hello all... I’ve picked up this little 4cyl (half of a 389) and I’ve been trying to do some research but I keep coming up short.. I know a regular BOP transmission bell housing will mostly bolt up, however the starter position requires a much smaller diameter flywheel/flex plate. Has anybody successfully mounted a regular rear wheel drive non 61-63 tempest trans wether it be manual or auto to a trophy 4? This little motor fascinates me and I’ve got a crazy idea to hop the thing up and throw it in a compact gasser..
Might have to use a BOP scattershield for a conventional trans. Sent from my SM-G950U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Ive got one of those in a tempest. you might make a adapter plate to mount a trans to the rear of the current bellhousing? Mickey Tompson did some engineering on them and made so speed equiptment for them. I seen a regular 4 bbl intake mounted on one and the used a flat plate to block of the unused side.
That looks to be in great condition...if your going to get an engine thats the way you want them to be short of running in the car. A slant 4. A real oddball much like that OHC 6. Good luck with it. 4 bangers are cool.
Build a T bucket with that motor and the stock auto trans drive train. Complete with swing axle rear suspension and the torque converter spinning around out in the open under the gas tank.
what I’m curious of is how the starter/flywheel/flex plate is going to work out.. the diameter has to be small enough for the starter to work.. wonder if a custom flexplate/flywheel could be made to work with other transmissions.. I’ve got a BOP th400 already but I’m sure the torque converter is to big for the small diameter flywheel on the trophy4
back when.... 1976-1982 built one of these to terrorize OT jeep drag racing... the starter can be moved to the bottom with a custom adapter which bolts to the lower engine rail and a regular BOP bell housing can be used with a regular pontiac flywheel. lots of trial and error fitment to get the adaptor bracket in the right place. at first had lots of problems with starter loosening but finally worked it out. had engine built by Don Smith at Golden Shamrock in Winston NC then... using Brooks Aluminum Rods and Ross pistons, Ram Air IV head, quite a few hand-built intake manifolds (tunnel ram with 2 500 2bbl holley, and at the end a cut up Torker with 800 holley. Fabricated a (too big) header with 4" collector.. funny... used a RAIV cast iron exhaust with no real effective loss.. just a BIG dust storm on the line. Finally also hooked this engine up to a Lakewood shield with a Fairbanks Turbo 400 transmission... 7k Launch... Earlier version (1977 at Gravelrama... second 4 cylinder over the Big Elim hill.. a 4 speed transmission was behind this one... Engine was forged 400 rods a junk yard pistons...Ralph Brinkley... That my late dad driving... lost this run to another 195 pontiac 4cyl... There was also a econo rail campaigned in the northeast with one of these engines... it was tunnel ram with 2 500 2bll Holley... ran in 9's @ 140, one story was engine hydrolocked with vibrations broke the floats in the carburetors and flooded with fuel. they modified bowls for recirculation an did not need floats. I'm gonna murder the name.. hershlow and morlock ??
My brother ran a 194 in an X/FD in the mid 60's with a Powerglide behind it, never ran a starter. I was in my teens and thought anything that would bolt to a 389 would bolt to it. I learned to drive in a 63 tempest with a four and always thought they would make a good engine for a Model A or T.
The passenger car engine came with either (A) single barrel Rochester BC or (B) four barrel Rochester 4GC. The factory race version came with a 625 CFM Carter AFB. I am unaware if there was a factory version using an updraft. EDIT: I had one of the race versions and tried to run it on the street, but the 625 CFM was Waaaaaaay too big for the street. Replaced it with a 400 and really changed the way the engine performed. Jon.
A good friend of mine was building one of those in the mid 70's. His plan was to mate a 4 spd to it and put it in the 63 Tempest with a 9 inch out back. He discovered in the rules (AHRA) that the motor and trans had to remain in the stock location so he sold the Tempest and put the motor in a Chevy II. Stroked, bored, roller cam, Carrillo rods, RA IV head, home made tunnel ram with 2-500 Holley 2 bbl. It was nasty!! After breaking it a few times, the final build was 218 cid. He dropped the class record from the 15.50 when he first raced it down to 13.06. ... Back in the 70's that was pretty fast for a 4 banger!!!
I see the block off plate on top of the manifold now. What threw me off was the flange at the lower side of the manifold
Always been intrigued by those Pontiac fours. Your post reminded me of a "T" bucket I saw in a magazine years ago - dug around and found this: (scanner's broken so had to use my phone... ) I think the OP should build one like this!
I’m loving all the info and pictures you guys got, Thall, love the Jeep sand drags.. do you know where I could source one of those starter brackets?
The Jalopy Journal
