Difference between Pontiac 350 and Chey 350?

[Chris69bird]

Just as the topic says. For 1969 Firebirds and Camaros.

[68Formula]

Nothing in common.

[critter]

Two different animals completely. The SBC has a much greater horsepower potential than the Pontiac based on head designs alone. The Pontiac 350 was a venerable power plant but no performance monster. If you want to go Pontiacs go with a 400 or 455. Much better potential for power in those.

[68Formula]

[quote=critter]The SBC has a much greater horsepower potential than the Pontiac based on head designs alone. quote]

Have you seen Kaufmann Racing Equipment heads?

[6'9"Witha69]

The only thing that bolts onto them the same is the Carburetor.

[Lowend]

Yep - a Ford motor has just about as much in common with the Chevy as an early Pontiac

[Twins Fan]

The KRE heads are very good, but wont do any good on the 350.

The Pontiac 350 is basically a big block, as the block itself is the same dimensions as the 400 and 455, but it has a much smaller bore. Bore and stroke for the Pontiac 350 is 3.876 x 3.75 compared to the Chevy 350, which is a true small block, 4.00 x 3.48.

Pontiac 350 makes for a decent daily driver, just don't expect much in the way of performance, or even the ability to upgrade it. It just can't breathe with the small bore and head design, as mentioned earlier. It can't be made into a 400 either. They share the same stroke, but you'd have to bore it out dang near .245 over, which can't be done.

Everyone knows of the potential for the Chevy 350, so I won't go into that.

So basically the Chevy 350 is smaller, lighter, and can be made to run much better. The Pontiac 350 is bigger, heavier, and will never run near the Chevy. Although Pontiac did make a 350 HO than ran faily well, but the Chevy is still a much better choice.

[MonzaRacer]

Whoa whoa whoa redneck hold up critter.
As for a 350 Pontiacs, THEY CAN BE MADE TO PRODUCE GOOD POWER.
Regardless of your personal opinion the 350 Pontiac its not a high horsepower engine it is however a monster small torque maker with proper head selection.
Now I doa gree that if your looking into Pontiac over Chevy then yes I would go with a 400 428 or a 455 or even a 389.
But if you have the 350 a few well thought out parts and you can get 400-450 lb ft of torque and all with a low rpm,moderate compression engine.
I built one of these for a fried and it was awesome for the cash involved. WE built it with a 030 bore an setof Edelbrock heads(as his were cracked and he got these reasonably priced) an older Edelbrock Intake, I forget the model but ti was dual plain. And we used a 750 Edelbrock carb. We dynoed it in a 389 hp and 497 lb ft of torque and it ran on cheap gas, never gave him a problem and to date (the car was totaled, it was in an older TA) its in its second project car, an old 30s Pontiac. This thing will rip the tires to shredds and we could build it with cast(well hyperutectic) pistons. I never figured out how but Jimmy, the owner, used the old TA to pull an 18 ft camper too with no problems what so ever and it ran a 7.90 in the 1/8 on street tires with full exhaust and only 3.08 gears.
Again if you have the choice between the 350 and a 400 take the cubes but the 350 can be made to make some great power.
Now you want to bash an engine bash the 301 its a POS.

[68Formula]

How about 468 ft-lbs and 539hp? It was fast enough to break into the 11s on 87 octane.

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/672hp_pontiac_350s/index4.html

Oh, and you can't make it into a 400, but you can make it a 413.

http://www.jbp-pontiac.com/products/engines_assemblies/rotating_assemblies.html#407_413

If you want advice on building the Pontiac, go to www.performanceyears.com/forums.

[EFI69Cam]

[quote=critter]The SBC has a much greater horsepower potential than the Pontiac based on head designs alone. quote]

Have you seen Kaufmann Racing Equipment heads?


And those cost how much compared to a SBC head?

[68Formula]

Depends on the head.

And the comment was not cost delta, it was about whether the Pontiac had horsepower potential because of head design.

And the original question was not even about horsepower potential, it was about differences between the two motors.

[PT Goat]

Two different animals completely. The SBC has a much greater horsepower potential than the Pontiac based on head designs alone...

I guess you've never seen stock drag results where the Pontiac 350 HO powered '68 Lemans beat every car at the event. There was an article in Car Craft on it about 18 months ago.

[rohrt]

Chevy
4.000" x 3.48" (Gen.I, 5.7" rod)

Pontiac
3.875 x 3.75 (6.625)

[critter]

Fellows, cut me and I bleed Pontiac engine paint blue, but facts are facts. If you want to spend a ton of money you can make a Pontiac 350 perform. That's a fact. For a lot less you can make a SBC perform. That's a fact.

If I had a 69 Firebird I wouldn't build either one. I'd put a stroked 400 with a set of the new canted valve heads that are being discussed over on PY in it.

I thought the intent of his question was what can you do with each. Which one would make the most power for the least $$$. Forgive me if I read too much between the lines.

[critter]

OH, FYI the carbs aren't the same. For instance, Chevy uses a side feed for the fuel line while Pontiac comes straight in from the front. ;)

[Manufacturing Engineer]

OH, FYI the carbs aren't the same. For instance, Chevy uses a side feed for the fuel line while Pontiac comes straight in from the front. ;)
I thought the intent of his question was what can you do with each. Which one would make the most power for the least $$$. Forgive me if I read too much between the lines.

The point, I think was Pontiac 350 vs. Chevy 350. The bore is smaller, but the stroke is longer on a Pontiac...more time to pull in air. As far as cost? Who cares? I would much rather put money in a special Pontiac than a common Chevy. Pontiacs are simply built better, have more style and a better design...and the only reason Chevy is cheaper is just that...and more were made due to Chevy being the favorite child of GM. Pontiac was the rebellious, free-thinking step child that started the muscle car era, and despite governmental and corporate restriction, Pontiac came out on top.

[raustinss]

I thought the intent of his question was what can you do with each. Which one would make the most power for the least $$$. Forgive me if I read too much between the lines.

The point, I think was Pontiac 350 vs. Chevy 350. The bore is smaller, but the stroke is longer on a Pontiac...more time to pull in air. As far as cost? Who cares? I would much rather put money in a special Pontiac than a common Chevy. Pontiacs are simply built better, have more style and a better design...and the only reason Chevy is cheaper is just that...and more were made due to Chevy being the favorite child of GM. Pontiac was the rebellious, free-thinking step child that started the muscle car era, and despite governmental and corporate restriction, Pontiac came out on top.


WHAT ????? are you even aware you are responding to a thread from 2007 !

[JustJohn]

WHAT ????? are you even aware you are responding to a thread from 2007 !
Same.