There is a chance I could end up with a 49 2 door sedan and wondering what would it take to put a 389 to 400 Pontiac with a turbo 350 in it,if it has tube shocks I will most likely keep the original front suspension.
There's plenty of room lengthwise, but I believe you may have a problem with width. The removal or modification of the air ducts with solve that. Be a nice choice....
I have not seen it since I towed it home for the owner a few years ago but I do remember its a heater delete car and has a late 70s front seat so those two issues will be addressed first then go to updating the drivetrain.
Here's one with a SBC https://cdn.barrett-jackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/61200/61200_Engine_Web.jpg but the Pontiac is 7" wider I remember replaceing a SBC that was in a 48 Chevy pickup with a 400 Pontiac the engine centerline got moved to the right about 2".
When I was in high school in the late fifties, there were a few guys that Oldsmobiles with Hydramatics in early fifties Pontiacs. From what I remember, it was almost a bolt-in. I remember one in particular that ran without a hood to show off the 6-2 setup with forward facing scoops with their insides painted bright orange.
Yeas ago I had a 47 Pontiac with a tired straight 8 and a 53 Olds that was hit in the rear and it did look like the 303 and Hydramatic would have came close to bolting in but if I get the 49 I want a little more newer drivetrain,it would be my long distance car. I now wish I would have done that swap but no I had to trade that 303 for a dirt bike.
331'' Cad/hydro was as close to a drop-in swap as you could get. The starter isn't in the way, & the Cad front mount supposedly fit in the 6 cylinder Pontiac holes.
The upper A arms are the shocks,use 55 Olds upper arms with tube shocks. Olds is a expensive drop in. Pontiac is cheaper to build and a everybodys got one SBC is real cheap to build. If you are going to make some HP you will need to do some mods to the rear end.
You won't have any trouble using the engines you listed. You'll need to fab up some mounts of course and a trans cross member. The steering box may cause some issues depending on your manifold or header choice, but otherwise there's no issues clearance wise. The vent ducts on a Pontiac run inside the fender well, not under the hood like a Chevrolet. Also, Pontiac has an open drive line, no torque tube so you can use the stock rear if you want. The front suspension on these cars is fine as is. It has king pins, coil springs and tube shocks on the front. I've put a 1955 Pontiac V8 in a 1954 Pontiac, and I also put a 1958 Pontiac 370 in a 1950 Pontiac. Both have similar frame setup to your 1949. I'm getting ready to put a 1957 Pontiac 347 in a 1951 now. Here's a couple pictures of the 55 287 in my old 1954. Here's a 1958 370 in a my old 1950 (about 10 years ago)
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