Like most of you know I have recently bought a 86 Trans Am. It has a 350 in it from a 77 chevy truck.
It also has the stock 700r4 Tranny.

Here is a pic of the engine.




The Monte SS has the stock 305h.o with 133k miles on it and stock tranny. It is pretty slugish and the tranny slips a little bit(not bad).

Here is a pic of the engine.




I have been pondering the idea that I could swap the engine and tranny from the Trans Am to the Monte... then maybe sell the transmission and motor from the Monte.

I would really like to know what you guys think.
My uncle is pretty good with engines and could probobly help me swap out engine and tranny.

If you wanna see both cars in action for a better understanding on how they run click the links.

The Monte.
Video - I am working on getting this car to run better... If you have any suggestions please tell me. (Brother acting like an idiot) For better quality pictures and videos go here...(use IE) http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e294/Nate-Hale/?sc=3 Go here clicl the

The Trans Am
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/4...C0B21C5660.htm


The reason I am debating this is that I have started on body work with the Trans Am... It has been really hard.. and there is SOOoo much bondo.. Its not from rust either... its from lots of of dents they pulled out and layed it thick with bondo ... Maybe after it I could part it out or somthing?

 

bump any comments?

 

I think a decent 350 would feel more sluggish in a monte carlo then in a 3rd gen. I'd soup up the 350 with bolt ons, etc, and get some more power.

bodywork is tiring, time consuming, and not all that fun. My car looks heinous, and it's going to stay that way this summer while I drive it.

Leave the monte carlo to rot. (hey, what'dja expect, this is a 3rd gen forum!)

 

why would it be slower in the Monte? would I have to mess with shortening the drive shaft?

 

The Monte Carlo SS is not much heavier than similarly equiped 3rd gen is. The Monte Carlo SS post 1984 came with 3.73 gears and a 2004R transmission. They are a good match. I would keep the 2004R, but swap the 350 into the Monte.

 

the Tranny in the Monte right now slips some and bogs a little.

 

yes, what fast said, the monte is faster.

IMHO, I think a fast 3rd gen car (specially a nice one like that), would be overall more fun to drive, then a slightly slower, yet still fast, monte carlo. The 3rd gen is more of a sports car, bit lighter, better suspension, etc. Just "feels" sportier.... Again, just my

You could just get a JY trans to replace in the monte, maybe re-ring it if you need it. Then put some real coins into the 3rd gen...

 

Use the Monte Carlo. It's a stronger and better platform. Also, stay away from a car that's a basket case. You'll drop a ton of money into it and get nearly nothing out of it when you sell.

 

Bout how much more power would the 350 have versus my smogged 305?
HP... Torque?

 

Bump ^ any ideas? any ideas on how to check for vaccum leaks? and get the secondaries to open?

 

that 350 was about 150hp BRAND NEW. lucky if its near that now...


Its nothing special just the typical low compression gutless smogger motor!

 

whoa, never knew about those problems

ok, grab a propane torch, don't light it, just keep it hissing. While the car is running, pass it over places that may be leaking, intake gasket area, carb base, vacuum lines, etc etc... If idle speeds up, that's a leak. Use a vacuum gauge to check your vacuum at idle, at a 650RPM idle, you should be pulling over 20", if you are, then you probably don't have a vacuum leak anyway so....

your secondaries probably are opening, why do you think they aren't? (and no, they won't open while you stand and rev the car, so that test won't work anyway). If that's a q-jet, preferably non computer controlled post it over on the carb forum, i'll give you a hand... (if I haven't already answered it...)
PS. with the car idling, and warm, hold the throttle open, like 3000RPM or so, push the secondary air valve open (which will raise your secondary rods, so hopefully it won't just stall out), and yank the throttle WOT real fast, if your secondary blades open, your secondaries are opening (most likely). There's always the secondary lock out tang, or your secondary air can, or linkages.... (then again, if it's not a q-jet, then I just feel like a tool here..)

 

The 350 is not a smog setup 350... I dont think it would only have 150 HP either... It has a hell of alot more get up and go than the Monte... and it has a smogged 305 h.o with 180 HP.

Its from a 77 4x4 CK-10 truck I think. has aluminum intake on it also.

 

Well put it this way. a 77 vette 350 had 180hp, GM/Chev would never let anything have more power than the vette..! (or at least they would just lie about the ratings )


And sorry, yes 70s are the smogger era. Just because it doesnt/didnt have an air pump or cats doesnt mean that their isnt sh!tty flowing low compression heads on there! Check out the power ratings on a 1970 350 compared to a 1972, it went from 300 to 200hp and dropped to 165hp in '75. damn tree huggers...

 

uhh, not to stir up a **** storm, but 84z, remember that's also when SAE net HP was used instead of gross HP.... but yea, HP levels dropped in the '70s, that's a fact.

 

Is it a better paltform to build from than the 305?

Where can I find blocks id number?? cant see it on the 350

how easy is switchin distributors?

 

yes, a 350 is a better platform to use than a 305, for a multitude of reasons. In your case, since you have both, it's definately better to use the 350.

Your 350's casting # should be right above the bellhousing, quite hard to see. If you're sure it's a 350, then that casting # won't tell you anything you don't already know, so....

swapping distributors is easy.

 

Bolt some high flow heads and a bigger carb/intake and get that 350 up to decent horsepower levels.

Don't build up the 305. Trust me. I already made that mistake

 

Woulkdnt the parts interchange from 305 to 350 anyway...?

how much would a intercooler help?

 

the alternator in that first pic has no fan?!

Edit: cant spell

 

Its oldschool, internal fan!

 

an intercooler wouldn't really help a naturally aspirated motor.


It sounds like you have no direction whatsoever on this "project".

Go sit outside on your porch, have a beer, meditate if you're that kinda guy. Go for a spin. Think about what you want out of the car.

Then come back and post what you want to get out of it, how much you want to spend, and we can give you suggestions from there. Otherwise everyone's just tossing out idea's that are totally out of left field.

 

Well i switched the carb's on the monte and T/a well left it off the t/a but the t/a's carb works hell of alot better then old stock one, now i can roast new tread off tires, secondaries are opening WOT now, but theres lotta vacuum leaks, and car wont Idol enless u keep gas goin lil bit,

and now the body work is about 1/3 done on t/a, the new bondo is going on the car ready to be sanded and redone again, after that a lil paint and then the interior workl headliner is pretty much all it needs, but l8er on down the road id like to put new suspension on it, and some new tires, As for the monte, prolly going to buy a nice edlebrock carb for it and give the T/a back its carb and then prolly lil hp helpers here and there, oh and with the new carb on it i Got a 95 mustang kill Pretty easly, as for the 1st time i raced him he Whipped me in 3rd gear,