Canadian Pontiacs of that vintage came from the factory with small block Chevrolet engines....something to consider.
is your friend serious? pontiac engines are far superior to chevys in every aspect. they generate gobs more torque and will run forever and a day. my buddy only drives pre 67 pontiacs and his one wagon has about 400000 miles on the ticker with just a timing chain and oil pump change .it still has the same trans fluid that the factory put in. a chevy in a pontiac, thats just wrong. mike
My thoughts exactly HEATHEN , so what's wrong with another Pontiac motor? That will be a stone with a sbc in it.Great motor but the car is too damn heavy
The engine that is currently in the Pontiac is a 1956 316ci that has horrible blow by and the compression is all over the place. The 350 sbc isn't a permanent replacement. Its just going in there until I find what I want and so I can get this car on the road. If I could find a Pontiac 421 Engine in South FL I would use it. SBC's on the other hand you can find anywhere and for cheap. The Chief knows I have searched and I'm not willing to pay the shipping for one from out of state. I figure if a '56 316 can push this car a 350 can.
I'm sure you can find a 400 there someplace or maybe 389. The 350 pontiac would be ok too if you found like a 68 4 bbl motor.I think they were like 320 hp. and would do a decent job. But since you explained, the 350 would be better than the 316.
the bonne is a custom limo im guessing the 389 or the 421 the came blew up and the onlything they had was a pontiac 316? the ****** is a THM 400, if you wanna see the car check out www.deadwintermedia.com/bonne
A 316 wouldn't bolt to a TH400 without a fair amount of fabrication. The website you posted won't come up.
I'm not 100% sure it's a th400 but the transmission pan is shaped like texas. And when I ran the numbers on the front of the block it came back as a 1956 316.
Canadian Pontiacs also used the Chevy ch***is'. Not sure if they were on the same production line, but they all had the "narrow track" Chevy ch***is, and Chevy drivetrains. It made them great for buying driveline or ch***is parts and also for stuffing really wide tires in the wheelwells. Not sure if the mounts would fit, but it would be worth checking out if you are set on the Chev in the Pontiac. Not something I would do, but it is your car.
As a friend of Arnie "the farmer" and loyal indian lover PLEASE NO! There are 389's everywhere. Even 70's 400's. Pontiac guys won't even lend you a used plug if you put a peanut in such a cl*** act of a car. Sorry
If its got a TH 400 ... it dont have a 316.... I cant believe i heard right, "I CAN GET A SMALL BLOCK CHEAP" Hell, Keep an eye out for a complete Pontiac wagon or 4~door and buy the whol damn car for $500.00 and you have every thing you need. Pull a Pontiac to replace with a SBC...
Nothing really wrong with a sbc, after all it is God's favorite engine.... because he made so many of them. But if you want to keep the ponchowolves away from your door, then forget the SBC and get a poncho engine for the bonne, better yet get a 455. Enough hp and torque to move that barge down the road, and still get blessings from the purists.
I have been looking off and on for months for a 421 or 455. as far as the SBC goes by cheap I mean free. I grabbed it out of a car I had sitting at my shop. I dont know how it is in other states but FL especially south FL is pretty dry. De soto if the th400 can not go with a 316 then what can it be the casting number matches a 316 and the ****** pan looks like texas. And hey if you guys know someone in FL with a cheap pontiac engine (my pref. is a 421) let me know I will drive for it. I have plenty f cars to put the SBC in. I just want to drive this car and got sick of having it sit there.
Unless money is a problem, why limit your self to South Fl? Use the net, google Pontiac engines.... lots of sites selling rebuilt engines with warranties, maybe even some in Floirda. Check car sale sites maybe some one has a donor car complete with engine. Might take a little time but might be worth it in the end.
De soto if the th400 can not go with a 316 then what can it be the casting number matches a 316 and the ****** pan looks like texas. And hey if you guys know someone in FL with a cheap pontiac engine (my pref. is a 421) let me know I will drive for it. The trans bolt pattern on Pontiacs from '55~'60 are different from the TH 400 so it wont bolt up. Also, a 316 starter would bolt to the bell housing & have no provision in the block to accept a late starter.. As with the 421 if i remeber correctly. The easiest route would be '64 & later 389, 400, 428, 455... or even a 326 or 350 but i would steer clear of them. I run a '60 389 & 4spd in my '55 F~100, There are many differences in the early ones, But the laters bolt right into there spot. Makes me really wonder about you saying you have a 316.... a 316 has no side mount provisions, They require a front mount & mounts off the bell housing So to get it in a '65 ch***is would take some major cobbling. can you post some GOOD pics of the engine in the car & maybe a coiple from underneath so we can see the trans ? Maybe some of the engine mounts ?
Trust me when i ran the casting number and it came back as a 316 i thought "wtf, why on earth would someone do that?" I'll have some pics of the car with in the hour.
Here are some pics I can take better ones tomorrow when i can get the car on a lift if needed. http://www.deadwintermedia.com/bonne/My%20cars/bonne%20trans.html the casting number reads 521570 with a yf above it
Well, I see the mistake i made but the casting number i have isnt turning up on my searches. It's coming up as an intake manifold casting?
I dunno whats with yer numbers man, But thats a '65 or later engine. Dead giva away is the intake manifold bolt pattern, timing cover & water by p*** & the 2 bolt to the block starter mounting.
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