Hopping Up Pontiac Straight ''8''

Does anyone have any sources for hopup parts or performance ideas for my ponchos inline straight "8" (1953 Chief). The motor runs like a top! and has been perfectly tuned but I would like some more power out of it. If anyone has any suggestions as to any manufacturers selling parts or any performance ideas it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank's in advance

Buzz Bomb

 

I put a Petronix and a K&N filter on my rebuilt straight 8....Great runner!

 

The only thing that I can think of that will actually make a noticable differance would be a turbocharger or paxton type blower. The rest is eye candy on the Pancho.

 

I'd bet Edmunds made a dual carb intake for it. Possibly a finned aluminum head, but you would be farther ahead to go with the blower.
If you're handy, you could make your own intake and dual exhaust headers from some stainless steel tubing and elbows...

 

Hey denis where did you get the petronix ignition system from, and will it fit my year(1953).

Buzz Bomb

 

The only way to make a straight eight Poncho faster is to take it higher before you throw it out of the airplane. On the other hand, in their day, they were reliable cars that went for miles and miles with no problems. And they kept up with traffic, but the traffic was slower then.

 

Do you know where I can find a Edmunds intake for it, I've seen them and look very cool. I dont think it will fly by no means but with a dual exhaust and the intake maybe it will give me that little edge it needs.

Buzz Bomb

 

If I'm wrong, please don't ream me too hard. In the '70s ? there was a guy from N.J. that ran a straight 8 in an altered roadster. I think his name was "Charlie Seabrook". A side note, I think he was into frozen seafood as his business. Not sure if he's even still alive or if he could help you. That must be one helluva a long engine.
Pro Enfo?

 

Yeah, he ran a Buick. Overhead valves and more cubic inches. Hang around with the wrong crowd today and you will still see some Buick eights running on salt. After the war my dad always bought Plymouths. Don't know what he drove before the war. But in '54 he bought a new Pontiac. Nice solid car but it should have come with AKC registratiuon. What a dog. Finialy cracked the block in '58 and my dad traded it in on a new 318 Plymouth. His first and only V8.

 

Edmunds did make a dual carb intake for this motor. I just looked at one at Daytona last month. It was a little pricey at $600.00.
The guy selling them is on ebay, but I do not remember his handle. He sells nothing but old speed equipment. Hope this helps, Robert

 

I am currently making patterns for other vintage "unique" engines, and was wondering if there was much interest in the flathead poncho engine as well as the large Straight 8 Buick. I am considering intakes and possibly finned heads for the Pontiac, anyone interested or have other ideas for parts for these engines !

 

just wondering, is your poncho stick or hydro?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Edmu...016QQitemZ260190946893QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

Somehow, seeing the letters CNC with or without dude just does'nt look right here

 

Yeah Seymour, it is a hydromatic. and I think it would be pretty cool if someone started making some sort of hopup for theese dogs, even if there was just that slight edge. And as for the Petronix ignition, does anyone know if there is an application for my year(1953).
Thank's so much for all the responses

Buzz Bomb

 

Get the intake, a petronix or at lest dual points, new exhaust, regrind cam and mill the head and you will not have a speed demon but probably a noticable power increase.

 

They made more or less the same engine from the mid-30s until the mid-50s, usually the hop-up for one was to take it out and put in a Pontiac V8, even the first year 287 -

 

As I remember a few had Olds engines installed. V8 that is. I had a 1949 76 that I put a Rocket in. Big doings.

 

How much of a pain in the**** would it be to drop in a first year pontiac mill in it, I'm sure I can find one somewhere but is there alot of modification work involved. I'm not scared of a little hard work, or braking out the check book, but this is the first for me and pontiac.

Buzz Bomb

 

A 55-59 V8 will bolt to the stock trans, and 53-54 cars have provisions for the V8 crossmember mount used on 55-57 cars. It shouldn't be too bad, guys on here have done it.

 

Yes! Let me know how you go with that.

How to make a straight 8 faster seems to come up quite often on here. Basically the answer is you cant. These engines are big heavy and slow, and I didnt buy my 54 pontiac thinking it would be a fast car. Cant even get a decent note out of it with the new exhaust due to such low compression.

I saw an edmunds finned head on ebay ages ago, it was cracked and went for big dollars! Im just gonna paint mine, put some chrome bits here and there, nice air cleaner and ya cruisin without blowing your wallet.

 

My straight 8 Buick has managed to get a little power. Went 197mph at Bonneville. I plan on going 205mph with the slow old anchor this year. Put a super charger or turbo on it, o-ring the block, and go. There are some pics on my website of the set up.
Good luck
www.sakowskimotors.com
Wil

 

Can you give us some idea where they are hiding?
Belly tanker on the shop tour page?

 

How much of a difference will the Paxton make on an old straight eight?

 

Actually, most all manufacturing today involves the use of CNC machinery in one form or another. Even the vintage engine manufacturers like Edelbrock and Sharp/Wilcap and any other production parts maker use CNC to produce the Flathead heads and engine pieces that were once done on a Bridgeport or drill press. Even pattern making and 3D modeling is done today using very high end software packages and CNC equipment. I can say that without CNC influencing our automotive industry today, the USA wouldn't be the leader it is!

 

Yeah, look at that spacer above. try making that on a manual mill. takes a while dosn't it? This complianing abour Billet and CNC is silly. When I made my injectors was I going to make a pattern and cast one set? No way, I cut them out of a block of alunimum. And then some jerk comes up to complain about them being Billit. I think 5 pounds would wake up an old Poncho nicely. It's never going to be what you would call fast.

 

Again I by no means want to burn the tires of the ponch, I just want a differance in power, Just enough. I know I can drop in a different mill in the beast, but it runs so well now and the stock motor looks so clean I kinda wanted to see if I could work with what I have and still retain that original look.
And Thank's again fellas, you guys have been very helpfull

Buzz Bomb

 

People today just don't realize how much CNC plays a part in all aspects of manufacturing. Whether its a water jet, laser cutter, plasma cutter, EDM, mill or lathe. Most all companies machinery are controlled by computers and use some form of numeric control. Just think where we would be without it. Still in the dark ages, as a nation compared to a third world country probably....

 

You should be able to use any of the hop up methods used on flathead Fords. These include, milling the existing head to up the compression, hotter spark, more or bigger carbs, mild cam regrind, open up the exhaust. Billk

 

ihear about the striaght 8 being a lump
but at a tiny 1.5 liter the Miller 8 (i know with a super charger) did plenty well in those years before Offenhauser bought the shop and made the big mighty Fours.
a super bbig Poncho 8 should respond to all normal engine treatments
knife edging crank, mill the head open up the ports, exhaust, 8 individual throttle bodies (use 4 webers) up compression
it might not be cheap but it would sound wicked and go wicked

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zAP6YUHxpxM&feature=related
i believe that is straight 8 buick.. hooowah!
EDIT:
turns out its a 355 chevy- why does it sound like that?!