If my bird was a daily, or weekend cruiser, I'd go with a 400 or 455 stroked. However, mine will be a street legal bracket car...so $$$ per CI, the BBC is more economical choice for me.
Having built, raced and won, with several Pontiac powered bracket cars, including 1st gen Birds, I feel I am qualified to comment here. :yes
My 1st experience with a 1st gen was with a '68, which we ran in E/SA, before our local tracks ever started running ET brackets. With a 330hp 400, TJ(my wife) won the 1st six races she entered, and won the biggest race of the year, at our local track, which they called the LA State Championship Race. At the end of that season, I put a 4-speed Muncie in the car and TJ used it for her daily driver for nearly 3 years. So, besides being a race winner, that 400 Pontiac engine made a great street engine as well.
My 1st 455 came out of a '70 GTO. I think it had over 70,000 street miles. Had never been out of the car. I put it into a '68 Bird. It ran 12.40's with a stock 13" converter and 3.55 gears. Later in the year, I pulled that engine and put it into my '69 GTO. Won the 1st race entered, with it. I later pulled it out of the Goat and put it into another '68 Bird. It ran mid 12's in that car also, and won several races. Was still running good when I gave the car to the guy that was driving it for me. I figured it up in my head, and I'm sure this engine had well over 500 passes down the 1/4 mile drag strips we raced. And the heads never came off of it. All I'd done to it was add a RA4 grind cam, Rhoads lifters, and a stock type timing set. Won lots of $$ with that engine, and it was given to me. AND, MOST of the cars that we beat with that engine were CHEVY powered Camaros, Novas, and Chevelles, which cost a LOT more to build than any of my Pontiacs.
So, what is my point ? A Pontiac engine can be a good street/strip engine, without spending a fortune on it. These 400 and 455 engines I mentioned had cast pistons & rods, HFT cams, iron heads & intakes, and 750cfm Q-jet carbs. And if you wanna go a little quicker, some forged pistons, and a little more gear will put you easily into the 11's. TJ ran 11.82 with her last 1st gen, a '67.
So, if you happen to be a Chevy guy, and just like BBC Chevy engines better than Pontiac, either because of price or whatever, then I personally think you should find a Chevy body to put your Chevy engine into. OR, go with a 3rd or 4th gen Bird, which came with Chevy engines. No 1st or 2nd gen Bird ever came with a BBC engine. They did come with Chevy straight six engines, and some of the late 2nd gens came with sbc engines.
Yes, I know that many, if not most, do not agree with my opinion on this subject. They say it's OK to put any engine you choose into any body you choose, since it's your money. But, you guys who feel this way, will just have to understand that there are a few(very few) of us old codgers still around, who were here back in the days when Pontiacs and Chevies were opponents, both on the streets, strips, and circle tracks. Back then it was almost a sin to put a Chevy engine into a Bird or Goat. To me it still is. I remember just a few years ago, I went to our local track and saw a nice lookin 2nd gen. So, I went over to get a closer look, and maybe talk to the guy. But, when I saw a BBC under the hood, I just turned and walked away. I had absolutely no interest in any of the details of his BBC engine. :no It was just a clone of many of the other engines in the pits that day.
By the way Derrick, I see by the info on your posts that you are a beer drinker. Although I haven't had a drink of any kind of alcohol for a LONG time, there was a time when I raced Pontiacs and drank LOTS of beer. I'm not proud of it, but it happened. I never drank while racing. But, as soon as I lost, or the race was over, the drinkin was on. So, you can work on and race with Pontiac power, as well as Chevy, and still drink beer. :lol:
And, by the way ya'll, I have absolutely no problem with anybody who has a different opinion than mine. I'll never even see most of ya'll, and as many say, it's your car and your money. Build it any way you want it. But, if you wanna brag about it on a Pontiac site, you'll just have to understand that there are still a few of us old Pontiac Freaks around, who will never think it's OK to put a Chevy engine into a 1st or 2nd gen Bird or Goat that came with a Pontiac engine. That's just the way we are. And in my case, my opinion was shaped, in part, buy the arrogant attitude of many(not all) of the Chevy guys we encountered, while racing our Pontiac powered cars.
