Let's not forget this post originally went up in August.. but yeah, early Tri-Power bare intakes are pretty cheap. It has to be a complete correct setup to be worth the bucks - GM water necks all swap around pretty easily don't they?
We have the original 389 motor out of our 1966 pontiac Catalina. We put it in storage back in 2003. The block is cracked, but we have the original heads, intake and 2bbl carb that came on the car. Anyone interested in this motor? It is yours if you simply contact me and make arrangements to pick up the motor. Carrie
This may not make me popular here but, this thread has a bunch of wrong info posted about Pontiacs in general and 389s in particular. I am sure no one has posted intentionally to be wrong but, there is a bunch of misleading stuff on here. Too much to single out. there has been some good info here too but, that does not make up for wrong info. There is too much to take the time out to show. Guys, if you do not know what you are talking about, it is best to not say anything. This is how people go away from Pontiacs, misinformation. I think too many people become 'experts' by reading a book or two. If they really want to know, they need to work with it. I've never seen a book without a misprint or two and wrong info. Steve www.pontiacheaven.org Hosting- Pontiac/Buick/Olds FALL FEST Sat Nov 28, 2009 Phoenix www.pbofallfest.org 12th annual Pontiac Heaven April 8-11, 2010 Phoenix www.pontiacheaven.org 8th annual Nostalgic Show & Go! April 11, 2010 Phoenix www.nostalgicshowandgo.org
Whatever you do ,Make sure a turbo 400 will bolt up to the 389 Those cast iron trans ,Don't work as well. I love Pontiacs .My dad use to run one Except it was a 421 with a 310 cam and dual quads He had to race the motor to get the trans to shift right.
This really belongs as a post in the classified, not used to bump a nearly three year old post back to the top.
You have been given some good information and some not quite correct information. The '64 GTO tri-power engines had a medium sized center carb and 2 large end carbs. The center carb was the only one with idle circuits. Those engines were rated at 348 H.P.; I know because a '64 tri-power GTO was my first car. In '65 the tri-power engines got heads with larger valves-called the 421 heads and they also got a different intake. I think the '65s were rated at 360 H.P. To put the '65 and '66 heads on a '64 and earlier engine you have to "eyebrow" to tops of the blocks at the edge of the cylinders so that the valves don't hit the block deck. The '66 GTOs had a different intake that took 3 large carbs and made more H.P. The '66 intake is called a high rise because the carbs are slightly higher than the '64 and earlier intakes. I think that the '65 intakes were also high rise but I am not positive about that. A good Pontiac tri-power setup is worth $1500-$2000. And now an aftermarket aluminum intake like the '66 intake is available. Also, the '64 and earlier intakes used a different amount of bolts to hold the intake to the heads. Although the later heads will bolt onto a '64 and earlier block you need to check for valve to block clearance and also make sure that you won't have any oil/water leaks when using heads and intakes from different years together.
Hmmm.........I sat on a 1962 389 tri power with all matching numbers, for years looking for something to put it in, and was offered more than $800 just for the tri power set up many many times... ????? Cheers........
Depending on the year and the correctness and completeness of the tripower; its value could be alone more than the $800, maybe much more. And to concur with RustyNewYorker, the original large air cleaner, if present, could be worth that much more. I would highly suggest acquiring a copy of Pete McCarthy's book on Pontiac's which gives casting numbers, and determine EXACTLY what you are eyeing/buying. Could be an absolute steal; could be a total ripoff. Jon.
The Jalopy Journal
