"...mechanical fuel pump is on driver side of pontiac engine..."
There are several brands of Pontiac fuel pumps. The main thing is to buy one that was made recently, so that it will be ethanol resistant. Some of the NOS pumps on Ebay won't hold up with ethanol in the gas.
Carter is one of the big name brand Pontiac pumps. Airtex is another big name in mechanical pumps. Pontiac pumps are available in lots of styles. Some have a vapor return line fitting--some don't. The fittings are at different angles on some models. Some have a small can--some have a long can. There are also performance models that will pump more fuel than a stock replacement. Here are a few Carter replacement pumps.
Airtex lists both a 2-line & a 3-line pump, for a '68 Bird, with a 350 engine. They both have the small can. If you want a big can pump, you can look up a '78 Bird, with a 400 engine. It'll show a 41382.
The equivalent Carter big can pump is an M6122. As mentioned, the fuel fittings came out of the pump at different angles, for different model cars. But, if you don't need to have the original factory line routing, you can choose your routing and the pump that will best suit the routing you choose.
The starter is also on the driver side. I'd go with a mini-starter, such as a Summit brand. I've had 2 that both cranked hot 455 engines, with no problem.
Steel bell housings are now pricey. But, you can probably find a decent factory alum for $150 or less. If you can't, I'll ship you one for $150. New alum repros are also available. Probably a good idea to go with a new clutch fork.
