more power

Thank you all for responding to my questions. I think I'm set on the 68 gto with hide-away lights. That car just looks scary coming down the street! My question now is this: If I have a 400 motor (with which I believe came with 350 hp standard), what can be done to beef it up to around 425 hp? Keep in mind I am by no means a mechanic, but I have tinkered around with engines before.(heads, carbs, manifolds, cams, etc.) I want something that can be driven on the street, but that can also take charge when the punk in his little tricked out Honda civic with glowing wheels and a muffler that sounds like a bee hive pulls up next to me. Also, is it possible to have a motor with 425 hp that can run on 93 octane? What kind of costs am I looking at, and do I have to be an "expert" to do some of this myself? One last question: Did any Pontiac motors, especially in GTOs ever come from the factory with headers? If not, why not?

I worked at the pontiac plant from 1965 to 1997. When the GTO's were coming down the line I only saw 1, 69 GTO and 1, 69 Grand Prix with factory headers. Those two cars were special orders bound for Saudi Arabia.

Why do you think that they never produced gtos off the assembly lines with headers? I remember putting headers on my 68 firebird 350, and those cast iron exhaust manifolds were very heavy and very narrow inside. How much more horsepower do you think a set of headers would add to a 400 cu 350 hp engine?

the headers I saw were cast iron 4 inch headers. the headers took the hp up from 365 to about 390 hp. I don't know why they didn't produce them with headers but at the time they were experimenting with a 485ci engine that ran 450 hp. There were even a few experimental GTO's with 421 tripower in them. I think about 50-100 of them. Pontiac Motors in Pontiac, Mi has the basement full of those cars but won't sell them.

It's amazing to learn about what "could have been" at that time.
I have to admit, I'm not a goat owner,but I found this board this board about six months ago, and I still read it every day.Once a get my 67 Buick Skylark finished this spring, I may sell it to provide the cash for my future GTO (who knows, it may even be a roller!)
Jeff

there are a few way's. get a bigger cam but not to big around 274 -276H so you wont have to change valve keeper's and touqe converter etc. isky-cam hyd not a soild cam,put some road's anti pump up's Hyd, lifter's or better yet roller lifter's roller rocker's cloyes true dbl roller never a single. timeing chain mallory unilite comp 9000 dist or just a unilite, edelbrock performer manifoldor RPM a set of hooker header's And you can do it all you'r self ,think about changeing guide plates to a hardend set and get some hardend push rod's isky is the best for your bang most of this you can get from PAW and would cost around $800.00 wcarb looking at a cool $1000.00 andding most of these you should be around 425 hp's and you can run w/pump full but youll nead to add some 109 every fill up to keep her happy... TRavis Williams @ Ed Williams Machine
68 HO ram air 1. 56,ooo orig, miles
and a 68 gto convert in the work's P.S the std motor for gto 400-was 335 hps.w-A/C. 340 w/out A/C 350,was you reg,these other's are High Putputs 360 HO,366 HO ram AIr enjoy



travis williams