Need help, Traditional or extreme?

[72 GOAT]

I have just started another project. I have a 1972 Lemans Sport convertible with the enduro front end from the factory. My question to you guys is this, should I go with a traditional pontiac mill or go to the extreme with an LS2? It has a 400 with an auto trans, I would just rebuild it and go for about 500 hp or should I pull the poncho power mill and put a 06 LS2 GTO power plant. Right now the car is bone stock, it is one of 1450 convertibles made with the T41 option. The suspension will under go a full up grade to GW uppers and lowers, ATS spindels, Hotchkis TVS rear suspension. Breaks will be 2006 Z06 setup and rims will be 18x9 and 18x10 BOZE mesh. So I need a little help with the power plant. Thanks Dave, I will take some photo's and post them.

[72 GOAT]

Anyone have any type of feed back?

[TonyL]

If you are going to go with an upgraded suspension anyway, I'd go with the LS2. you'll be rewarded with all kinds of bonuses, weight, power, reliability, parts availability etc.

[ProTouring442]

I agree, and LS-X sounds like a great idea.

Shiny Side Up!
Bill
'72 442 "Inamorata"
www.FQuick.com/ProTouring442

[rohrt]

I'm of no help on this topic!

[6'9"Witha69]

I hear the Pontiac loyalists moaning from here!

[Roger Poirier]

How much money do you want to spend? Don't you already have the Pontiac engine? I went old school on my engine just to be different.

R.P.

[parsonsj]

What's your objective? To finish the car and spend lots of time driving it? Or to learn fab skills? Learn more about modern engines? Show what can be done with an old Pontiac?

Answer those questions and you'll have some idea about what to do with your Le Mans.

jp

[BA.]

For the love of all that is sacred in Indian land, Please keep the original 400 and just build it very very well. Maybe even put FI on that 400, then make it corner well with the parts you mentioned!

Hell, I'd be tempted to roll that on some original Rally II's even!

[Kal]

Thats a tough question... I personally kept my pontiac engine because i really like the look of the tri-power carbs. I guess it depends on how much your want to spent. If i had the money I might have went with a LS-X engine with twin turbos. There is something really cool about a pontiac engine tho.

Good luck with your choice..

[72 GOAT]

I have thought long and hard about this and I really appreciate all the feed back. I originally thought that an LsX conversion would not cost that much but I have come to realize that I may be better off rebuilding the 400 with some very good parts and may be putting an EFI setup on it. I was looking at e-bay and I saw a 2006 GTO engine and trans (T56) for a buy it now of $7000.00, so it got me thinking. I could pull the original drive train and store it or just re-build it. I want to enjoy this car and drive it as much as I can, I did not do that with my CUDA. So this is my dilemma.

[72 GOAT]

I am going to stick with the 400 and buid the snot out of it. I'm looking into a Buttler EFI setup as well. I have been busy ordering parts and they are starting to roll in ( my credit card is on fire).
Cant wait until my BOZE wheels come in.

[novanutcase]

As much of a cheerleader as I am for the LSx platform, in this case I would build up the OG mill...........

[ROAD WARRIOR]

I think sticking w/ the 400 s a cool idea.

[pontiaction]

you could also check out pontiac dude`s supercharger set up.

http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/pontiacdude428/ATI.html

[72 GOAT]

I had a paxton supercharger on my 68 Cuda, it was real nice but I think with this project I am going to stroke out the 400 and put an EFI system from buttler on it and off to the races we go!!

[larknut]

I'm always a fan of keeping the same make motor

[Chad-1stGen]

Hey a GTO LS2 is a pontiac motor too! hehe...

[rohrt]

They just came out with a 4.00 stroke for the 400 blocks and I hear a 4.5 stroke is comming soon if you want to be different. With your car I would assume you went with Buttlers 4.25 stroker kit? My brother built his 68 GTO with this kit and ported iron Buttler heads, stock RAIV cam, Dougs headers with 3inch exhaust. The car is a blast to drive. 450hp and 500ft/lbs of torque on the dyno. We also put in 150 shot of NOS. You could get more power with one of the aluminum heads and a solid cam but after roasting a set of 9inch slicks all the way through fist and part of the way through second, it would leave me wondering why. It runs 12s all day long and ran a 12.1 on very bad Nitros run, agin with no tracking with the 9inch slicks. My first choice on the heads would be ported KRE heads. But buy them from someone other then KRE.

I look forward to seeing your progress.

[shortrack]

400 with FI would be cool......