Dreaming is free and today, my NE Ohio Pontiac enthusiast friend, tells me about a complete Sprint engine, he scooped up, for $500 clams This is the 4BBL "performance" version. My mind started racing with visions of this engine all dressed up and detailed, in a 60's era correct T-Bucket or ??? Has anyone ever seen one of these used in a Hot Rod. Fully aware of their pitfalls, but I'm a gluten for punishment. IMHO, it would be a unique powerplant. This one came complete with the PG trans. Removed from a running driving Tempest Sprint Six. From Wikipedia: "An optional high-performance Sprint version featured high-compression pistons, hotter cam, dual valve springs, split/dual exhaust manifold, stronger coil, and the then new Rochester Quadrajet carburetor. rated at 207 hp (154 kW).[5] Power was increased to 215 hp (160 kW; 218 PS) in 1967." JT
Tex Smith used one in his 31 ford roadster magazine project. Worked very well. Another friend from southern mn used one in his t-bucket, w/an interesting homebuilt front suspension. Unfortunately, Curt passed a # of years ago, T went away somewhere, & I don't have any pics of it. An engine worth using, & looks very nice, esp when detailed. Marcus...
There is one on the "Red Baron" show car. The original plastic model claimed the fictional car had some world war I aircraft engine and this is as close as they could come.
I owned one almost 40 years ago. It was my first car. Miss it and wish I would have kept it. The guy I sold the car to pulled it and replaced it w a V8. Mine was a sprint w the 4 bbl QJet. I would proudly shift it at 6500 rpms all day. Regards, Randy Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The late Chris Beierling built a ‘31 Pontiac coupe with a Pontiac OHC with 3 Weber carbs. Don’t know if he started with a Sprint (4 barrel) or not.
I think @anthony myrick was looking into one several months ago, there was quite a thread about the engines. I'll see if I can dig it up. Here it is, same engine? https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/is-an-ohc-pontiac-straight-6-worth-messing-with.1178745/
Pontiac was on a performance kick at the time and their idea was to give the six cylinder buyer a little more performance than others had to offer. They succeeded better than they knew. From all reports, the OHC six in the light weight Tempest or Firebird gave small block V8 performance with six cylinder economy, in fact fuel economy was better than other sixes of the same size and less HP. They also looked cool with their aluminum OHC valve cover and they were the first mass produced engine with belt driven overhead cam. The basic engine was derived from the Chevy 230 cu in six, without the lousy head design. The only bad thing I have heard about them is that parts are scarce and hard to find. But if you have a complete engine that should not be too much of a problem. A lot of them were pulled out and discarded not because there was anything wrong with them, but because someone wanted a V8 car and was too dumb to buy one in the first place.
Ok Feel free to close this thread All my thoughts and questions put to bed Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
One point I'm not clear on, if they used a modified Chevy six block did they have a Chev bellhousing bolt pattern or did they change it to BOP style? I know later BOP cars that used Chev sixes, had an adapter plate to mate a Chev block to BOP transmission.
They use a BOP pattern bellhousing, but it is unique to the OHC-6, with the starter pocket on the RH side (starter is also unique, having a specific nose): My brief flirtation with them is over, but IMHO they are worth looking into, especially if you find a Sprint/4-bbl version and are installing it in a lighter vehicle. In my limited experience, many people want to upgrade to the 4-bbl version if they have the 2-bbl version, but the 4-bbl head (and other related parts) are different from the 2-bbl, so simply adding the 4-bbl intake to the 2-bbl engine isn't worthwhile. There is some aftermarket support, and the OHC-6 Cammers group has some excellent resources and a some very helpful members, too. Parts like the starter, water pump, and harmonic balancer (and even year to year there is significant variation) are unique to this engine, so, it's probably not for most people. While they do share a crankshaft with the Chevy I6, nothing else interchanges between the two engines. The OHC-6 is a deep skirt block, so more rigid, too. It sounds like lack of maintenance was the undoing of many of these engines. Putting off regular oil changes is a no-no for an engine which maxes out at 40psi and likes to rev above 5k rpm. Sprint/4-bbl intake/exhaust manifold combos seem to be going for $500 or so, and while not super hard to find, they are in demand. The 4-bbl Rochester carb is also unique, in that it is mounted 90* from "normal", so the linkage reflects that. Flywheel? Yep, unique to the OHC-6, too.
POCI ?? Heard the Pontiac Club here in Orlando has a few oddballs. A few years ago, tried getting them to help me sponsor Arnie Beswick to attend my Florida Dragstrip Riot. Not one response from them.
Late to this one. Tom Langdon one of the designers/engineers on the late Chevy six( 194/230/250/292) built a car Known as the Hole Shot 6. He used the Pontiac and if I remember correctly also put the 292 crank in it. To say it was successful at more than one level was a huge understatement. He also had a very simple and effective solution for the rocker /lifter issues with the OHC. Cost like next to nothing to fix. That car is all over the hamb on several threads. Lot of interchangeability between Chevy six /and some sbc stuff but there was also some Pontiac only deals. Still love to see someone push the envelope. Build all you can while you can.
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