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Projects 39 Pontiac Coupe (series 25 small body) build

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by AGELE55, Dec 7, 2019.

  1. Good Deal! Glad you are back at it!
    I'm sure you will like either of those transmissions, nice low first gear and that oh so important overdrive.
    I understand the urge to overpower, but I feel like 300-350 hp is a good number to aim for, makes for a fun but easy to drive hotrod/cruiser...
    Whats your top engine choice at the moment?
     
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  2. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    Whatever you choose, I'd consider making sure it's a roller camshaft these days. Just so much easier on today's oils, and longer life too.
     
  3. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    Jegs has a 195 hp and a 300hp long block. Trying to convince myself to buy the 196..but ... the 300hp is probably gonna get the nod.
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2021
  4. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

     
  5. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    I agree the 300 hp would be my choice too, if I ever bought a crate engine.
     
  6. Definitely go with the 300! You will be kicking yourself later if you go with less...
     
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  7. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    Lol... I hear ya. But I’ve decided I’m at that point in life where I can treat myself to having an engine that I don’t have to build. My time is becoming more important than my money.. Lord knows, I’ve got plenty of other projects to eat up my time without rebuilding another motor, or two, or three...lol
     
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  8. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    Well... a little OT from the 39 Poncho, but as mentioned earlier, I thrashed the engine in my 55 daily grocery getter, which set me back. I decided on a 300 hp SBC from JEGS as a replacement. I’ve been driving this car for 37 years and rebuilt it twice. I think it’s earned a new engine. So while it’s apart, I’m replacing the power steering box, upper control arms (+5 deg caster), the AC system, master cylinder (leaking), and power booster. ...and THEN back to the Poncho!
     

    Attached Files:

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  9. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    Progress! Found a set of buckets from the salvage yard and am reworking them to fit the Poncho. This allows me to figure out my seat height, and geometry. With the seat set in place, I borrowed the steering column from the 55 to figure out the column length needed, the drop from the dash and my universal linkage down to the steering box.
    Now I can create a brake pedal support and position it.
    What could possibly go wrong?
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    Are those manual or electric buckets? Much adjustment for height, etc?
    I used Pontiac Vibe bucket seats in my '39 Chev coupe project. All manual adjustment, but a lot of various adjustments too. The normal forward-backwards, plus backrest tilt. But also the base can be raised or lowered and seat angle adjusted. All done with levers that are easy to reach. Passenger side has less adjustments.
    [​IMG]
    I recovered them since this picture to match the door and side panels I made.
     
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  11. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    Damn...sounds like you got the Mack daddy seats. I was struggling to find a decent seat in tan or brown that would actually tilt forward enough to allow access to the back. They’re manual and pretty basic, but I’m happy with them. Of course I have to cut and modify the tracks to fit. The salvage yard had a Memorial Day sale, so two seats out the door for $44.
     
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  12. oldsman41
    Joined: Jun 25, 2010
    Posts: 1,556

    oldsman41
    Member

    My avatar is a 41 olds business coupe I believe pretty close cousin to your Pontiac. Put a laguna rear end in it bolted up nicely that a monte carlo also original bolt pattern was 5on5 5 inch 16. 235 75 15 fit under rear real nice but you can go a little wider.
     
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  13. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    What year Laguna/ Monte?
     
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  14. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    Bought mine on a half price holiday sale also. Normally $60 a pair, and only $30 a pair. I wanted black, but nothing in black that was manual and solid. I planned to recover them anyway, as I bought a commercial sewing machine. So color was mostly for the hard trim pieces. I finally just got dark gray, and used plastic spray to paint the trim.
    Taught myself to sew, and sewed them up like my '40 Chev was in 1968.

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. oldsman41
    Joined: Jun 25, 2010
    Posts: 1,556

    oldsman41
    Member

    76 if I remember correctly the laguna was also chevelle then I believe so lots of them out there.I swapped gears for a 3.73 for my 700r4 I think the original was 3.08 or less.
     
