Under the index for under a grand!
 

You read it right, this winters project is going to be something that should do away with all of the excuses for not being able to afford to go Stock Eliminator racing!
One of my racing buddys just bought a 1979 Pontiac GP out of the local shopper for 500 bucks and through some good scrounging, good dealing and(hopefully) good luck we are going to try and get it under the U/SA index for 1000 bucks or less(or more) not counting the price of the car.
We've got it in the garage and up in the air so stay tuned for updates.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

This will be interesting,keep us updated.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

2 bbl 301? I hope you're planning on getting it out early in the season

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I saw the car its for real should be good.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Let's make this a classracer project car. I know we all have extra used parts that we will never use and we can donate. Gauges, gears,tires,shifters,shocks,plug wires,coils,ignition boxes,etc. I will donate an 8" th200 converter if others are interested in helping. What do you think, Billy?

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Hi Bob! Merry Christmas to you and the Mrs!
I appreciate your offer but I'm going to try and hold this thing to my strict budget cap and I know that there are some things that I'm going to catch flak for already.
I like the idea of a "Project Class Racer" though. I'd be up for that. I'll have to run it past Kenny.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Kudos, Billy! This is one of my "favs" right now. Ridiculously low power rating, cheap and not too difficult ot find, RWD, V8, available in 2bbl-4bbl-auto-stick.

I like the idea of a Class Racer "dime rocket" project! It's not too critical that it be a killer car, but fast enough to qualify at national events and not be first round fodder in class elims.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Billy - I'm in .......And we'll see if we can make this happen .And Merry Christmas .

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Sounds Like a great idea, "Project Class Racer". I will start a thread and stick it to the top. I don't want to take away from Billy's build.

Bob, thanks for the input. Glad to see Jack and Billy on board. I am sure other members will also join in.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Under the index for a $1000 ... easily if you add a blue bottle ... Just kiddin'

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Im in also.............

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I'm in, whatcha need?

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Rick, if you or Smedley can find us a couple of Turbo 301 blocks, that would be great.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

try craigslist ad phone #321-960-3773--- $90 OR
ebay brand new block # 120998762981

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I hope this helps:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1980-PONTIAC...e36254&vxp=mtr

Let me know what I can do to contribute.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

every other block I find will become yours, I need them too :)

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I have some used items that are just collecting dust, and might be useful:

-5 gallon fuel cell
-Hurst Quarter-Master shifter- 3 speed- I think it has a forward pattern
-15 X 4 front wheels with 4 3/4" bolt pattern- there are tires on them, but they are old and dry. They look like Weld Draglites, with the small holes around the circumference.
-4:88 ring & pinion for 12-bolt Chev, if you go with a12-bolt- 100+ runs
-9 X 30 Hoosier radial slicks with a full season's runs
-One 200M transmission core for BOP.
-I may have 3 or more Schubeck lifters left from a Pontiac 400 that exploded- need to be closely inspected.

Would also consider lending a full set of wheels and tires for a month or so.

All are free if used for the cause. I travel to central PA at least once every month, so delivery is an option.

Tony- 610-431-7740

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Bob, Bob, Rick and Tony, I appreciate the offers but I am going to try and stick to my plan of "diming" it together myself to see if it can be done.
I spent the day in the shop taking apart the rear and pulling out the power brakes to change it over. As there aren't very many manual brake S-10s laying around anymore, I'm making up a few pieces to convert the GP. Hopefully tomorrow I'll take some pics of what's needed to SAFELY do the job.
I scored a good used 4.56 gearset and a 2 series posi unit with spacer for $100 bucks so that should pretty well get this thing rolling. Now I know that it's not the optimal thing to use but the price is right and it's only going to (hopefully) be a high 14 second car that doesn't weigh a whole lot so maybe it'll live a while.
I got a pair of 15X 8 wagon wheels and a pair of 15x 4 sparetire wheels out of the wheel pile at a local salvage yard(they don't like to be called junk yards anymore). I have an old set of 8.5x 26 M/T slicks that I won't use again and dragged home a pair of 26" tall M/T fronts from along side of the M/T trailer a couple of years ago so, after buying a can of black paint, I'm set with wheels and tires for $35.
As it's snowing like crazy outside, I'm hoping to get a fair amount done in the next couple of days.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Well, I'm trying to post some pics but the program that the pics are on doesn't like the Class Racer program. I'll try and sort this out and get back to posting.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Billy, Just open a Photobucket account...It's free ...Thought you'd like that.

It's not that hard, if I can do it...I'm lucky if I can even make a K-cup of coffee

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Thanks for sharing this build, I know I will keep a close watch on the progress. Will we be able to see the Top Secret Tricks you stock guys use?

