1977 Pontiac Catalina safari new to the forum

Hi all. I've been looking for a wagon for a while now and finally found a solid one. There are a couple issues I need to address to make it a good road tripper.

First, the engine has a tick or a knock. We think the main bearings need to be replaced. Rather than spend 100 on the 301, I'm planning on swapping for a 350 engine/trans. I have my eye on a couple options but an engine/transmission out of a 74 Cutlass seems to be the best deal I can find so far. I'm sure many of you have done this or similar swaps. Anything I need to know about? Any suggestions?

Second, this car does not have the third seat. The seller gave me two third seats and the "track", for lack of a better term, to install. Does anybody have experience or suggestions on putting these seats in?

 

Jake. You missed the welcome wagon but did good on your introduction. Nice wagon.
Can't help on your questions but I'm sure the 350 swap will be an easy one.
Nice picture of your wagon. Lousy picture of the weather in Wisconsin. As many times as we've ben up there July thru October I can't remember it looking like that.

 

Thanks. That was a pretty warm day. I think the temp got over 30!

 

Wow! We're originally from central Illinois. Somehow we learned to live and play in weather like that. So far up there and here it's been really mild.
Glad you joined us. Now you have something to play with in the garage. Or borrow your neighbors heated building.
I'd love to have that filled with old cars and station wagons.

 

Unfortunately that's my parents garage and shop, 100 miles north of me. I'll be doing the work in a buddies heated garage though. I don't think the wagon would even fit in my garage.

 

I remember the garages back where I was raised. We called many of them Model T garages. They were barely large enough for a Model T and had two narrow strips of concrete for a driveway.
Sadly my raisin wasn't very good so I'm going back to be re-raised. My new garage is only 20X20. Glad I don't really do anything anymore except park.

 

Welcome to the forum, Jalesteines!

I like your wagon.......

For the engine, I'd look around a bit, see if you can find a 428, 455, or even an Olds 403, which a few of these had (the 403, not the 428 or 455....).

If you need some help figuring out the third seat set up, let me know.....

 

Welcome aboard!

 

The 301 is a Pontiac-sourced motor. The 350 from a 74 Cutlass is an Oldsmobile-sourced motor. The only thing they have in common is the bellhousing bolt pattern. You would need to get the appropriate Oldsmobile motor and frame mounts, exhaust manifolds, accessory brackets, etc, etc to do this swap. A Pontiac 350 would be a direct bolt-in, as would a Pontiac 455. A Chevy swap is even more work, as the bellhousing bolt pattern is different.

You can certainly do the Olds motor swap, as the 1977-1990 frame will accommodate just about any GM V8 made since 1964, but you need the appropriate mounts and ancillary hardware. It's all a question of how much money and time you want to spend.

 

Joe offers some good advice! There are a few decent Pontiac forums out there which might be helpful in finding a real Pontiac motor close to you.

http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/ is probably the biggest one.

You should be able to score a Pontiac 350 pretty cheaply as most want a 400-455.

 

Welcome to the wonderful world of wagons. It's great to see another 77 Catalina Wagon show up. It looks like a nice ride.

As Joe said, it would be easier doing a Pontiac swap, but if the Olds is easier to get, it's not impossible. Just make sure to get as complete an engine as possible, the front brackets for the 301 won't fit anything but a 301. If you go the Olds route, you will need the frame brackets from the Olds 307/403 engine to get the proper fitment but I'm not sure how many different types of Olds engine mounts there are.

The Pontiac engines all have same bottom dimensions, and as far as I know, the mounts from the 301 should work on any displacements as long as they come from about the same year. Exhaust manifolds are again 301 specific and the Y-pipe won't fit the bigger engines.

I'm going to swap to a Pontiac 400 in my wagon hopefully before this summer, but haven't been able to find all the front engine brackets and pulleys yet. Being that I am also in Wisconsin, junk yard searching is pretty much limited until spring.

Good luck with your ride, don't know what part of Wisconsin you are in,but if you ever get near Sheboygan look me up.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I wouldn't be opposed to a 400 if I found one at the right price but I don't think I want to go any bigger. I'm planning on more of a reliable, affordable, road-tripper than a hot rod.

I started on the track for the rear seat today. Got the old one out and the new one in perfectly fine. There must be some latches that I need to tack to the floor for the bottom seat? Also, there's a rod that sticks through the bracket on the drivers side of the seat back that I can't figure out. I'll be going back out to take another look and I'll take some pictures. I can't remember what that set of seats was out of. I believe he said a bubble caprice or an Oldsmobile.

Anybody know off hand if I have the th200 or the th350? I'll probably be out to take a look tomorrow otherwise. It sucks having a new wagon I can't drive, but best it stays out of the salt anyway. I'm in La Crosse, roketrex.

 

This is the part that's giving me trouble. Is it a spring that needs to be pushed back and bolted between the brackets? It seems to have some give but I didn't want to push too hard and bend it.

 

I'll take a look at mine in the morning.....

 

Jake, Welcome! I have not been on the site in a couple of days and missed your post. Great to see anouther 77-79 Catalina Wagon on the site. Not many made,and even fewer left!

I agree that a Pontiac 350-455 would be an easier swap, but the Olds 350 would not be that bad to swap. The 301 Pontiac makes replacing it with a Pontiac Block easier, but all the accessory brackets wil not swap with the Larger Pontiac Engines. The 265 and 301 engines are kinda the red headed step children of Pontiac Engines, and not much swaps over besides engine mounts, timing cover, and a few gaskets.

If Krash can't help with pictures of the rear seat installation,I should be able to get some pic's later this week of our 78.