Looking through some old magazines i've found engine swap articles on how to swap many different engines into old cars. Most popular were Olds or Cadillac engines onto a '40 Ford, Buick Nailhead into a '49-'53 Chevy (Car) and how to put a Chevy v8 into a '49-'54 Chevy Pickup. But what i don't recall seeing are a lot of articles that have Hot Rods with Pontiac engines in them. You would think with Mickey Thompson setting a land speed record of 406.6 in 1960 with one, and using them exclusively in his drag racing cars you would've seen a lot more swaps. I wonder why not, especially since they made really only one block., and could be bored from 287 to 455 ci. Was it size, cost, to hard to find speed parts that made them an unpopular swap?
Size matters a pontiac motor is wide and the exhaust makes them wider. My guess is by 1960 when m\t was setting records the 283 was already pentlyful and cheap? Someone should know more than me
No clue, but my current project truck (48 International) is being built around a 463 inch Pontiac that I've owned for over 25 years.
A favorite of mine from the ‘60’s was this 347 inch Pontiac powered T that served as the push car for the Walker & Geary fuel altered. The lower photo has a large P watermark on it for Peterson Publishing.
If I remember correctly Don Francisco blueprinted a Pontiac engine, installed it in his ‘57 T-bird and documented it in HRM back then. Eddie Hill was ripping up the asphalt at tracks throughout the southwest with his twin Pontiacs and Walt Kaline had his Pontiac powered T bucket on the cover of Hot Rod. As a kid I loved anything Pontiac (still do) so I remember quite a few Pontiac powered hot rods. My favorite dragster? The McEwen and Adams “Shark Car” especially when it was Pontiac powered. Also Thompson’s Hemi Pontiac. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
If you open the H.A.M.B. on a desktop computer quite often a nice channeled ‘32 roadster appears in the header graphic. It’s a great photo on the beach and the ‘32 has a Pontiac engine with stock exhaust manifolds. It’s a very cool understated hot rod that I’d love to have today. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
You opened a can on this one. I have dozens of Hot Rod Pontiac pics. Here are a few and take note the first one is on the Hamb header... View attachment 4832565 View attachment 4832569 Damn my computer is going haywire???
I think that roadster picture appears in full in the "Pictures that need no explanation" thread if someone knows how to find and paste it. I'm not to swift at getting and posting pictures.
About 90% done with this one. The 40 is Pontiac powered. The 34. I have built a gaggle of Pontiac powered cars, not even sure why... -Abone.
I always liked the 389. I've owned all kinds of Pontiacs from the 455 to the 350 and like the closed chamber 389 best.. They are so torquey for there size. I like to use the Mackellar #10 cam or the Crower 60310..
Alex Idzardi's '32 five window with a 400 Pontiac is about the only one i car remember featured in a car mag.
Back around 62-63 when Mickey was into the 4 cyl Tempest engine and I was working at the Pontiac dealership in Bristol, CT I removed the 55 Olds from my 32 coupe and installed the 4 cyl for a few years. Ran good ! Paul in CT
In high school I was a Pontiac Nut big time. Ran them until about 1987 when I got married and sold off all of my remaining Pontiac stuff I had been collecting for years. When this one appeared on the cover and inside the magazine it really relit that old flame I have in my heart for Pontiacs. Would love to have one like this but the $$$$$ is too insane any longer to build one.
Back in the day a long time ago I think it was in the earlier 60's I put a 421 Pont. in a 54 Corvette, I did not want to do it because the Vette was a classic but he Insisted on doing it & even upped the Price to do it. So I did it. Just my 3.5 cents Live Learn & Die a Fool
'53 Stude. '51 Merc. '39 Ford. '36 truck This car Had this Model A. I built a few more that I can't find pictures of, so this will have to do for now. -Abone.
Only drove a good Pontiac once in my life, my buddy's '68 GTO in high school. 400 4-speed. It left an impression. I can imagine in a light hot rod. I remember somebody saying that one of the members here has a fast Pontiac powered Model A coupe?... that's hard to beat at the HAMB drags?