ooh, 4.9, thats the 301 isn't it.. nasty nasty nasty engine..
I remember Nathan saying the best thing he ever did for his Trans am was putting a 327 chevy in it.
his was originally 4.9 turbo, then 400, then 455, eventually 327 chev.
was considerably quicker, more reliable and far better handling with the chev, the big block was just too heavy, causing the car to understeer badly, then to snap oversteer as the torque broke the rear end away. the 4.9 turbo was both gutless and unreliable, the 400 was gutless unreliable and heavy, but the 327 made the whole package work
I've also long been of the belief that F bodies should be small block, its what the platform was designed for, and its what works best. As the chev was by far the best small block, it makes perfect sense..