6.6l small block 400... - F-Body Online

DarkSteed · 04-20-2008, 08:57 PM

Ok, I recently got a 1978 Trans Am with a small block 400 in it. However, the body for it is pretty much shot, everything is rusted out. I am trying to decide what car I want to put the 400 into when I get it rebuilt. I've been thinking about dropping it into a 4th gen camaro or firebird, but I'm not sure how well that would go. If this swap would be hard, I may drop it into a 2nd generation camaro. And, if that is too much work, drop it into a 2nd gen firebird since that's what it came out of. So... what are your opinions on what I should do with the 400? I would love to drop it into a 4th gen, but I've never heard of it being done and I can't seem to find anything on this forum, or any forum for that matter, about it.

joelster · 04-20-2008, 09:15 PM

A Pontiac 400 into a 4th gen? It MAY fit between the shock towers, but good luck finding an exhaust that will fit. You will need custom headers ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$) all the way. I'm not sure if those motors are any taller than there Chevrolet cousins. If you run a carb on a 4th gen with any sort of high rise intake, you need a cowl hood for clearance. Don't forget that the distributor is now under the windshield. You'll need to fab some motor mounts also. Oh, you'll need a Buick, Pontiac, Olds transmission too. Of course then the 4th gen torque arm won't bolt up, so you'll need a different crossmember with a torque arm mount (B+M makes one). The driveshaft may not be the same length either.

DarkSteed · 04-20-2008, 11:50 PM

I'm guessing it would be cheaper just to buy a 5.7l 4th gen and rebuild it for performance? That still leaves me with a leftover 400... maybe I can sell it.

strc09 · 04-26-2008, 04:59 PM

Pretty much.

However...I did see in one of my car mags that someone put a Poncho block into a GenIII 'Bird. I can't remember which one it was though. They used a 1991 Firebird. It was pretty cool...I wish they had shown more of it.