1971 fire bird build?
 

My question is how much mods will it take for someone to build a 1971 fire bird 350. To beat my low12 high 11 sec 1996 camaro. The reasion I am asking this is I have been talking crap to my uncle about how my stock ported head and cam lt1 is faster than all of his small block chevy 383 builds. He dosent think my car runs what it runs eventhough I showed him time slips.So he thinks he is going to do a heads and cam on an old 1971 fire bird with a pontiac 350. He really thinks he will beat me with these mods alone.What do you guys think it will take to make that car run high 11s N/A.

He would have to install a built 455 to get into the 11's. The 350 pontiac block has the same dimensions and weight as the 455. It would be a waste of money to do anything to it. The 350 makes a good boat anchor. It's a 16sec car stock. It does put out decent torque.

Not going to happen with a Pontiac 354, the bore is too small to make serious power without a loads of money invested in modifaction, or Nitrous/forced induction.
I had one in my Firebird, switched to a 400.... best choice I made. Tell him to drop in a bigger engine.

That's what I toled him.I have been trying to talk him into a ls1 but he dosent want to hear it. He says they are way over priced and he can get the same out of his origional motor for less.:D I toled him with a cam only ls1 he could make 400hp at the tire and get way better mpg than his old boat anchor. But he made his mind up on building the origional motor. So I am going to get a big laugh when we go to the track after his build. Maybe I should add a 100 shot just for laughs.

Dont underestimate the sneakiness of a old man you never know what they will do.

Ya I know. But I now he is a cheap old man and will not risk using nitrous or forced induction. On the other hand he might get a 455 block and tell me it's his old 350. I think if I just add a 100 shot he will not have a chance n/a unless he builds one hell of a motor. He is geting the car this weak end then he is going to decide what he is going to do, so I will have time to decide if I want to add a 100 shot or not.

Here is one way a Pontiac 350 could get the job done. Much work and money when a budget built 400 or 455 could make the same power. But bragging is cool.

http://www.pontiacpower.com/indexcopy350.htm

I don't feel you have anything to fear if he sticks with factory Pontiac 350 block and head castings. And I am a hardcore Pontiac man - it's like trying to make a 305 Chevy run with a 383 Chevy - why?

"What? I thought you said just bolt-ons.....that blower bolted right on!"


If he was using a Chevy 350 I would say he could do it with ease. Then again I don't know how good of a drag racing platform the old F-bodies were.:confused:

2nd gen Firebirds are heavy. A 350 Chevy Gen 1 motor in such a car would need to be built very well to match race a 4th gen Camaro with a LT1. And the old Firebird built/lightened for the track.
Look at the power/weight posted in the link above - high 11's with almost 500 flywheel hp and 500 tq in a lighter car than a 71 Firebird.

In this case - Gen 1 350 /2nd Gen F-bod vs. Gen II 350 /4th Gen F-bod = the old man is looking to get beat by the kid, I think.

Are 2nd gens really over 3500lbs? That's ridiculous. Maybe if he had a well optioned car that was near the max weight of a T-top car, and the old firebird added a huge stall and some gears. Then of course built the old pontiac to the hilt, he might have a chance.

You can get 2hp/cube out of an SBC, I doubt the old man wants to spend that kind of money though. Might be able to pick up a used Nextel Cup motor for $10k.;)

His car has to be a lot heaver than my car because the only thing metal on my car is my rear fenders. His car is all metal. He is also going to have problems with traction, he is running stock rims with factory size tires.

Factory sized tires? Burn 'em man, put that 2nd Gen in its place:D

Their that heavy,my friends 78 TA 455,AC,rollbar,full int=4050lbs

Holy crap dude! What a pig. Of course if I had my way all sports cars would weigh in under 2500 lbs and have no less than 500 hp, but the world is just not that perfect.:(

Indeed - but as a die hard Pontiac man - remember what a pig they are next time you see a 12 second or faster 2nd gen Firebird or Trans Am!
We build 'em, and it's not that easy as getting these 4th gen cars to do it :)