Baron

Looking into an 81 TA for a friend, and the guys says it's a 350, but the VIN reads 5.0...short of inserting myself in the engine bay to get numbers, how can I tell? Thanks...

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'89 RS LO3- 140,000 miles
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Coming:
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When your buddy reaches for a 10-pound sledge and says "I think we're gonna have to modify the floor pan, okay?" the answer is NO.

Formula-91

If it's an older motor, check which side the dipstick is on. The pre-80s 350s had the dipstick on the drivers side. The 305 is on the passenger side. If it's a newer motor it'll be on the passenger side, and you'll have to run the numbers.

RB83L69

I'd be inclined to believe the VIN... the factory generally knows beter than a used-car salesman what they put in their cars... on the other hand, if someone else had come along later and changed it, the only way to know what they put in, is to look....

In any case I didn't know that they put 305s in 2nd gen T/As, but I was pretty young back then, I could be wrong. I had Z28s all through the 70s and 80s anyway. A T/A from 81 should have had a Pontiac motor or an Olds 403 in it.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

IROC5.7TPI

I agree. If th eVIN says its a 5.0 then by all means your buying a car based on it having a 5.0 in it. The VIN presents proof, unless the seller also has evidence of an engine replacement (receipts, etc.)

So what i'd explain to the seller is that inless he can prove, in writing that the car has a 350, then you will only have to assume that the original 305 still resides. And therefore the price of the car should reflect this fact, also.


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Mike L.
It ain't pretty.......

1987 IROC Z TPI 350 A4 3.27 Borg-Warner.

Mods: 2300-2500 Stall Converter, Shift Kit(GM parts), TPI Specialties Stage 3 PROM, Modified Airbox w/ K&N's, homemade cold air, Relocated MAT sensor, Gutted MAF, 160* thermostat, Accel 8mm Wires, bypassed TB coolant, Flowmaster 3 chamber single 3" in/out muffler, 3" MAC mandrel intermediate, custom dual !cat Y-pipe. airfoil, ported plenum. !smog

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Guest

They did put 305's in the TA's... from around 78 or 79 IIRC. The 400 and 403 both got the boot in 79, leaving the 301 or 305 under the hood.

RB is right, the only way to know for sure is to look, someone easily could have changed what was there in the first place. You'll have to get the numbers off the block to be sure.

Grim Reaper

One thing for sure, GM did not put SBC 350s in 2nd Gen Firebirds.

When you say 5.0 are you sure it is not a 301? (Though GM called them a 4.9 IIRC).

Hype

2nd gen '80 & '81s did come with a 305, although I thought it was only a Californian option /w the 4speed manual, but just the other day I noticed a (very beat up) 80 or 81 rolling down the street with the "T/A 5.0L" on the shaker scoop, automatic as well.

GM did some weird stuff.

Guest

There were no manual 2ndgen TA cars offered for sale in Cali after 1976, maybe even earlier than that.

West Coast GTA Man

In 81, they put 403 Olds motors in, and I believe 301 Pontiac motors, not 305's. But I can be wrong. I had two 1980 T/A's with a 301 in them, one was a turbo, they were considered 4.9 liters.
Take care
Mike

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(Gran Turismo Americano) "The Ultimate Firebird"
Smokin 1989 GTA- Bone stock except for exhaust. (no catalytic-stainless pipe into Flowmaster 2 chamber).

9177

I think there should be a marking on the block under the car by a bellhousing. Take it for a test drive and go to a goodyear store and ask them to check it out. The one I worked at did it for free and if the salesmen is honest he'll have no objections to letting you take a look

ws6formula89

They stopped production on the 403 in 79. I just researched so much on the Olds motors, and then I built one up. The 301 was offered in 81, but not sure about 305. I know they had 305s and 307s in the 2nd Gen Firebirds, but not in the T/A. It goes along with the 6 too, in the 'bird, but not the T/A. I'll check online at this 2nd Gen site and reinforce my facts. But the 403 was offered in 77-79 T/As. If it's a 4-speed car buy it! More than likely it's the Muncie 4-speed! Let's face it, most any motor was horrible in the post-gas crisis. I think the 403 was 200 horsies anyway....

-ws6formula-

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1989 Pontiac Formula WS6
69,000 miles.
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305 TBI, 4.10 gears, SLP Zexel/Torsen Limited Slip Differential, 700r4 Corvette Servo, LT4 Hot Cam/Valvesprings, GM Aluminum Driveshaft, 2700 RPM Stall, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold, Turbocity TB. Ran on 6-19-2001 again: UPDATED: 14.1 @ 97.68 mph. Dyno'd Bone Stock @ 172.6 rwhp, 266 ft-lbs. of rw-torque.

Guest

The 403 died in 79 and wasnt available with a manual tranny.

The 305 was first used in 78, and was optional on the TA in both 80 and 81. It appears that in 81, the manual was available in cali with the 305 only... first time since 1974 a manual was available in cali on a TA or any other firebird for that matter.

The available engines in 81 were:
231 V6
265 V8
301 V8
Turbo 301
305 V8

The 301's and 305 were used in the TA's.

ws6formula89

Thanks for clearing that up madmax...you guys got me wondering!

-ws6formula-

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1989 Pontiac Formula WS6
69,000 miles.
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305 TBI, 4.10 gears, SLP Zexel/Torsen Limited Slip Differential, 700r4 Corvette Servo, LT4 Hot Cam/Valvesprings, GM Aluminum Driveshaft, 2700 RPM Stall, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake manifold, Turbocity TB. Ran on 6-19-2001 again: UPDATED: 14.1 @ 97.68 mph. Dyno'd Bone Stock @ 172.6 rwhp, 266 ft-lbs. of rw-torque.

West Coast GTA Man

That explains it, thanks Max.
take care
Mike

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(Gran Turismo Americano) "The Ultimate Firebird"
Smokin 1989 GTA- Bone stock except for exhaust. (no catalytic-stainless pipe into Flowmaster 2 chamber).