[oldskool]

No matter what a class racer's brand preference is, they usually look for the best combo, in order to be competitive.

So, when lookin at possible competitive Pontiac combo's, I look at those that have been successful in the past, as well as those that are currently active & competitive.

Note: A sudden big hp hit from NHRA can render a combo less, or even non-competitive, instantly. So, the competitive possibilities of these combos can change QUICKLY.

All the round port engines have been competitive at some point. But, due to the scarcity of the heads & their high price, I won't list any combo that requires iron round port heads. Billy & others have also proven that the 301 can be competitive, with & without a turbo. But, those parts are also getting hard to find. So, I won't include any 301 combo. The '74 GTO was a good Stock combo for many years. But the Stock hp factor is too high now, for it's low compression 350 engine.

(1) Right now, my #1 choice would be a '77 base 400 engine, in any body, other than a Bird. Why ? The 6x-8 heads are some of the most common & cheapest Pontiac heads. Birds with this engine have taken too many hits.There have been LOTS of competitive cars running this combo.

(2) The '74 400. It is said by some long time Pontiac racers to be the most competitive Pontiac Stocker engine. It has been a proven Stocker engine, for many years.

(3) These next 2 engines are a toss-up, to me. I'll start with the 455, just because it's bigger. It's the '73-'74 D-port 455. Current hp factor is only 306, in Stock Birds only. 310hp in SS. The large chamber 4X heads are not in high demand, therefore should be reasonably priced. The long stroke should provide plenty of torque, requiring less rpm, to run a decent time. There are '73 Birds that have done well with this combo, in recent years.

The '72 D-port 455 is also 306hp, in a Stock Bird & 310hp in SS.

(4) In Stock, the '68 & '69 GTO 350hp 400 has an NHRA hp factor of 325. That's better than basically the same engine in a '68 & '69 Bird. For SS, the '69 has only a 306hp factor. That should make it a good choice, for anybody wanting to run a '69 GTO in SS. Art Peterson has the only '69 SS GTO I'm aware of.

(5) '68 Bird 400 330hp. This has been a good competitive combo for a long time. Currently rated at 333hp for Stock & 315hp for SS. Not as good as the '69 GTO. But, I suppose the Bird has less wind drag.

(5) '67 Bird 400 325hp. Randi Lyn Shipp & Bryan Phillips have proven this combo, for many years now.

(6) '77 350. This is especially good in a SS Bird, @ 246hp. In Stock, it's 254hp in a Bird & 250hp in everything else.

(7) For SS GT only, the 428 has proven itself to be very competitive, especially with the legal alum heads. So, for Pontiac powered SS GT racers, it might be hard to beat.

Some may rate these in a different order, for different reasons. There have probably been competitive cars using all these combos.

Another engine I've mentioned is the '68 350HO. Adam Strang ran 10.80's with one, in his Bird. But, I'm guessing that the #18 heads may not be real easy to find.