Front engine dragster Pontiac motor advise

I have owned this car for almost 25 years. It was built and raced by a guy named Lou Toschi from Madera California. He was a member of the Madera "clutchers" club. He raced this car from 1958 thru 1961. when I purchased the car, the motor and transmission were long gone, he did shorten the roll cage in 1960 but everything else is just as it was in the picture from Hot Rod magazine, August 1959 where he won the "B" dragster class at the Santa Maria, Ca. drags. This guy was a Pontiac fanatic and I have a couple pictures of this car with two pontiac motors bolted crank to crank sitting in it (actually raced that way). I am getting ready to put a motor and trans (39 three speed, I'm pretty sure with only 2nd and 3rd gears) back into the car, but I am ignorant about early pontiac's. And Lou has passed away several years ago (I really regret not asking him more questions when he was still alive). Is there a certain block and heads that I should look for? And also, as far as speed equipment, I will need finned valve covers, Magneto, and log intake for 6x2's along with any other cool bolt on goodies. What years are interchangable with the early 58-59 block? Thanks in advance for any knowledgable help!

 

There's a guy over on the Performance Years Forums by the name of Steve Barcak. He's pretty knowledgeable regarding Pontiac powered dragsters, well, pretty much anything Pontiac powered. Among his collection is a blown '60 389 front engine TF dragster. I'm sure he'll be able to help you out.

He's got a website, too. pontiacheaven.org

Pretty cool little hot rod you got there!

 

Steve posts here under 'applekrate'. He will be very interested in this project.

 

I'm in the process of building a 1960 era FED. Have any other pics of frame or driveline along with details, wheelbase etc.?

 

Hi, check out my Pontiac tech thread i did a while back. I am now making aluminum adapters to mount early Ford/Merc transmissions to 55-60 Pontiac engines. Steve Barcack is a friend of mine and the king Pontiac drag racer around here. check out his website www.pontiacheaven.org Send him some photos - i know he'll get a kick out of them !

Axle

 

What a CQQL project. I have wanted to do something like this with the engine I came across years ago. I think an early FED would be awesome for this motor.

1959 389 Pontiac, hilborn injected, vertex magneto, offy valve covers, etc., complete I was told out of a vintage sprint car.

Good luck with your digger...that sounds fun, and I like the Pontiac angle too.

 

BAD FUCKING ASS!!!!!!!!! You 2 really need to join forces. (or sell me that motor for my 38 Chebby Gasser). Axle, R U digging this?

 

Yes i am buddy. I've got the lotion and a towel right in front of me. That engine is bitchen and would be awesome in that dragster ! wow, whats the story on it ?

 

Thank you guys for your help and encouragement. I will get in contact with Steve. And also..... 55xgasr....put me in line for that motor (after Groucho). It would be right at home sitting in the dragster. As far as the chassis, when I bought the car, Lou told me he used ESSEX frame rails. It is 110" wheelbase with a narrowed Ford banjo rear end, drilled backing plates with cooling scoops. The front end is tortion bar with a single leaf spring and an axle Lou made from different parts. The front wheels are Harley (sidecar he told me) and the rear wheels are pictured. The steering wheel is also a homemade Lou Toschi item. Sorry for the crummy pictures, but I have it shoved into the garage with junk stacked around it.

 

Thanks guys......I fell in love with this piece the first time I set eyes on it - I go back a ways with Pontiac in my blood as that's where my infatuation began in the early 80's when I bought my first car a '67 GTO ( & luckily still have!)

The story I have on it is kinda sketchy but it was in a vintage motorsport museum back east and actually there was a small pic of it in an article from one of the cool rat rod mags about 5 years ago. I guess an old sprint car had this engine in it and it got parted out, and the engine went into this museum on display, along with some other really cool engines.

I've had a dream to build a Pontiac powered 125" wb chutepack FED for quite awhile....my first CA Hot Rod Reunion ruined me!!

I'm now actually thinking of putting in my model A pickup - keeping it all in tact and trying to run mechanical injection.

So - for now, not for sale. But I will keep you guys in mind if I ever do consider selling.

 

YUMMY. I hope Paradise Road ain't too far for me to get my Gasser motor

 

what is the bultaco in the background?
jim

 

really cool project, i had one planned around a pontiac engine as well but ended up finding a cheap 34 body and am doing a 150z. coupe inspired street/strip car. i still want to do a pontiac fed eventually hopefully sometime in the next 20 years.

here's the hilborn injected 59-389, 12.5-1, big isky cam etc. should be real fun on the street in the 34 (back of picture)

oh yeah as far as parts 55-60 intakes will fit or 61-64 if you move the front water outlets a little, ansen is making a pretty good looking finned valve cover, i might have an extra mag i think it was a ronco (bassicly vertex) i know i took it to the l.a. roadster swap and i can't remember if it sold or not, i'll do some digging over the weekend. i also might know where there's a 6x2 intake with 94's i sold it to a guy a few years back not sure if he ever got it on his car or not, i should see him in the next couple weeks i'll ask if he wants to sell it.

 

What a great story, it's great to see these pieces of history still coming out of garages, shops and barns.....

 

Great looking project, I would love to see the photo of the 2 engines together. One day I want to build a Pontiac like this for a FED.

 

Im building a 347 powered 59 Chassis Research 90 inch FED . Heres some of the engine parts Ive collected

 

Love that FED. I love some pontiac power.
Keep it coming.
Wil
www.sakowskimotors.com

 

Anyone have a Pontiac magneto they would part with at a reasonable price please let me know.

 

Really cool stuff here. FEDs rule.

 

Thanks for the nice words guys! Also good luck with your Pontiac project. If there is something I can help you with, let me know.
As for us, we are planning to run my 389 Pontiac AA/Fueler at the Reunion in October this year.

Steve Barcak

 

Beins we are showing off the Pontiacs...Here is my daily.



I put Pontiac motors in every single car I build. Casper, once you get into Ponchos you will be the same way. No turning back now.

-Abone.

P.S. Hey Steve. Got any video of that bad boy?? Love that car...

 

I was wondering the same thing.....torquey sum bitches them Bull Tacos

 

Okay, this is way off topic, but since I have had two inquiries....Here ya go. The Bultaco is a 1975 Astro 250, I raced thru 1978 until I started racing pro speedway for money. I won a lot of races with this bike (San Jose half mile is one of my better memories) I would probably ride it again in the vintage flatrack series, but there's no way I would ever fit into my old leathers! Thanks!

 

Casper = "RULER"

 

Skipper, If I am a ruler.....you and Kelly are a yard stick! Kenny.

 

That dragster looks familiar? I think I talked to one of your guys at Famosa last year. He saw my car, and said his Boss (you?) wanted to talk to me about it? I had a lime-green, altered wheelbase 51 Ford with a 421/Super T-10 in it that I drove up there from L. A. It was on display in the manufacturers midway at the Rod Kulture Magazine booth. Anyway, if that's the Dragster I saw, it had some crazy welded up cylinder heads? Look like someone spent forever on them. The car's gone 200 MPH? That's a "Bad" Pontiac fo sho

 

I'm not sure how your project is coming along, but there's another Pontaic digger guy in PA. His business is 100% Pontaic performance parts. Do a Google for Spots Performance and tell him I refereed you to him.

 

I know where an Algon FI setup is. Pm if interested

 

cool thread

 

That's Paul Spotts: http://www.spottsperformance.com/