[larrybuck]

I had to bring this issue here because you are family. On an H body forum, I'm getting some dissing because a lot of people on there think every car should be a pro street race machine. I am well aware that h-bodies have a bad rep for rusting away. I've always liked the body styles, and I live in an area where rust is not so prevalent. Way back in my early 30s, I had a pickup truck 350 put into a 76 Pontiac Astra hatchback. Several years after that, I bought a 1977 Buick Skyhawk with the V6 and a 4-speed manual. Several years after that, I bought a 75 Monza hatchback that already had a 1.8 Isuzu diesel in it. About 7 days ago, I picked up a Pontiac Sunbird hatchback formula, 1980 vintage. For $150.10! The original four-cylinder is toast, the head is gone. In dreamland, I was considering a Vortec V8, in other words the cheapest lowest powered LS engine, like out of a used van or something. The dream would be to somehow have it reflashed like some people have done with a Corvette and got 40 miles per gallon with it. The power would be nice if that were possible to have your cake and eat it too. But I don't want to have a lot of money wrapped up into this and do a lot of extensive work as I am at best only a shade tree mechanic almost 70 years old with no special tools and no welding ability. Okay I'm finally getting to the Crux of the matter here. It would seem to me, that I could buy a nice running Chevrolet S10 with either the 2.5 or the later 2.2, either one with the manual 5 speed, and swap that in there. I've checked, and it doesn't seem like there any crate motor 2.5S available anymore. The car stock is an automatic, and I would really like to switch it to a stick. One guy on the other forum I mentioned, went on and on about how I'd have to switch a million things to do this. I don't know if he was just angry because I wanted to stay with a 4-cylinder or not? The stock car with a stick was supposed to be capable of 35 miles per gallon. That's with the old ratings. But with the old ratings, I used to have a 1992 Dodge Dakota 4 cylinder 5 speed that was rated at around 25, and during the warmer months of the year, I regularly got 37 miles per gallon with it with a Topper on the back and Hauling freight. I want to keep things low dollar, and simple. Do you think the 2.5, or the 2.2 would be a good idea? Thank you for the long read! Here is a picture! I like The Styling particularly of the roof line, and the practicality of the hatchback. I would like to add Monza fiberglass doors hatch and Hood, though the hood would probably have to be modified for the Sunbird because the grill is very different and the hood is not squared off like the Monza is. I'd love to cut the weight down too maybe a hair under 2,000 lb down from 2600 or so? The only serious rest on the car whatsoever is simply the battery tray! The stock Factory Dash does not have one crack in it, and nobody has marred up the fake wood around the gauges and glove box