55 Pontiac gasser, Poncho Villa rides again!!!!!!!

I have been building this thing in the driveway with the help of some friends in the true spirit of an original gasser. Minimal funds, hands on build, skipping brakfast and lunch, eating hot dogs and Ramen noodles just to save up for an intake. Bartering, borrowing and selling stuff to feed the need....to have fun! Pure Fun....that's what its all about.

I have been lucky in the fact that I know people that are either have parts, skills or better yet.... they were there doing it in the mid 60's up into the early 80's.

At this weekends Gasser reunion it sorta hit home when I was talking to an aquaintance and she asked where I was going to start work. Doesn't sound all that significant.....but she was the Grand Marshall, she has had her car at Garlits museum and other than her, two other people have driven her Willys....Bones Balogh and Garlits. Wow someone that I look up to actually knows me in more than just passing. Hats off to the classiest Gasser I know....Barb Hamilton. When I told her what I was doing she thought it was neat and never expected people to think what she was doing in the mid '60's would be cool to so many.

Without further ado I introduce you to "The Ugly Car" as it has been named by my 3 year old daughter.....

 

Maybe we'll have to have an "Ugly Race" between yours and The Ugly Truck when I ever finish her...well, you have a bigger motor, maybe I better pass.

 

Looks good Curly........wonder how it will run with them gnomes shoved up into the headers...........I will get you!.......Littleman.......remember you have full use of my tools and equipment....whenever needed

 

Nice
Pontiac power, outstanding! whats the intake?

 

I was thinking about doing this one with pics as we did things. I guess the first photo/tech thread could be the rearend. We still have to build one to replace that old weak pegleg Poncho rear so a CHEAP swapmeet 9" will be done. Moser 4.57 gears from the local swap, Strange "S-series" spool, New moser axles blah blah blah.

The motor will be mild at this time. Over the winter and as money permits I'll be doing some stuff to the old Indian Such as cam, gasket matching the intake heads. It is a mildly built 1968 400 Ponch from a Catalina. Originally it was a 290hp YC two barrel motor. It had a 4bbl brother with a different cam that popped out 340hp. When I bought it it had the Milodon pan, improperly installed roller timing chain, and an unknown lumpy bumpstick, and a Holley carb. It ran good even thought the balancer timing mark was 3-4" away from the timing tab and the distributer was turned as far as the wires would allow it. It was due to the fact that someone had not watched what they were doing when installing the timing chain gears in the straight up position. It came with the original Turbo 400 still attached to it. Like I said no smoke, knocks and sounded good. It was clean too. So $400 later and it was loaded into my truck.

The body/frame was bought from another HAMB'r named Bob from Sandusky. It had a rusted out A arm and I have yet to find a body panel on it that is not packed with Bondo. I popped for some e-bay California fenders instead of fixing what I had. No hood for now, it weighs a ton!

Front suspension is some short leafs and an Econoline front axle. I'm looking at possibly picking up a set of Total Performance spindles as they are the same at the king pin side as the Econoline but have the same brake bolt pattern as 49-54 chevy so it will make the disc brake swap easier.....although I have stock Econoline spindles and I have been told that AMC stuff will bolt on with a little machine work....possibly another tech/photo post???

 

Wenzler

 

Looks like the start to a good looking gasser
need to get some pics of my 55 gasser project posted if it would ever stop raining here

 

Uhmmmm That is your Cherry Picker and load levelor in the pics dude. I think I have borrowed enough already!

I hope it eats gnomes.....and AMC's

Should I name it the............Rebel Ripper?

Actually if it wasn't for Don and the Rebel Reaper it wouldn't have gotten this far. Thing is going to have a "special thanks to" list a mile long!

 

Looks good from here dude, keep us posted on your progress!

 

My eyes aren't what they once were. I didn't realize that it was a Pontiac until I clicked the pics open. Cool. I hope to see it run next year.

My daughter said my Pontiac was "fallen apart" when I brought it home. Would be a great name if I took it in the same direction you are.

 

Curly, I just read you last post. I have a hood that could be repaired if one had the notion to. I can get you a pic. It's yours if you want it. (just dented in the front, not rusted out or busted up).

O.K., it's a decent size dent but still repairable.

Someone will be going this way or that way in the next few months to do a pick up and delivery.

 

I was wondering how many people would realize that it was a 55 Cheiftain and not a Chebby. I have a good hood so thanks, it just weighs a ton. My family used to race in the 60's-70's and they had a friend that made 'glass part for racing. I found out recently that he still does it so I'm thinking about taking both fenders and the hood to him for a one off '55 Pontiac glass tilt frontend

 

If he can make one, he can make 3 or 4... Ask here on the HAMB, I'll bet you could find some more people who would like to have one.

It could lower your costs by spreading the initial R&D work among several customers.

 

That would be cool. I imagine that he could sell more than one. I hear that if you poke holes in them, they weigh less.

 

That was the first thing I noticed, even in the little thumbnail. I've wanted to build a gasser out of an old Pontiac, as well as many other cars. Looks good and keep us updated.

 

Curly, that is going to be great, I cant wait to see more of this. It was nice talking with you at the gasser reunion this year and thanks for the nice remarks about my Pontiac powered Bantam.

Jon

 

great to see that pocho power. i sold mine to the guy that owns rossler trans in Girard. it was red oxide primered 2dr hdtp, set up for pontiac with a 57 rear. do you know him or what became of the car. i kick myself for selling.

 

It was great meeting you and your dad. I must say that everytime you were at the line I would tell everyone to watch you when you hit second gear in that Bantam.....and everytime you did not let me down Poppin the wheels up or squawk those slicks and sometimes both....looked like a fun time.

I'm hoping to be up and running for next year....what do you think....maybe we should give the spectators a little Pontiac show?

 

At first I thought "Ho Hum, prolly another 55 Chevy" but then , WOW !!What a pleasant surprise! I like it, its going to be DIFFERANT!!!! Your going to have fun with that. Glad to hear your putting disc brakes on it , and keeping it Poncho powered !

 

cool, its about time someone did a poncho!!!

 

With the burgers your wife makes, a couple more meetings at your place and we will have that thing up and runnin! Just remember it will take some serious ponies to catch up to my All Mighty Car. Hehehe...

Don

 

now thats cool a poncho gasser please post pictures

 

Ugly Car...nah.....The Ugly Coyote !!

 

If I decide to run it on alcohol I was thinking of painting it white and calling it white lightning and have a drunken injun painted on the deck lid. But enough daydreaming about paintjobs....must continue with motor-vation first.

Moser axles came and of course they are not correct! I've been on the phone with Summit and Moser and hope everything gets squared away soon.

I've been tinkering with a front crossmember, boxing plates for the front stock rails and the midmount.

 

Always wanted to do a 55' Pontiac Gasser. I looked for a suitable for a year, then built a 3 window. Good luck with build. Looking forward to seeing progress pics.

 

Looks like my ugly twin sister. Have the Canadian version, just as ugly, with a 455 Pontiac, 2 Edelbrocks on a Offy 360 but have a Wenzler on the shelf which is planned to go on next year. Having a hard time cutting a hole in a mint hood. Put a R&P in it last year but even though it drives great just doesn't look right so a straight axle is in the plans for this winter. Who's motor plate?

 

Now that's a dare to be different! Very cool.

 

Badass!!

 

Great car and the mill is a perfect match.
Here's a sketch I posted on the art show a while back. It's cool to see someone actually building one.

 

Looks real good so far. Love the Wenzler intake, them suckers aint cheap by any means. Gotta love the Pontiacs!