Camero frame in a pontiac question

Agreed 100%!!! Although my last relationship with a Mexican girlfriend (brunette, of course) used to leave me searching my body for stab wounds when I woke up in the morning, so there is that...

Hey, wait, didn't they just take Chevys and paint Pontiac emblems on 'em up there in Canada throughout most of the fifties?

 

Thanks for all the new info. I am a little worried about the steering box and whether it will end up in the way. I will ill have to get some brackets to mount a rad and ya I am a little worried about getting the sheet metal to fit nicely there. I imagine I will end up in over my head at times and will probably have to ask for and pay for help along the way.
I probably will get the 327 he is offering. Seems that decent power can be gotten out of them.

 

Ya they did and I had a Canadian 54 before. This one is from the states.

 

I had one of these frames I got for free sitting next to my car at one point. The stance is wide and will need some narrower wheels in the front. Also the gearbox is right in the way of the factory radiator. I used the side mounts from the factory radiator to make a frame for an aftermarket radiator bolted in like the factory one did. Others have got this combo to work so I don't see why it can't be worked around as long as the frame graft is on square.

 

Thanks 55chieftan. I guess I can deal with narrower wheels, and probably need a new rad anyway.

 

In all seriousness, take a bit of time right now and drop the front clip on the car and make sure the front wheels are centered up in the fenderwells before you go any farther. That's what 49ratfink and I were both eluding too. Quite honestly, the Pontiac engine in this deal is going to be the least of your worries. Find any seventies Pontiac and grab the engine mounts and you'll be golden on any muscle car and newer era Pontiac engine. Might have to drill some different holes to move it back a bit, but there will already be the right ones there as a pattern to follow.

I did the wiring on a '55 Safari wagon for a client about four years ago that had the Firebird subframe and a 455. It was fairly well done, but as stated above the clip is just a bit wide for tire clearance to be completely happy. If memory serves the other thing that was a bit tighter than what I would like was the full length headers he had on it. If I was to do headers they would be shorties for sure. I don't remember any steering box maladies, but the later box does want to occupy the same space as the grill in some cases with a clip swap. All you can do is put it together and see where the previous owner ran into to trouble and work a bit harder to fix that problem.

 

When you do the engine, above post said it. If you use the factory mounts it will place the engine to far forward. You will have to fab mounts and a trans cross member. From the pic's, it is Pontiac frame from the firewall back. Looks like the front sub frame was blended in real good.
You will have to cut the steer column at the fire wall and use a U-joint to a short shaft and a u-joint at the box.
Be sure to mount the front clip and see what has to be done around the rad support and the steer gear box. Also measure from the fire wall to the engine to see where the mounts will need to be fab.
Good luck.
Gene

 

Call it a Firebird front clip and you won't get near as much flack!

 

I don't understand why everyone always says the track width is too wide. This 53 Pontiac has a 73 Camaro clip, stock rims and it's a daily driver with no rub issues. Now if it was lowered a bunch, might start having issues but then so does a lot of cars when they are lowered. A 55 Pontiac will be wider the this.

 

While you are pulling those motor mount stands off that Firebird clip, check the steering box, they were usually quicker in the Firebirds than the Camaros, and the T/As were almost as quick as a Vette.

 

I don't know about that , I think a Camero frame is rarer than any Camaro/Firebird clip LOL...

 

I know this is a month old thread but just found this thread and am very interested.

I am also planning on doing the same thing (Firebird subframe on a 57 Pontiac). I am gathering parts for the work. Would very much like to see some pictures of the subframe mating to the Pontiac frame. Please.

I have read much on various boards and, of course, the usual problem is the track width of the Firebird/Camaro subframe. According to various sources on the internet the 55-57 Pontiac track width is either 58.5" or 59". The Firebird/Camaro track width depends of years and brake combination:

1967-69 Firebird/Camaro = 59" for factory drum brakes
1967-69 Firebird/Camaro = 60" for factory disc brakes
1970-up Firebird/Camaro = 61" for factory disc brakes

Not sure about 70-up drum brake cars.

I have a 69 Firebird subframe with factory disc brakes and I have verified the 60".

Heidts and Fatman offer narrowed A-Arms (control arms) that pull the wheels in 1" per side. Some call these A-Arms "shortened". There is much to read on the pros and cons of these A-Arms.

There is also another fix out there. ECI offers a narrow disc brake kit for the Firebird/Camaro that pulls the wheels in 1" for disc cars and 2" for drum cars.

Please correct me if you have other information.

Again... would like very much if you (or anyone) could post pictures of the mating of the subframe and original frame. Thanks!