Questioni am trying to restore a 1979 Pontiac Trans am that i purchase about six months ago. the car had no engine and the floors was rusted so i found a 1973 Pontiac station wagon with a 400 engine and 400 transmission running. i purchase it so i thought, i could drop the entire drive train in the 1979 ta.which i found out would not work because this 1979 Trans am, came with a oldsmobile 403 engin.i tried everything i could to make this engine and tranny work,after putting the engine in the car several time with no positive results. i started to make phone call asking what i was doing wrong. every body telling me it should work i cant seen to make it fit. i move the chassis mounts, did some cutting and every time i put the engine in the car,i get one bolt in the mount the engine shifts to the passenger side and the engine mount that i cant get the other bolt in sets on the frame and want line up.could you please tell me what i could do to make this engine and transmission work in this car, i went on the Internet and the 1979 Trans am some of them came with 400 engins.like i said when i get the driver side bolt in. the entire drive train shift to the passenger side which make the transmission not line up with the rear end. i hope you can help me thanks Joe.
AnswerJoe,
Ive had both engines but never swaped one for the other but I do believe they have same frame pad locations.
Are you using cherry picker and chains? chain fall and chains? or either one with carb plate?
If your trying to drop motor and tranny in at same time you may have problems, its the extra weight when you set one motor mount then try and set the other needing someone to jack tranny at same time.
Hard to explain but try and follow me.
Yes i love to drop it all in at once but.... if tranny is in you have just the motor to wiggle but lets say your dropping motor & tranny
Its all in the alignment, you get one mount in and using 2 big crawdads (crobar) you need to set it under mount then put another one under the set mount then two of you heave and ho and pop it in while one jacks tranny another kicks car and all of you swear at it untill it gives in and submits to your will.
If tranny is out then omit the jacking of tranny.
But do not insert bolt then try and set other mount.!!!!!!!!!!!
Its nice when they go in first time around but it can take a little experience to learn how to correct it if its bitching at you.
Sorry to make light of your situation but I been there.
I'll do search on 403 olds and pontiac 400 frame pad locations and see if I get a match just to make sure
Sorry there is no easy fix, like i stated , sometimes they go in, and sometimes you have to heat em and beat em in.
Mike
