input. Keep it coming guys

cambirdracing

iTrader: (4)

I would like to see a Pontiac in it also, but trying to keep it simple for the man. That and Gm DID put OLDs motors in these cars. So why not keep one in there?

fleetmgr

^^^ I agree, KISS applies here. 455 Olds motor - torque out the wazoo. Just keep the revs down to something approaching sane, or you'll be driving over the crank.

Here's an interesting article on building one. http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...nes/index.html