Man... if a car got left out in the woods for 20 years around here, there would be nothing left of it from rust. How did that car survive so well in the worst possible conditions???
Sorry, yeah that statement needs clarifying. In his 12yr old brain he wanted to fix the 63 but I told him no, will do the 62. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Yeah will see. I hope and pray the underside is okay!!! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I’ve thought about fixing the 63 before and have even looked for a donor car but it always comes down to how much money am I willing to spend on a 4dr Star chief. The answer is not much. If I had the money for a donor I would have bought a Catalina or spent it on one of my other cars. Yeah, it will get stripped of its drive train and the rest parted out or traded to the Pontiac people. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Well it will hopefully go to good use in your ‘62 and other Pontiacs. So when does it arrive? (If you’ve already said I apologize...it’s been a long three days at work this week). What engine is in the ‘62? Regards, Randy Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I’m hoping it will arrive tomorrow night. My driver made a few stops along the way. I believe the 389 in the 62 is original but I’ll find out when it gets here. It looked original last time I looked at it but that doesn’t mean a whole lot. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thought we’d tinker a little with the 63’ engine and get it started before the sun went down. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
With a gas can and a long hose hooked to 2bl an a battery from my 57’ the 389 started pretty easy. We did crank it for a while to get the oil pressure up first. Can’t figure out why it won’t post my video of it running but it did run. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Starting to dig stuff out and inventory my Pontiac stuff....which isn’t much. Big bolt pattern 14 inch 5 spokes. Bought these at Long Beach swap meet about 23yrs ago. I new they come in handy eventually. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
As a dedicated Pontiac guy [370 Poncho in the avatar car] it's always nice to read these stories. I'd knock the 63 in the head for it's motor too.A star chief should have the heavier hydramatic trans over the Catalina's slim-jim. The hydro will fit catalina but I'm told some floor hump work will need to be done as the hydro is physically bigger than the slim jim.
Thank you Rocky for the info. I’m learning the Pontiac stuff. I’ve actually learn a lot of Pontiac stuff going through your build on the coupe example being the oil pump trick. Keep it coming! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The 62 is a Bonneville so should be no problems fitting the SC 63 hydro...same basic trans for both cars.
Not having any experience with them how well do they hold up? I’m not planning on being outright abusive but I want have fun with the car. Will that typically take a little bit of a beating without dying? Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Timing chains are usually my biggest concern when dealing with these Pontiacs. The fiber/plastic cam gear was weak when new, & only gets worse with age … pretty sure the Cloyes Tru-roller double row is still the preferred remedy. Checking is pretty easy - unlatch the dist. cap, grab the fan, & rock engine back & forth about 30 degrees. The longer it takes for the rotor to move, the more slack you have.
Pretty sure neither of these motors have the nylon tooth cam sprocket unless someone was stupid enough to use one as a replacement. Nylon sprocket didn't come in until later around 64/65? Just guessing wo looking it up.
Ok I have a question. I was told you could tell the difference between a 389 and a 421 by the angle of the oil filter ? Im a Tin Indian mill collector. I have two 316's a 60 389, several 350's & 301's and a 400. I would junk the 4 door in a heart beat to fix the Hardtop.
I agree, I would not worry about the nylon timing gears with either of these engines. I also agree with poncho 60 that it was around 65 or so when they started using them and quit using them around 1972. I have almost a dozen of these engines from this era and none of them have the nylon timing gear left installed after I bought them. My 66 still had the remnants of it in the oil pan and stuck in the oil pump when I open the engine in the mid-80s I would certainly check the chain slack as part of the procedure of getting ready to return one of the engines to service that’s for sure. Glad to see it arrived safe!! Regards, Randy Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Yeah I’d be surprised if the later 389 has a nylon timing gear. I was around when my father in law had it rebuilt but he had the machine shop assemble the engine so there is a lot I don’t know that I wish I did like what pistons and what cam did they use. I’d kinda like to know if I’m running 10.25:1 compression. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Well I spent the morning with my son doing Devil Pups training and now I finally get to look at the Pontiac in the day light for the 1st time. I’m afraid it might be a case of the girl from the bar that looked good in a dark room but doesn’t looks so good the next morning. We shall see how bad things are! “Must resist the impulse to take things apart and restore!!!” Lol I’ll post some pics. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Anybody else wanting to see what it looks like after a good bath? I dig it alot and look forward to it not looking so forlorn...
You can actually verify the cam gear type if you have a cell phone camera. With a little effort you can get a shot of it by removing the fuel pump.
You gotta love left hand threaded wheel lugs! I had forgot that it had those. Been a few years. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Definitely some rust in the trunk or lack thereof a trunk. Even the gas tank rusted from above which I thought was weird. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The Jalopy Journal
