gcc 3.3 fails to build: "cannot exec `cc1'"

[Michael Williams]

The gcc33 port fails to build on my machine:

bembo:~$ sudo port install gcc33
--->  Configuring gcc33
Error: Target com.apple.configure returned: configure failure: shell command "cd "/opt/local/var/db/dports/build/_opt_local_var_db_dports_sources_rsync.rsync.darwinports.org_dpupdate_dports_lang_gcc33/work/build" && CC=/usr/bin/gcc-3.3 /opt/local/var/db/dports/build/_opt_local_var_db_dports_sources_rsync.rsync.darwinports.org_dpupdate_dports_lang_gcc33/work/gcc-3.3.6/configure --prefix=/opt/local --enable-languages=c,c++,f77,objc --libdir=/opt/local/lib/gcc-3.3 --infodir=/opt/local/share/info --mandir=/opt/local/share/man --with-local-prefix=/opt/local --with-system-zlib --disable-nls --program-suffix=-dp-3.3 --with-gxx-include-dir=/opt/local/include/gcc-3.3/c++/" returned error 1
Command output: Configuring for a i686-apple-darwin8.8.3 host.
Created "Makefile" in /opt/local/var/db/dports/build/_opt_local_var_db_dports_sources_rsync.rsync.darwinports.org_dpupdate_dports_lang_gcc33/work/build
gcc-3.3: installation problem, cannot exec `cc1': No such file or directory
*** The command '/usr/bin/gcc-3.3 -o conftest -g   conftest.c' failed.
*** You must set the environment variable CC to a working compiler.

It seems to be attempting to compile gcc33 using gcc33, which doesn't
seem to be properly installed. It's my understanding that XCode 2.4.1 on
Intel does not provide a working gcc < 4.0; I get the same "cannot exec
`cc1'" with a simple test.c:

bembo:tmp$ gcc_select
Current default compiler:
gcc version 4.0.1 (Apple Computer, Inc. build 5367)
bembo:tmp$ cat test.c
#include "stdio.h"

int main(){
    printf("Hello world\n");
    return 0;
}
bembo:tmp$ gcc -o test test.c
bembo:tmp$ ./test
Hello world
bembo:tmp$ sudo gcc_select 3.3
Default compiler has been set to:
gcc version 3.3 20030304 (Apple Computer, Inc. build 1819)
bembo:tmp$ gcc -o test test.c
gcc: installation problem, cannot exec `cc1': No such file or directory

I need access to 3.3 to build and test a generic (but old) scientific
simulation code, which is why I'm trying to install it using MacPorts. I
would welcome any advice. Should XCode 2.4.1 on Intel be able to provide
me with a working gcc < 4.0? Failing that, how can I build gcc 3.3 using
MacPorts without gcc 3.3?

Thanks,
-- 
Mike Williams
University of Oxford