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Billy, e-mail them to me and I will post them for you. buffdaddy_1302@hotmail.com or dragrace1302@verizon.net

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Well, I was finally able to figure out how to post pics! Here it is on it's way home.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I removed the power brake booster and made the necessary mods to convert it to manual. Now the right way to do this is get the pieces from a manual brake S-10 or late 70s Camaro or Nova but they just aren't that common anymore. I took lots of pics of the pieces that I made to help anyone doing this to do it correctly. I've seen more than a couple of "professionally prepped" S and SS cars crash because this wasn't done right.
I made the cup out of a piece of 15/8 exh tubing and some 16 ga. scrap. The plate for the firewall is made from 1/8 flatstock. the rod is made out of the orig. rod that I cut out of the rear of the booster and some 3/8 rod. I threaded the ends and joined them with a coupling nut and tig welded them together. The rod should be just less than 4" long fron c/l of mounting hole to end of rod. At the end of the rod, weld on a 3/4" dia washer. Slot the cup end so that the mounting end of the rod just makes it through but the washer won't.
Take the orig. pedal and grind off the weld on the mounting stud and reweld it in the empty upper hole in the pedal. Done, assemble.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I got your free case of Amalie oil here, good for anything and everything!
I got an extra K hanger as well, very important for the super Qjet tuneup.

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Tire package consists of 27" M/Ts in front and 8.5x26s in the rear on 15x4 GM spare tire wheels and 15x8 wagon wheels. The tires came out of the"I'm not going to use em" pile and the wheels are out of the "wheel" pile at the salvage yard. Throw in a can of semi-gloss black NAPA paint and total wheel and tire package costs $35. That's done.

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I scored a set of ???? headers at the salvage yard off of a 78 Firebird. They didn't want to fit but moving around a couple of tubes fixed that. They're 15/8 dia. tubes that are too big for this deal but they're good enough to start with. Price? Fix the countermans leaky 650 Holley.
Maybe later in this project I'll try and connect some tubes to this.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Billy give me a call if you need somthing..631 834 0511 James..Lots of stuff from my junk pile

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Billy - the headers in the picture look like for a SBC. Somehow I thought the car was a Pontiac 301.

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They ARE 301 alright..They have the extra middle bolt hole that matches the original left hand exhaust manifold.
Billy, are you sure they're too big? I know they're too small for a 350 Pontiac.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Yes. I see now.

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Billy, if the car needs any glass related items let me know. I know you are doing this on your own, but thought I would offer.

Dave

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

James, Dave and everybody else that has offered help and stuff, thanks. If I get jammed up I'll definitely let you know!
I got my heads done today thanks to my old buddy Al Grabinski who lets me use his shop to do my stuff. Also for letting me dig through his garbage for stuff like valve springs retainers and rocker studs that he won't reuse on his race boat motors.
Extra special bonus points to the first person who can tell me which holes in the 301 head are intake ports (Yac can't play).

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Don't forget Neil and Rick! They can't play either!

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

2 rectangular holes are intake ports and are siamesed and each feeds 2 cylinders...

I worked on them a lot when they were new but can't recall ever seeing those puny ports....

I did replace one brand new block in a car exactly like yours for a porous casting....It leaked water right thru the casting on the drivers side....

I was given a fitted block.....block with pistons/rings.......

Some if I recall right had full size Q-jets but the secondarys were not there...
Then the Dual jet version came along...

Now keep in mind this is all vague memories form the late '70's

The 301 was pretty snappy in a GP but ran out of snap pretty quickly....LOL
The 260 Olds V8 was a total dog.....
I am guessing they had the Metric 200 transmisions and the steep first gear is where the "snap" came from.......
Pinging was a serious issue with these cars....GM was really producing some terrible cars back then and I worked on them everyday in a Pontiac-Jeep-Subaru dealership....

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

I know,,, I know,,,, I know......
My hand is raised.... waving my hand !!!!!

Pick me... Pick me !!!!!

Not fair Don.... he didn't say I couldn't play initially

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Rich, not sure what year(s) you are referring to, but I can vouch for the 260 being a dog. My first street car was a 1979 Olds Cutlass. 260 V8 2bbl (I think it was rated 90 hp or something). It was the first car I raced, won a round in, and won a race in, in 2000. 3,570 pounds, with me, and all the stuff out (spare tire, jack, toolbox, etc). Best ET was 18.59 @ 72 mph (a few thousandths under the HF/SA Index). Started out running mid 19's. Slow, but won a LOT of rounds my rookie year that season. Was always racing against 13-15 second newer cars, so became good practice for my later career in FWD Stockers. Played with it, changing little stuff, taking weight out, air cleaner and base, etc (when you opened the hood, looked like a S/S car, nothing on top). Was kind of fun, doing little stuff and getting it to run a second quicker than when I started....guess it was my first taste of "Class Racing". But, as Mr Nees and Mr Yacavone once said--"The first few tenths are the easiest". LOL.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Billy - those heads aren't finished yet - maybe you'd like to park them out behind my shop so they can ferment awhile .......just like fine wine ! ! !

The last time you had a perfectly stock set of heads it didn't turn out so well - haven't you learned your lesson ?

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

Trust me Jack, they're "stocker" heads. The only thing that I would improve on would be aftermarket valves but they're not in the budget. The stock 301 intake valves are pretty nice to begin with and the exhaust port is WAAY better than the intake so the exhaust valve won't help much.

Re: Under the index for under a grand!
 

4-speed that thing.

Hammer