From the ArcaMax Publishing, Automotive Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/automotive/s-615911-453925
Let's dial back the clock a quarter century and return to the early
days of the Reagan Era, when Pontiac made a last-ditch effort to keep
the Trans-Am from becoming a re-skinned Camaro powered by the same
Chevy-built V-8s found other the hoods of its sister "F" car.
The Pontiac-built 400 was gone - killed by GM corporate over concerns
about fuel economy and emissions. The big V-8 needed an update, but GM
didn't want to spend money on it - so no more were made after 1978 and
the last ones (left over in inventory) were installed in a few lucky
1979 Trans-Ams (and even fewer Formulas).
Rolling into the 1980 model year, the Trans-Am had become truly
toothless. Its only engine choices were a Chevy-built 305 or the
flimsy little 4.9 liter 301 V-8, the last Pontiac V-8 still being
manufactured. This wheezy, downsized engine (Camaro Z28 still packed a
5.7 liter 350 - making it the first time in the entire F-car's run
that a Z28 had a bigger cube engine than a Trans-Am) had been
conceived as an "economy" engine for lower-caste Pontiacs. It had only
a two-barrel carburetor (originally) low compression and a block and
heads made of relatively fragile, lightweight materials - all intended
to take weight off the front end of the cars into which it would be
installed - and to reduce fuel consumption.
No thought was given to the 301 as a potential performance engine, at
least not at first. But by 1980, Pontiac had no other V-8 of its own
to work with - and if the Trans-Am was to remain respectable - and
Pontiac powered - Pontiac would have to work with the 301.
Turbocharging, at that time, was becoming somewhat popular as a way to
goose the output of a smaller engine "on demand" while keeping the
fuel economy reasonable the rest of the time. Buick, in particular,
had done a lot of work in this area and was having some success with
its turbocharged 3.8 liter V-6 engine.
This no doubt inspired engineers within Pontiac to consider
turbocharging the 301 - which at the time was barely coughing up 150
horsepower.
Turbocharging appeared to be the salvation of the 301. A specially
reinforced block and other internal improvements laid the foundation.
A unique cam was installed - and of course, turbo-specific exhaust
plumbing, along with a dual outlet exhaust system.
Capping it off was an AIR Research turbo that fed compressed air to
the engine through a specially calibrated Rochester Quadrajet
four-barrel carb. This gave 210 hp at 4,000 RPM and even better, 345
lbs.-ft. of torque at 2,000 RPM.
On paper, this looked solid. The 301 turbo's rated output was only 10
hp off the rated output of the old 400 V-8 (220 hp) despite the loss
of 100 cubic inches of displacement. And the 301 turbo's rated torque
output was actually higher - and came on sooner (345 lbs.-ft. at 2,000
RPM vs. 320 lbs.-ft. at 2,800) than the 400's. Actual performance,
therefore, ought to be very close, '79 vs. '80.
Unfortunately, as we know now, it didn't shake out that way. For one,
the actual power output of the '79 TA's L78 400 was (like the earlier
'73-'74 SD-455) almost certainly underrated. The published peak hp of
220 and the '79 TA's low 15 second quarter miles times and 130-plus
top end speed don't line up. The car's actual performance indicates
the The 400 V-8 was likely making closer to 270 hp. The 301 turbo's
210 hp rating was much more honest given the 1980 Trans-Am's 16 second
quarter mile time and top speed of just under 120 mph, all out.
The turbocharged Trans Am suffered another handicap, too. It was not
offered with a manual transmission - whereas the '79 400 had only been
sold with a 4-speed manual. The reason? Pontiac, despite its best
efforts, could not "emissions certify" the 301 with a manual
transmission. (In the days before engine management controls and
especially, electronic fuel injection, getting a manual-equipped car
through the certification process was very difficult.) The best
Pontiac could do was fit a "performance calibrated" three-speed
automatic to the car.
Another problem with the 301 turbo was that it was carbureted. Carbs
and turbos don't work well together, in part because carbs can't meter
the fuel as precisely and also because the turbo must "blow through"
the carburetor - and carbs are by design intended to operate under
vacuum, not boost. The final nail in the 301's coffin was its
not-ready-for-prime-time electronic controls.
Like early jet engines, the 301 was still going through its teething
phase when it was put into a production car. It actually did have
potential, but that was hard to see through the enfeebled performance
(even when things were working right).
Had Pontiac been given time to massage the technology, the 301 turbo
almost certainly would have matured into one of the most formidable
engines of the '80s. Doubters should look across the aisle to the
miracles Buick eventually worked with the 3.8 liter turbocharged V-6.
EFI, intercooling and digital controls turned this engine into the
most powerful production engine GM made in the mid-late '80s, when it
was installed in Regal Grand Nationals and the 1989 20th anniversary
Trans-Am.
These were cars capable of high 12 second quarter mile times and 150
mph top speeds. Indeed, the '89 20th Anniversary Trans-Am with the
turbo Buick V-6 engine was the first Trans-Am in 15 years to beat the
performance stats of the V-8 powered '73-'74 SD-455 Trans-Am.
Pontiac clearly hoped it would get the chance to develop the 301 to
its full potential. And for a brief moment, it seemed as though that
was going to happen.
When the redesigned third generation 1982 Trans-Am appeared, it had an
offset "turbo bulge" hood scoop, just like the '80-'81 Turbo Trans Am.
The car's front subframe was designed to accommodate the Pontiac V-8,
too. In the smaller, lighter third generation Trans Am, a 250-300 hp
turbocharged 301 would have been a tremendous performer. Probably, it
would have been quicker and faster than the Buick Regal Grand National
given the same advances in EFI/intercooling but with two more
cylinders and more displacement to bring to bear.
A five-speed equipped, mid-1980s Turbo Trans-Am would have been a
memorable ride. And with a real Pontiac V-8 under its hood, it would
have retained its Pontiac personality - as well as assured its future
collectibility.
Unfortunately, GM management decided to kill the development of the
Pontiac V-8 altogether. The 301 would be the last-ever Pontiac V-8.
Beginning with the '82 model year, all Firebirds from that day forward
to the final year of production in 2002 would have the same engines as
the Chevy Camaro. V-8s would henceforth be exclusively Chevy-built, so
that from '82-up, there was no meaningful difference under the hood
between a Camaro Z28 and a Trans-Am. It was a "Pontiac" in name
only.
Arguably, this helped kill off the Firebird line itself. After all,
why bother with the (so-called) Pontiac when the same car was being
sold for less money at the Chevy store? It's true there were exterior
and interior differences, but these were pretty superficial. The
Pontiac's still-beating heart had been ripped out of its engine bay -
and the transplanted Chevy mill could never provide more than
artificial life support.
It's sad to ponder what might have been. Had Pontiac been given the
chance to work out the 301's bugs, not only might the Trans-Am have
survived to the present day, but Pontiac itself might have also. By
taking away its unique, Pontiac-built V-8, General Motors took away
the fundamental quality that made a Pontiac different. It took away an
real reason for people to buy a Pontiac - since without a unique,
Pontiac-built engine, the cars it was selling were just rebadged
Chevys and Buicks. Eventually, people stopped caring. And that was the
end of Pontiac.
========
www.ericpetersautos.com or EPeters952@aol.com for
comments.