Projects 1932 Ford 3 Window with 389 Pontiac

I bought a 26 Roadster with a 370 Pontiac with 3 two's in it. It had been sitting for 26 years. I knew the car and had driven it when I was in High School. It used to run hot despite the large radiator. I got the motor started right up but the water pump was leaking bad and the motor ran rough. After looking into the water pump the early Pontiacs with the bypass hoses run a reverse rotation pump. It had the standard rotation pump so it was basically just peculating the water through the system. So be sure to get the correct one. Also the rockers are oiled through the studs so don't use poly locks. It had 3 bent pushrods and 2 broken valve springs. I got the parts through O'Reillys and they were very reasonably priced. If you use that engine it will have plenty of power to gut that Transmission and rear end like a snow bird.

 

Holy shit that car is awesome :0

 

Ken, you are our HERO!

 

Dropped engine off at a shop to have it looked at. But I did get some pics of the car in it's hey day. It had a buick engine in it. That is my dad in the black jacket.

 

Wow!
I'll think of something more profound later but for now - wow

 

I would have loved that car in 1960 and I still love it today !
You are very lucky to have your Dad's old car. Bring it back like it was and make it straight and pretty! It deserves that !


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Hey Ken,
Just an FYI,
That carb in the pictures never came on a Buick,
only Oldsmobile. it is a back draft carb.
Also, Buick only had "Nailhead" engines in the '50s and '60s
Where the heads are not sloped.
That engine in the 1960 pictures is surely a Pontiac.
Maybe with an Olds carb! Or maybe an Olds.
Anybody else back me up!

PS: the car was KILLER in those pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You got about all you need!!!!!!!!!!

 

Doesn't really matter, the car is still KILLER!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I was lucky enough to get my dad's old custom. It was his pride and joy that he owned for 48+ years but he never finished it. When my brother and I took the project over, we I tried to keep it as traditional as we could to the late 50s era which is when dad started the project. We finished the car exactly how my dad wanted it to look back in 1957 and he really enjoys it when I give him a ride in the finished car.

 

1. Holy shit!
2. Holy shit!

 

Ken,
If you just return the car to what it was
in those pictures, It will always be 1960 when you drive it,
and when you and your dad ride in it,
you will always both be the same age he was
when he built it!
Your opportunity is surely once in a lifetime.
Nothing else could be better!

 

Maybe you want to hunt an olds engine,
Since the Pontiac only made 1 mile in the car.

 

I second that idea. Though I think the pontiac is wicked cool.

PS. I have many transmissions with the good upgraded gears, if you want to update from the crash box.

 

The word perfect comes to mind.
Jealousy is just so ugly on me.....

 

WOW

 

You have the holy grail of hotrods and it just happens to have belonged to your dad. It gets no better than that!

 

There is no way the rodders journal can ignore a restoration like this should you rebuild back to your dad's original

#RJfeaturerhis

 

Like others has said nothing else but original built. Don't be a fool and be like me I had my Dads '41 ford coupe after Dad pass trade it for a '48 Jeepster.

 

First off all the best vibes I can muster go out to your father and sorry for your family’s worries or pain. The big C got my dad a few years ago. It’s kicked the asses of many other family members as well. You’ve come to the right place for people who can relate to that sickness and the other that you just put in the garage.
I don’t know why I’m so scarred sitting here that you may not heed our words here. If you F that perfect vintage piece of art up after sharing your ignorance(sincerely I mean no offense) to “traditional” or other roding someone might hunt you down! Your father must have been one cool bad and mean dude in his day. The car is easily up with the best period finds I’ve seen on the HAMB in my tenure. Please trust our wisdom when we beat that dead horse, don’t change it!!!!! There is a reason we all keep repeating this, don’t change it!!!!! I’m subscribed as is some of our finest patriarchs. I don’t see a thing that needs to be altered in style that wouldn’t have the whole world drooling all over again once it’s back to drivable and clean again. Shiny paint will take it to the next level but this of course is probably the most time consuming and pricey part of meeting your time frame. What was your Pops vision for color?
You mentioned you hoped it would perform as well as your 06 pony car. That little Chief motor tuned well in a 32 3w will surely impress the hell out of you, you don’t believe we all dedicate all this time, effort and money for slow boring rides do ya? No it’s not going to be a GT500 or anything but a big chunk of us are spending quite a bit of change on Flatheads with substantially less power than the Pontiac expecting to have a damned ol good time.
Get her back together in the same theme as it is as fast as you safely can. This kind of build will be very rewarding for the soul.
Most important thing will be any ride you can take with your old man in it is a good time that you keep in your heart for the remainder of your’s and his days. I believe this adventure could even help him pull through maybe if just only for a little while longer.
Now get at it and welcome to the club man.


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Spot-On!

 

Your Dad Rules..

 

This is exactly what your car should look like. You are a lucky guy and I am damned envious. To quote pretty much everyone on here, Wow!

 

Oh man, after seeing those pictures and hearing how the
Pontiac was only in it briefly, I believe I would put an Olds
motor back in it. Those pictures are amazing!
So many epic survivor Hot Rods being brought back to life right now.
So good.

 

Thanks for the interest, I am soaking in the information and listening. Some ideas that I have tossed out based on the input from you guys, I was going to upgrade brakes to disc, not now, I/we will just rebuild. I was going to redo the interior, now I am going to match the interior in the pics, just recover in same colors. No electric locks or windows. No Chevy engine, re-use existing Buick tail lights. I am not going to change the exterior other than to remove rust fix some cracks around the hinges and a ugly interface between back bumper and body. Paint in the long term will be either black or candy apple red or maybe a mixture/fade as dad likes the red and I like ford black. Flames are not an option dad hates them. (Except out the tail pipes) primer it in the short term. I will definitely need 2 full sets of rims and tires after seeing the pics. Update on the engine in shop tomorrow. Speaking of engines I concur that even a mild build on the Pontiac would be plenty of power. Dad is a Ford guy who has always had a Ford truck, he suggested a 302 ford engine. The only parts dad bought recently were new running boards from Drakes and a new replacement Ford emblem for the front grill/radiator cap. Thanks again for your ideas.
P.S. asked about the OLD's engine he said he could not remember what it was, he said at the time they just picked up whatever engine they could get for 10.00 and made it run fast.

 

Your on the Rite path! Very Glad as everyone one else that's read this thread... Now go re-read the Whole thread like I just did! Cheer's..

 

Build it to those 1950's photos and rule the earth. Literally my dream to find an old survivor 3 window!

 

Black or candy apple red, both of my faves.
So I made it do both

 

You could save a bunch of grief and skip the disc brakes. Just rebuild the drum brakes and upgrade the master. Drum brakes when set up correctly work very well.

 

Wow that is amazing. I think that would be a great solution/color for this car.