62 Pontiac Conversion PLEASE say YES

my buddy has a conv for sale p m me if interested

 

Mickey Thompson actualy cut one of these four cylinders in half and then destroked it to less than 90 inches to compete in International cl*** F standing-start. It made 300 hp @ 7000 rpm with a 2-71 blower and ran 106.78.

 

amen!!!!

 

Some people here are misleading (unitentionally I am sure) you on dropping in the V-8 using the stock drivetrain. they have over looked the starter location. the Tempest has the starter mounted much higher up. If you swap to a V-8 and keep the rest, you will need at least a '63 326 V-8 Bell housing to mount your starter. Also as Stuart said, the V-8 crank does not have the holes machined into the back of the crank either (except for '63 326).
Things to keep in mind.

Steve Barcak

 

It's been a long time, but, we did a couple of these for the street in '66-'67. Everything was junkyard parts with homemade brackets and braces. No worse than building any other hot rod. The brake parts are Corvair. I don't remember about the wheels 'cause we straight-axled them!

 

Help me here,,I think 326 and 389 = SB and BB ,,but someone said all Pontiac motors are the same size is this true ?

 

Everything from the 287 to 455 are the same size externally. Also Scarebird has a disc brake kit for these.

 

Not counting 265 and 301

 

Thanks..would anyone Happen to know where I can find DETAILED info on putting a regular rear axle in ? Kinda like the old Mickey Thompson cars

 

I like the way you are thinking, right here!

 

There is NO such thing as a small block or big block Pontiac engines!!!

Thanks Ford/Chevy/Mopar thinking.

 

yes it would..but make an even better lil G***ER!

 

The Pontiac V-8 has better interchangebility than any other V-8 engine. It is a wonderful motor and piece of engineering. I'm kinda' fond of 'em to the point where some say it is out of control. the cars are great too. Here is my place where I live....surrounded with them...makes me quite happy.

Steve Barcak
www.pontiacheaven.org

 

My most humble and sincere apologies on that. I had been under the impression that you could use a V8 cam in the /4.

Thanks for setting me straight.

 

Not sure anyone has mentioned the sister cars to these. Olds and Buick produced the same bodies. I believe the Pontiac could be had with the Olds version of the 215 Aluminum V8. Thread around here about these. Not sure about adapting those rear ends to the Pontiac body though.
I'm in the process of converting from the automatic tunnel to the 4-speed in my son's. Have two of the automatic transmissions to these, 1, 62 and 1, 63 both from Jetfires.

 

I saw a neat little 63 (mighta been a 64 ) up at Atco with the half a V/8...little ******* was goin' 12's

 

OP, your best forum for research would be here:

http://forums.performanceyears.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=427

I think you have to decide how serious you want to get with the car and then start modding.

 

If you e-mail me off the board, I am certain I can scan in the original article detailing how Mickey Thompson built his '62 Tempest for A/FX racing. It shows how he cut the floor and mounted the standard rear axle.

Here's a site where you can decode your VIN:

http://www.restoringcl***ics.com/pontvin.php

That is absolutely 1961 front end sheetmetal, but the front ends could be swapped between the two years. The '63 body was very different but pretty much the same car underneath with a few changes to the rear suspension. You could also get a Pontiac V8 in them for '63 where as the '61-'62 could have the four like you have or the aluminum 215 V8 like the Buick Special and Olds F-85 had.

That's a very neat car and totally worth doing something with. If it runs right now, I'd drive it around a while until I had all my parts together to do the swap. Why not enjoy it a little?

 

Cool Thanks and yes I plan to run it as is til all the pieces i need are collected and rebuilt


Learned 'finally" from over the years about just taking things apart

 

Here's a shot of the one I mentioned before, since I'm not a Pontiac guy I'm not sure what year it is!!! Super *****in' car though!!!!!!

 

Think 63 ,,thats a really nice looking car

 

^^^ that is a '63.

here is a picture of the slant 4 cam. its a little different than the 8



anyone have a finned valve cover for sale? only need one.

 

Thats just such a bizzare looking thing


perhaps a crazy thought ,,would the body fit on any other Pontiac frame?

 

That indeed is a 1961 Pontiac Tempest. I have helped build two tempests - a 62 and a 63, and put V8 Pontiac engines in both cars. They will fit right in but you will need to buy or fabricate V8 motor mounts. Also, the trans tunnel needs m***aging but it isn't a big deal.

Any questions feel free to ask,Axle

 

I have one of the old Hurst Cradle Motor Mounts would that work?

 

I would have to see it but most of those are for early Cars from the 30's and 40's.

 

I have one of these in my storage garage! the plan was a back-half,nine in. rear , and a big pontiacmotor.

 

The two Tempests owned by the Anderson Brothers.

 

Jon Anderson's 63. Lettering by "Har****" .

 

It absolutely, positively has a 5-on-4-1/2" bolt pattern, same as Mopar, Ford, or AMC. I owned a '62 Tempest LeMans ragtop and know this first-hand. It also has LH/RH threads on the lugs, just like pre-'71 Mopars. Believe it.