Customs Engine Vote 1948 Pontiac Streamliner

Hey everyone. The straight 8 in my uncles 48 Pontiac streamliner is likely not rebuild able. Any recommendations? Would small or big block GM motor be what usually is done?

I would have rather built the original motor but she had been stuck for so long and so much sludge and oil/water mixture came out of the pan today from a blown head gasket in 79. I'm pretty sure the pistons rusted in the cylinders and she's unsalvagable. Pulling her tomorrow. Will let everyone know..

Trans oil looked brand new after all these years...

Thanks in advance and cheers from sunny so cal.
Bob

 

$2000 crate makes a lot of tourque

 

None of the above.

Putting some Pontiac V8 torque in there would be my choice.

 

I agree with draggin'GTO

 

When I sold my 48, the new owner yanked the tired straight 8 and installed a [gasp!] 350 chevy. He also subframed it and raised it up 3 inches from when I had it. He loaned it to me for an afternoon after ti was all done and it was a much nicer car to drive than when I owned it with cut coils, flathead and 4 speed hydro.
Still, it broke my heart to see it with a chevy engine. I'd have to go with a Pontiac V/8 also.

 

I would try to find another straight 8 someone swapped for a sbc and build a multicarb intake and tube headers for the pontiac... They are cool cars and cool engines. I tried to buy a 49 streamline Coupé yesterday , an awesome car, ....the straight 8 was great but the car was too expensive( 12k euros) for being a rust bucket...
I think these engines cant be too hard to find , even over here People are almost giving them away for next to nothing because everyone swaps in an sbc...

 

poncho power! swap a pontiac v8 in

 

how about a Pontiac Sprint OHC 6 cylinder from a late 60s pontiac?

 

Randy, that's a great idea. There is some speed equipment available, and the OHC 6 is durable and tunable.

 

Gotta agree, go with Pontiac power. It's a perfect choice for a Pontiac hot rod.

 

What he said! Pontiac, novel, and there is speed equipment available. I'd back it up with either a 700R4 or 2004R. Tied for 2nd place would be any Pontiac V8 that there is an available adapter to mate to the above mentioned transmissions. 3rd choice would be another Pontiac straight 8 with the appropriate vintage speed equipment. Absolutely no Chevys of any block size...already overdone IMHO.

 

Pontiac power if it were mine.

 

too bad your not closer to chicago there a guy selling 2 Sprint engines ( OHC6) on craigslist .

But I say no to the belly button , and the bull that a Pontiac cost more to build is just that Bull , More aftermarket parts are now available than in the 80's ! a 400 will pull that car great and slow revs on top of it . I haven't made the decision on what I am doing with mine ( 50 chieftain ) since I have several choices from a Hybrid 301 turbo ( nonsimeased port heads on 301 base) to a 474 ( stroked out 455 )

 

Put two OHC-6's, side-by-side.

 

I don't think the answer is that simple. Who. When. How will it be driven? Show car or a daily?

 

Bingo.

 

Unfortunately, these aren't the answers you want to hear, but my first choice would be a 455 Pontiac, second choice is the big Chev. I like big engines (with lots of grunt) in big cars

 

Hi Mike,

Car will be driven occasionally as a weekend cruiser full of family.

I would use a Pontiac motor if possible and would rather mate to a TH400 if possible that I have to save on $$ adapter plate not an issue if needed at all.

 

1948 Pontiac

 

My choice would be a small block Chev (or Pontiac if you prefer).

Resist the temptation to overmatch the car with a big block or too powerful engine. Keep it mild and you avoid a lot of problems. Go too big and you will have to gut the car like a trout and replace suspension, brakes, trans, rear axle, everything from the rad cap to the tail pipe.

And when you are done it won't be any more fun to drive than if you had a mild engine, maybe less.

 

The last two are the day we removed it from the garage for the first time since 1979..

 

Small block, big block, 1956 Desoto hemi. Desoto hemi where the hell did that come from?

I probably would drop an SBC in it just because I have one that needs to find another body this year. But I think that there are so many options out there that would work equally as well if not better. A Pontiac 389 if you could land one would be an excellent option for instance. Nothing special just a single 4 mom's sedan engine would be head and shoulders above the original and would just be a neat engine for the old heap. Or harder to come by but an olds 394 or the later olds 455 or even a big nailhead.

Of course there are always the early valve in head Pontiac valve in head v-8s as well but like some of the other offerings not easy or cheap.

 

Okay folks. So, if the original straight 8 was rebuildable for a small fortune would you?

 

Nope I would not throw money at it unless I was looking for a restoration job or perhaps building a period bombita.

 

It depends on how much vintage speed equipment is available. If I could lay hands on a multi-carb intake and split exhaust manifolds, absolutely. I know there is stuff out there for Buicks, and a bit for Packards, but no clue about Pontiacs.

 

No way I would go back to the flat 8. A 389 or maybe (I don't know anything about them), a Pontiac 350 if they could be cheap and easy, otherwise the awesome SBC would be my engine of choice.

 

No way, go 389-400 will work with the turbo 400, easier to sell also.

 

Mine..[.photo a few posts above] had the straight 8 'till I sold the car. I putted it around town until I put a set of 3.23 gears in it from a later Pontiac. Then I took a road trip from Omaha to Columbus Ohio with it.....younger brother came with me [that's him sitting on the rear bumper chowing down] . It was aver 100 degrees most of the trip and the temp gauge sat on "hot" most of the way, making me very nervous. Stopped in Springfield, Ill to replace the rear U-joint which we found at an implement dealer.
Got about 16 MPG and was almost able to keep up with traffic. Your 4 door would probably be fine with an engine rebuild if you switch to a 3.23 or even a 3.07 rear gear and clean out the damned radiator too.
All that said? I'd rather pop a smallblock in it ..but a real Pontiac V/8 engine would make me happier.
Oh yeah, after sitting in traffic for over an hour getting into the Street rod nats at Columbus, my 48 puked all the coolant after shutting it off. I pretended like I didn't see it as I walked away.