Re: 403 or 400 choice?

>I've got the choice of a 79 Firebird with a 400ci engine or another with the >403. Afaik the 403 is the oldsmobile engine with 185bhp and the 400 is the >pontiac with 225hp? Are these figures correct and aside from the power drop >on the 403 are both engines ok? anything i should look for inparticular?

The 403 is a smogger slug. You will be much happier with the Poncho 400.

Reply to
Dennis Smith
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Uh, yeah ...

It was designed for all the smog emission equipment that came out in the

70s. The Olds 403 is like the Chebby 305. It gets you from point A to point B but not in any performance oriented way. People have been able to mod the Olds 403 but dollar for dollar you are better off with a different engine. The Olds 403 was choked off with dinky little intake runners and valves.
Reply to
Dennis Smith

I recently had to make the same decision as I was looking for a 79 TA. I too found the HP numbers you referenced and that was a factor in my decision to get the Pontiac 400. The clincher was that I decided to go for a 10th Anniversary Edition and I wanted an manual tranny so I had no choice but to go with the 400 as the manual models all had the 400 motor. According to the info I found 79 was the last year that the

400 motor was available. That should help the car maintain/increase its value as well.

After driving the car I'm very happy with the choice I made. The 400 has a helluva lot of power and it's a blast to drive. It's fun to be driving a manual car again after a 6 year absence.

So I can't compare the two but I can say that the 400 seems to be a great motor.

Hope this helps a bit.

Reply to
Scott Zabolotzky

Given that you have the choice, I can't understand why you would even consider the Oldsmobile engine in the Pontiac.

Reply to
Jerry Hamilton

DS

I'd rather have the Rocket then the Indian

========= Harryface =========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE ~_~_~258,600 miles_~_~~_
Reply to
Harry Face

the pontiac 400 is the more desirable car, and motor for that matter, the olds

403 is not a bad motor, just a basic passenger car motor made to pass tough emmissions, as far as value and dersirablity the poncho wins out, and especially for modifiying, the 403 is not a choice motor for upgrading, its been done, just not worth it in my opinion, the 400 is essentially the same motor they been putting in GTO's in the late 60's, the've been choked up a lot by the late 70's but their is a huge support for aftermarket pontiac stuff and lots of performance potential from a 400, now stock may be your thing which is fine, but the pontiac will be the way more sought after car, and in 79 your only choice with a 400 would be with a 4 speed, if it aint, its not original 79 T/A WS6 455 ,Hurst 4 spd, Blk w/ t-tops, Heavily Fortified, 4mpg

00 Ram 2500HD QC V-10 4x4,Blk,5 spd,4:10 LSD, 10mpg

98 Intruder 1400, Blk, 5 spd, 25mpg
Reply to
TOXICTAVRN

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