Can anyone tell me when Pontiac stopped making their own engines? I need to find a kick-down bracket for a TH350 and wasn't sure how new of a Firebird I could steal one off of.
Yes, the 79 Anniversary edition 4-speeds had the last of the 400's in them from what I've heard.
So you should have quite the selection, but that kick down switch should cross over to many applications, and or work from many different models using a similar combo...
to be exact the last 400 pontiac was built in 78 the 79's were just what was left over after they ran out in 79 they were replaced during the remaining production year with 403 olds motors if you chose a 6.6l engine.you could get an automatic behind the 400 pontiac in 79 i have seen several case as a matter a fact i am helping restore a red automatic 79 TA w/a 400 all original.
The 350 (4 bbl only) bowed out at the end of '77, with 170 hp.
There were apparently only about 10,000 400's left for '79, and most (but not all) went into the Tenth Anniversary Trans Ams. If you ordered a 4 speed car in '79, you got the Pontiac 400, but you could also get the 400 with an auto as mentioned.
(According to "The Fabulous Firebird" by Michael Lamm)
According to Pete McCarthy's book (Pontiac bible) and Firebird Red Book: No 400 Pontiacs were installed with the auto transmission.(only 4spd manual) The autos were either the 403 Oldsmobile or 301 Pontiac. The 301 could be had with a 4spd also.
The 400/4 spd Trans Am were as follows: 2,485 Non T-Top T/A 2,917 T-Top T/A 1,107 Special Edition w/ T-Top T/A 1,817 Tenth Anniversary T/A
Rob, I was meaning the big engine cars (400 or 403), but you're right, other engines could be ordered with a 4 speed, including the Chev 305 and 350 - again according to "The Fabulous Firebird". Only the 403 didn't have a manual trans option. All the engines could be had with autos - apparently!
We may have to rely on eye witness reports to be sure of any of this! I'll start - the two TA/TA's that were purchased new by my friends had the 403/auto combination.
Yes, only talking about the TA's, your good, your good! I should have said the big engines (yes, Q, they're still under by at least 50 cubes) in the TA's. And if Pontiac would have kept producing their own engines instead of going to corporate engines, there wouldn't be any confusion, so their bad!
I agree with BIRDSPRINTER AND Pete that the 79 Trans Am cars that have the 400 only had a 4-speed, no automatics. In fact, I'm looking at my PHS paperwork and they say that the 400 was the L78 (W72) option and it included a 4 speed and excluded the automatic. To get the auto you had to have ordered the Olds 403.
If i am mistaken i will be the first to admit it all i know about this car is that it was originally owned by a man in town here and my friend purchased it from him it looked like it had never been apart had an invoice in the glove box with the warranty info.it has a 400 pontiac and a th350 underneath..but i cant recall if it said on the invoice or rpo tag off the top of my head w72 for the the 400 pontiac engine.if im wrong than maybe the engine was swapped in at the dealership because this car is as the orignial owner stated "exactly how it was when he bought it"only slightly older but like a said if I'm wrong im wrong.I am not afraid to admit it and it wont be the last time.I'm only 25 and i have a ways to go before i'm perfect.
it has a 400 im sure of that it was cast on the side of the block by the fuel pump plus the dipstick was on the right side and not at the back left like a 301 i thought about that.
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