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  16. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    Might also look at a 8.8" Ford from an Explorer. They come as disc brake or drum brake depending on the year. They're a good fit and often found in anything from 3.56, 3.73, or 4.10posi. They're a copy of the 12 bolt GM axle, and I've used them in the last 4 builds, including my '39 Chevy.
    This was during mockup with my old slicks on the car.
    [​IMG]
     
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  17. Mike Colemire
    Joined: May 18, 2013
    Posts: 1,428

    Mike Colemire
    Member

    Explorer rear end is a lot stronger than the 12 bolt. Bigger axle bearings, 31 spline axles, and a lot better housing. I'm a chevy guy but I've used alot of the explorer rear ends.
     
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  18. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    Progress however small is still progress! My cardboard template for the Poncho toe board is done. I made it with a 2" hole that I could slide around until I was satisfied with the location. I'm now working the 18 gauge real deal. 20210627_172040.jpg
     
  19. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    My new floors I welded in my '39 had no holes, so I used the plate that came off the Chevy truck I took the column out of.
    [​IMG]
     
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  20. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    Well, for those of you keeping score, you know I thrashed my 55 driver, so have been pretty much distracted from the Poncho. The good news is the 55 recieved some love while down for an engine. New 300hp engine, upper control arms, steering box,steering column, master cylinder, brake booster, windshield squirters, plus various other upgrades and repairs. She's now back in daily driver status! So now I can hopefully make some progress on the Poncho.

    I received the new aluminum radiator, for a 39 Chevy, which looks like it will work out. I hoisted the engine and tranny into place to check the fit against the new steering linkage, steering box, and radiator. She's gonna be tight, but I think I'm close to getting it set. 20211006_160454.jpg 20211007_153239.jpg 20211007_153210.jpg
     
  21. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    The fan extends into the space for the radiator, but I should be able to move the radiator forward and nest it into the support for clearance.
    I made wooden templates the same shape as the new frame side motor mounts. This lets me position the engine and mark up the templates to show me where and what angle to cut them for a good fit.
    Also finished up my new toe board. Been a pretty busy couple of days. 20211007_160530.jpg 20211007_112346.jpg
     
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  22. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 8,717

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    I used a '32 Ford to Chevy V8 aluminum radiator. Those specific to late 30's Chevs were silly priced, and this was under $200. Made up 3/8" aluminum rods and threaded the ends for 3/8-16 tpi to support the top, and just a pair of plates with rubber isolators for the radiator mounts on the bottom.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  23. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    20211008_133044.jpg 20211008_133733.jpg Still working final test fit for the SBC. With engine sitting pretty, my hood lift spring mechanism is trapped behind the dizzy. Damn, it's always something. Perusing the web, I can see others folks must of had the same issue and made the mechanism go away. Maybe later I can figure out a new plan... but for now, its gotta go.
     
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  24. panhead_pete
    Joined: Feb 22, 2006
    Posts: 3,487

    panhead_pete
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Here's a thread with a wealth of 8.8 info

    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/8-8-rear-end-for-a-hotrod-info.1203372/
     
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  25. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    Received my block hugger shorty headers. So final fit of the engine with the headers, radiator, new steering box and linkage, looks pretty good. I had to raise the engine about a 1/2" to get clearance off the steering box. It's pretty tight in there, but I think I'm ready to weld in the engine mounts. 20211021_182507.jpg 20211021_182330.jpg
     
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  26. bill gruendeman
    Joined: Jun 18, 2019
    Posts: 808

    bill gruendeman
    Member

    I got rid of the springs and mechanism and use a prop rod to hold the hood up.
     
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  27. Gofannon
    Joined: Feb 8, 2007
    Posts: 924

    Gofannon
    Member

    You need to find a set of these. Canadian Pontiac. I don't know if they only come with offset holes.

    [​IMG]
     
  28. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    Yep… The springs will definitely have to go. I do have an idea for using some gas filled struts to replace the springs. But that’s a later thing….
     
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  29. oldsman41
    Joined: Jun 25, 2010
    Posts: 1,556

    oldsman41
    Member

    Your Pontiac is like my olds if it is a business coupe the rear Windows are fixed in place . The coupe and opera coupe slid open .
     
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  30. AGELE55
    Joined: Jan 4, 2018
    Posts: 620

    AGELE55
    Member

    I've been having fits trying to figure out my rear quarter windows. They are definitely "fixed", but do not have the traditional flange to set the rubber. They appear to set into a channel. Is yours similar?
     
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