75 Pontiac Ventura SPrint

[mangodart]

Thanks for your comments guys !!

[S. Svendsen]

Nicely done.

[PappyD340]

Very NICE build, I owned a 75 Nova the Chevrolet counterpart to the Ventura, great job!

[blunc]

I really like it but I gotta ask,,, why the Buick engine instead of a Pontiac engine as it looks like you're going for a "factory stock" build?

in the mid-70's GM went a little crazy by shuffling their "corporate engines" between their major brands (with the exception that I've never encountered anything other than a chevy engine in a chevy car).

they were putting buick-ponitac-olds blocks into anything they could modify engine mounts for. I've seen Grand Prix and TA's with olds blocks...don't recall seeing very many pontiac blocks in other brands.

Edited August 13, 2013 by blunc

[charlie8575]

First, the main subject- GREAT build. I always thought the Ventura, Nova though it was, had a little extra touch of cool with the front end.

Now....engines.

Starting around 1974-75, in order to meet surging demand for several brands (Pontiac and Buick had both skyrocketed in sales) and more to meet the needs of emissions controls in California and the newly-introduced "high altitude" emissions control systems, GM began mixing and matching engines amongst the divisions to meet not only sales demands, but smog requirements.

For example, California and high altitude cars had one of two 350s, regardless of brand: either a Chevy or an Olds. The Chevy because it was so common and easy to work on, and because of its great adaptability, could be made to work acceptably with the emissions controls. The Olds 350 was, by its nature, a very clean-burning engine to start with, and would have the most effective control of smog with the least amount of strangling.

Pontiac engines were, as noted, generally used in Pontiacs only, because of sales needs and the unique performance characteristics Pontiac V8s had. However, in 1974-75, quite a few Olds Delta 88s were assembled with Pontiac 400s as an intermediate step between the 350 and 455. Similarly, with the introduction of the 301 in 1977, those were very common in Buick LeSabres and starting with 1978, seen fairly regularly in Regals and Centurys. The 1978 LeMans, curiously, got Chevy 305s, leaving 301s for Grand Prixs and the 1978-79 Grand Am.

Buick engines were usually Buick-only, with the obvious exception of the 231 V6. My 1979 Catalina had an "X" 350- the Buick engine, as Pontiac's 350 was discontinued after 1977, leaving Pontiac to supply Buick engines for low-altitude states and Olds engines for high-altitude states and California. Pontiac installed 403 Oldses in those states as well, if you ordered the "6.6 Litre" engine here in Massachusetts, you most likely would have ended up with a "Z" code 400.

Buick 350s were used in the Apollo in 1973-74, from what I remember reading, and would periodically appear in Skylarks starting 1975. It is quite possible, therefore, that a few Venturas were equipped with them.

Charlie Larkin

[mangodart]

Thanks for this comment Charlie, it is very instructive. I own a 76 Buick Century years ago which was equiped with the 350 Buick inside. A very potent engine. The car I choose to replicate was with this engine too

[charlie8575]

One thing I just realized I overlooked...

Depending on the model, you would see Chevy 350s in other lines. I know for fact that at least one 1977 Delta 88 (I know because I almost bought the car) had a rare "G" code 350-2bbl. installed in it from the factory. I also have seen quite a few Delta 88s that were sold here running 4-bbl. Chevy 350s, presumably to meet the demand from emissions areas where the Olds engine was the best choice.

The installation of the Chevy 350s in Oldsmobiles, from what I remember reading, is what triggered the massive fraud class action suit that brought light to the mix-n-match engines. Where people were paying for an Olds and getting a lower-priced line's engine, it was viewed by the court as not getting what you paid for. I suspect that had Oldsmobile used the H-code Buick (later X) 350, as Olds and Buick have long been seen as near-equals in many respects, I suspect the suit would never have happened.

This also led to the disclaimer in the brochures that "(Insert Make) are equipped with engines produced by General Motors or one of its subsidiaries (i.e., GM, GM Canada or GM Mexico generally), based on availability and what is scheduled for your car" or something like that. For example, you bought a Delta 88 and expected a 307, if the plant ran short, you might end up with a 301 or 305.

Charlie Larkin

[Bill Edman]

sweet sprint

[cortinanut]

Very sharp! Great color choice, and it's especially nice to see this built up stock.

[LongRoofNut]

Very nice build! Glad to see factory stock on one of these.