Whoops. i meant dist cap and carb. And hopefully/maybe some internal dist parts----rotor, starwheel, module, etc? Speaking of "superior" design features, the stamped rocker arms were from pontiac, which chevy took. 2) Why did the SBC become THE engine as opposed to pontiac? They were introduced at about the same time. RPM range?
One of my books says that the Pontiac 389 V8 had seven main bearings. I think that was an editing error, but I have not seen any other errors in the book. Also, I have read elsewhere some of the early Pontiac V8's where "reverse cooled". Anyone have any further information or corrections?
There are a few decent Pontiac engine threads floating around if you dig a bit. You will probably find these same old pics of my stuff in most of them. The Henry J. The Studebaker. The Merc. The 39. The 34. (Just a mock up) The daily driver. I put Pontiacs in every single car I build. Once you build one, you will too. Good luck and holler if you need anything. -Abone.
These two engines were photgraphed by me. The rest are robbed off the net from who knows where? See posts later.
Here are a few more pics of poncho motors. They won't do you any good for insperation because your probably building a V-8. Still cool to see some strange variations of the little 4cyl.
I love pontiacs. First real car was a 68 lemans. I have owned mostly pontiacs. Wish I still owned one. Once my 40 buick is goin I will find something to stuff a poncho into.
The first picture of this thread was taken at Bonneville Speedweek 2010. Its out of British Columbia, owned by Roger and Marlyn Manson. Because of class regulations Roger ran for time only. Posting a best run of 189mph. Head problems kept them from the 200mph personal goal. This thing runs deep in the 9s at 145 plus mph.
------------------ Something else that not at lot of people know too. The revolutionary for the time, stamped steel rockers running on individual stud-mounted 'ball' pivots that Chev and Pontiac both came out with 1955, was actually first developed by Pontiac engineers for their upcoming 1955 engine and than co-opted by Chevrolet and added to their new V8 for '55 too. Mart3406 ==========================
This is one unusual pontiac engine. It may be the same engine in July 2011 HOT ROD DELUZE page 59. Only without the supercharger set up?
I had the turbo'd Trans Am in a previous reply. This is the car I'm building with the money from the sale of that TA. '63 Catalina. And a mock up using a '73 400 block but the actual engine is getting built down in Tucson. That is a '60 389 block bored .090 to 406. Built specifically for a turbo. Again this is a mock up in the cut out firewall. Still a long ways to go. Mark L
This is a Mickey Thompson engine, the heads came up for sale a few years ago. Nice looking how the exhaust and intake ports are all on the outside. At least you could see going down the track
So, what's the story on those T/A 303ci motors I keep hearing about??? Anyone have pictures of one???
Why did the SBC become THE engine as opposed to pontiac? They were introduced at about the same time. RPM range? Size (narrower Chevy motor fits more easily into some cars) and availability (many millions more Chevies sold), but also some sort of weird superstition: my uncle who was big into cars all through the 1950s and 1960s always claimed you could never get a Pontiac to run quite "right." I have no idea what he was talking about, I have owned at least a half-dozen Pontiac V-8 cars and they all ran perfectly.
That's the damn near mythical Ram Air V, very rare and mucho money. http://www.wallaceracing.com/RAV-story-page1.html here's an article on it http://www.428gto.com/rav.htm here's some other interesting details Probably off topic so I won't post pics but I have a Ram Air III headed W72 400 that I transplanted from my '78 Trans Am into my soon to be DD '63 FJ40. If I had the money I'd rather have a Super Duty 421 in a '55 Safari (dream big, right?). I think the Pontiacs never took off due to availability and cost; look at the number of 55 Chevs verse Chieftains or Star Chiefs, Chevelles to GTOs, or Camaros to Firebirds and you can see how for a base motor the Chevs were easier to obtain from a junkyard. I always thought they were cool motors, little more difficult to get parts for but still extremely cool.
Aluminum RAV's are available now, if only money wasn't an object... http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/showthread.php?t=643409&highlight=rav
The '50s Pontiacs were well known as "OLD MAN" Cars. So many people went with the Chevy because they were cheaper and starting in '53 with the corvette, they were getting a rep as a high performance seller. The Olds was the same, on old mans car. So less Pontiacs and Oldmobiles sold and GM put more in Chevys basket. Just the way it was back then. Mark L
How about a RAM-AIR V motor with tunnel port heads and intake??? Wicked! http://www.empgmc.com/race/rav/glasgoc.jpg
This is my 56 GMC with a 1970 Pontiac 350 in it. It was originally a V8 truck which means it would have had a 287 pontiac in it.
That is one very nice truck!! I built a 57'GMC big window back in the late 60's that I ran at the drags, and it was nice--but no where near as nice as your truck!! Your a lucky man.
Spare motor with a few different induction systems. Odd dual plain cast 4bbl. Half of Drag Star Weiand 6x2 Lame 1bbl Dual plain with cab and M/T carb hat Typical 4bbl cast manifold
The Jalopy Journal
