I was just wondering what the 1979 trans am with a olds 403 and a 2:41 gear run in the 1/4.
Thank you
Mike

 

With a stock 403, I would guess low 15's, maybe high 14's/ Try www.transamcountry.com they are the equality of here but for old T/A's

 

Couple guys I know with stock 403s managed low 15s and with a few minor mods high 14s should be doable not sure with 2.41s though but with 3.08s.
I am also at 1900 feet so that hurts times too.One big trick on my 80 ta which has 400 pontiac but similar engine is to shift the auto manually at around 5000 on my motor.The car was like a full second slower when let it shift itself.I hit low 15s high 14s with my 400 with 3.08s,dual 2 1/4 exhaust
and thats about it.It can hit low 14s now with 3.42s and 2400 b and m holeshot and hoping for mid thirteens with new cam and intake and better exhaust.These times are on street tires not drag type tires.

 

It's going to be the 2.41's that hold you back. I go them in my car... and with anywhere between 300 and 340 hp I still can't move the car

 

I once had a 1986 Olds Cutlass Supreme with a 403.
I stuck in a CC 268H cam with new lifters and springs.
It had a performer RPM and both a 600cfm Edelbrock (Carter AFB) and a 750cfm Holley, both vacuum.
Headers, new ignition system components, a THM350 Turbo tranny & stock converter, and the 2.41 gears in the back, with no posi.

That car weighs about what your car does, mid-3,000's.

It was good for high 14's - Low 15's, depending.

I wrecked it before I had a chance to change the converter and rear end.

 

You rev a 403 to 5000 to many times and the crank will rip the bottom of the block in half right below the piston bores.

 

Thats seem awful slow for a 403 as both buddies with near stock ones did high 14s low 15s.With cam and stuff would think easy mid 14s.Guess those 2.41 gears really hurt times though.Thnk going for 3.08 to 3.42 in my 80 was worth at least two or three tenths and think the stall was worth three to 5 tenths.Also these cars dont' seem to shift good at all if left in auto .Manually shifting took off lots of time in mine.

 

Well I think the 403's made something like 210hp stock? And that has to push a 3800 pound car.... then you got the 2.41 gears, high 15's is what I'd guess.

Ofcourse, it's not all that hard to make them much faster

 

TIM H....

I have seen somthing similar with the 403. Friend had one in a 69 Bird and it pulled the main studs clean out of the block. Not a good thing. Only salvagable parts were the intake/carb.

 

403's are a good engine, as long as they are in their element.

If you rebuild one, line-bore it, choose lighter weight pistons and rods (although the stock 403 rods are very strong, so you could just have them balanced and shot peened.), and plan to keep the revs below 5500rpm.

The single MOST important thing you should do is get a custom camshaft. Never buy an off-the-shelf cam for this motor, because they aren't optimized for this motor. With heads, you have a couple of choices, one of which is the Edelbrock heads. Yes, you can bolt Big Block Olds heads to a Small Block Olds. You will need to use the Performer RPM manifold for this, which was intentionally designed with more beef so it could be angle milled for a BB Head/SB Block engine.

Go over to realoldspower.com and talk to them. You can get 500lb/ft of torque out of that engine and have it be reliable.

DO NOT GO TO MONDELLO FOR ANYTHING UNLESS NOBODY ELSE HAS IT.

You can ask the folks at R.O.P. about that when you get there.