Projects 1956 Pontiac Chieftain gasser - SEGA build

^^^^^^ What he said!!
Start stripping stuff off.....and weigh it!! See just HOW MUCH weight you can remove and maintain structural strength. I bet close to 800-1000 pounds!! Chrome...glass...carpet....ALL pretty heavy.
Break out the "gas-hatchet" and have some fun!!
6sally6

 

And who might that be? Has he built competitive Pontiacs before? For what venue?
Here's your chance to give him a free plug to thousands!

 

That's what we are thinking. Bumpers alone will probably cut 800#. LOL. Interior is pretty much already stripped out. Much like me trying to diet, shave the ounces and the pounds will come off! Although it would definitely come off the car faster....

It's my best friend. He used to own a machine shop that built some really nice race motors, mostly Chevy and Ford stuff and a lot of import crap. He now just does it on the side, mostly for friends since he barely has any time. He's done some Pontiacs before and he's a pretty talented engine builder, so he's pretty excited about trying his hand at this motor.

 

Pontiac engines don't RPM real well...do they?! Not like a Chevy.
I don't know..............just ax'en a question.
6sally6

 

Long rod. Could be shortened for this application, but still have to live with most of the deck.
My big question is the heads. Not sure what's allowed.
I would look up Bert Strauss, from Canada..Pontiac Astre. The only real Pontiac to qualify in Pro Stock. Long time ago, before the 500 c.i. era, but had to be a rev-er.

 

No, they don't like to rev high. With this one we'll be using a short stroke and big bore. 3.25" stroke rather than 3.75".

With heads, they can be anything as long as they look like an original style. We'll be running some 6X-4 heads I have here.

 

Okay , so that gives you about 9.2 compression. How you going to get to 14-15 to 1 like the guy in the other lane?
Pontiac chambers, 30 degree intake seats, don't like dome pistons.

 

What about those "Big Chief" engines/parts seen on Pro Mod/Pro Stocks a few years back? Were'nt they Pontiac or just "Shivel-A" with Pontiac valve covers?
6sally6

 

Still "noodle-ing" this Pontiac engine discussion..........Am I the only one that remembers back in the early 60's how the big 421 powered Catalina's was "tearing-up" the drag strip in Super/Stock class?!
Now they didn't "wind-to-nine-grand" but after all...torque is what get's yea mov'in...and long rod/long stroke big inch 421's was like a "fat gal on a French fry" leaving the start strip!
I would think with decent heads and not toooo stiff gears that "tin indian" could make some decent numbers under 6000RPM.
Hafta frigger out the traction part...with all that torque but should be do-able.
Just my Ford boy opinion.
6sally6

 

Just BBC stuff in disguise.
Some of you may remember, but just before the 500 inch Pro Stock deal, several of the faster teams were using BB's at about 360 c.i. . Reason was the bigger heads.
Of course, we're talking A/Gas here.
I tried reading the rules, but it looks like you could drive a truck through them. I need to get with Quain about this stuff. I've had several people ask me about this .
I see Gene Fulton engines out there now, and he's certainly paid his dues, but this is not the end all , be all here. Trust me on this.
I think I might have hi-jacked this thread from our Pontiac friend here, but I just call 'em like I see' em.

 

I make 557hp with my 389 stroker motor. 1959 block with ported 62 iron heads and dual quads. There is more power in it. Just getting started. It's in my 57 Chieftain.

 

Dyno sheet.

 

Nice.
So it looks like you've got about 110 more c. i. than our friend here. Also this is stick shift only, so be ready to launch at 6000 plus.
I have no idea what the weight would be with either combo. It looks like Quain would like to see these different combos, and he'll work to make them competitive.
I would hate to see this deal turn into a SBC only eliminator.

 

My buddy had talked with a guy who had built a high revving Poncho motor in his car. I honestly can't remember the specifics but it was a pretty mean Poncho motor. I'm sure he has some of the details from the conversation, I'll try and get some info from him.

 

ahhh...makes me feel good about Poncho power. Great numbers!

 

Working on getting my '56 4 door Hardtop ready for her 1st powered drive. I put in a Pontiac 461 with a built Th350. Been a long time in the making, these cars in my opinion are underrated. I am also a Pontiac guy and own a Trans Am lol. I am looking forward to your build sir!!!!

 

The bad part of buying this car is I am now mildly debating selling my G8 and buying something old to DD. I have three cars that I kind of rotate through for my DD so it would be a 1-2 day a week car. I'd love an old GTO or LeMans....

 

Is the beast running as it sits?

I agree that gassers look bad ass... but your Poncho looks pretty solid and has a decent stance. I know I'll piss some folks off, but if it was mine I'd hotrod it the way it sits...

I have a 67 goat... that I'm putting back together BTW...

 

No, it doesn't run. The reason for the stance is the front pass side spring pocket is completely rusted out and the spring is through it.

 

The trouble with the low reving stroker engines is their big cubic inches. Of course you will get a weight break for running an antique engine. Like the FE Ford. You can get another weight break for iron heads. You can get another 200 lbs. for mechanical stack injection.
Right now C/Gas seems like your only option unless you have a budget to go buy some serious horsepower.
Good luck with your Pontiac project. As a former Pontiac race car driver , I drove a 65 GTO for a guy in super stock until I found out he was selling drugs to fund the car. Got out of there quick.

 

Well, we are going to run a 400 for now. Then we are going to built a 326 with a 400 block and a 287 crank using some crank spacers. It'll be more of a high revving motor. I'm fine running in C/Gas too. I think with our setup we'd be looking at a 3050# race weight with the allowances in SEGA.

 

Curious to see how you get your drivetrain mounted. I am very much enjoying this car build and working through the unique challenges that these older cars provide.

 

How long till this thing gets under the Knife

 

Trying to finish up rebuilding my tow rig. I have it almost all the way torn down, just need to throw some paint on it, install the new interior, and rebuild the engine. LOL

 

Here's my tow rig. 95 K2500 Burb. 4L80E took a dump so I yanked the whole drivetrain and am putting an NV4500 5-spd and an 8.1L into it. New gray interior and OD green paint.

 

I would research that 8.1 before I put one in anything.

 

I've read everything on it and talked to a bunch of people who had them. I'm comfortable with it. We'll be going through it all and doing new rings and bearings and all that stuff anyway. That's the main concerns with them from what I've read.

 

Old Pontiacs are a real crowd pleaser

 

I had a real nice 8100 in an 02 chevy dualie, best tow vehicle I ever had. That thing would leave a diesel in it's dust.