Projects Help with my 63 Catalina 389

There's a lot of reasons for swapping to a newer engine/trans. The pre-65 motors had a lot of variations, making parts availability somewhat limited and generally more expensive. The Hydramatic trans (AKA 'Slim Jim') you have is known for issues, and even if rebuilt probably won't operate correctly as the original-spec type 'A' ATF is no longer available (it contained whale oil). If it's having shifting issues, that's a design flaw, not necessarily a sign that it needs a rebuild. These are some of the reasons GM only built this trans for 4 years....

And the consensus is if the trans does need work, you need a specialist who really knows these. Your 'family mechanic' may be getting in way over his head if he's doing a rebuild... if it even needs one.

The later motors are almost identical visually and you can 'dress' the later motor so you really can't tell (only a sharp Pontiac guy will notice any difference). Plus you get the TH400 trans, used in pretty much all GM cars after '65.

 

Didn't mean to search Ames Performance for your AFB. When you find the Ames sight, go on the left hand side of the site and find "Cool links" click on that and then up near the top basically still on the LH side find "Pontiac forums" to find an infinite amount of info / help for your Poncho. Look for a carb on e-bay...just search for Pontiac AFB...should be lots of them listed....however not all AFBs are the same...something like 400-450 variations were mfrd.

 

Thanks for all the help I will try and get the guy with the car right now to look for the numbers and he will only rebuild the trans if something goes wrong later down the line so far it has been shifting fine. The 4bbl carb I bought today is a Carter AFB I will be rebuilding it while I wait to get back home to the car in the mean time I am looking for fresh seat foam for the front and back.

 

The Carter AFB I bought is a 3326 I think it was around 5~~ cfm I just ordered a rebuild kit for it.