[Jay Lightning]

i have a 1966 lemans. had it for a couple of years. finally got the driver side door that was stolen from me. not the original one but its the right one. before we finish the body we want to take out the engine and give it a nice rebuild. along with the transmission. while the engine is out, what modificatioins can i do to the engine? intake? carb? cam? headers? i want a nice running sounding lemans. it aint a big block but its gonna be a nice weekend cruiser. i can post pix of it tomorrow after work.

[arbys]

The guy that I bought mine from had the 326 HO rebuilt and I think that he stepped up the cam some. Sounds good with the 2 1/2" exhaust and runs quite quick. Most people don't believe it is a 326. My suggestion is to get the HO equipment and not go too wild with a cam. I'm happy with what I now have. Others may have differing opinions.

[1967Tempest]

The H.O. Had higher compression from a 52CC head vs. a 62CC head. You can easily mill down a 094 or 140 head to accomplish this. The TRUE H.O. heads 095 or 141 will be harder to find. And they come at a premium cost compared to non h.o. heads.

I am not quite sure about the flow numbers on a H.O. head, but DO know that they did raise the compression to around 10-10.5.. Might be too high for a street car.

The other things are the pistons and head gaskets. They DO make a .030 piston for the 326 which is fine for 99% of engines. If you have to go bigger, make sure you can source the piston, before the boring out. Might be easier to find a nicer 326 block.

Head Gaskets. The 326 has HUGE amounts of metal between the bores. You will appreciate this in the summer when your 326 runs at thermostat!! This makes head gaskets hard to find. Under no circumstances are you to use FEL PRO 8518 head gaskets!!! They will not fit despite what the catalog tells you. You will need to find an OEM set or from a vendor on the right of this page.


That said, you can bolt any intake for a 400 on a 326, you should gasket match, but not required. bSTock OEM 4 barrel or Edelbrock Performer is fine.

I recommend a small Holley carb, 600 or 650. You will have GREAT!!! throttle response and get decent mileage.

You can not go wrong with an 068 cam or Melling SPC-7. I have one in my 326 right now, and I tell you, you would think it is a 400!!!! Comes to life at 2500 rpms and pulls HARD!!! Engine runs at whatever temp I set the electric fan to come on to and gets over 20 mpg on highway with 2 series gears...


Most under rated engine in the Pontiac world.. My .02$

Good luck, and keep us posted!!!

Here's one on EBay!!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1967-pontiac...249570#vi-desc



Head Gaskets!!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1966-PON...d7b6fc&vxp=mtr

[67 LeMans 326]

I put a 67 4bbl intake with a 68 Q-jet off my 68 Firebird on my 67 LeMans 326 and even with the open 2.56 rear and a 4-speed this thing runs quite nicely! If I keep my car the next step for me is a posi rear w 3.23 gears although I do enjoy the 20mpg that I currently get! I would also eventually go with H.O. manifolds from R.A.R.E. and 2-1/5" exhaust as well...

[GT182]

Back in 72 my Tempest Custom had a 4bbl Carter and the ST300 in it. As far as I know it was an all stock 326, but it ran great and got 24 mpg on a trip. Stock rear gears too... as far as I know. I was the second owner and I don't believe the woman that owned before changed anything.

[Steve Hoog]

I am doing this right now and the big problem is very few shelf parts for the bore. I just got some NOS head gaskets and there can't be too many of those left; you can get the pistons as mentioned but the rings are a different story, good luck on those.

I personally decided to run a rather large cam, just for the fun of it.

Lunati Voodoo: 10510703

Hydraulic. High performance street/strip cam for 350 c.i. Excellent camshaft for 400-455 c.i. touring type vehicles with 9:1-9:5 compression ratio. Use 2200-2400 stall speed converter with 3.23-3.42 rear gears. Cam has a very noticeable idle quality!

•Advertised Duration (Int/Exh): 268/276
•Duration @ .050 (Int/Exh): 227/233
•Gross Valve Lift (Int/Exh): .489/.504
•LSA/ICL: 110/106
•Valve Lash (Int/Exh): Hyd/Hyd
•RPM Range: 1600-5800
•Includes: Cam Kit

I milled my 140 heads .020 which I think is going to get the compression in the ball park of 9.6.

I'll let you know how it all turns out

[geeteeohguy]

I agree with 1967Tempest. On the head gaskets, the cam, the whole thing. I had a '65 GTO with a '64 326 in it years ago , a 4 speed 3.23 geared car. The 326 had a mild cam , tubing headers, and a Holley. I ran it against my '66 Coronet with a 440, AFB, 4 speed and also equipped with 3.23 gears. The Coronet barely beat the little 326 in a quarter mile run....about a car length. Even stock, the 326 is a bulletproof, torquey engine that will surprise you. They pull like a big block....long after small block engines flatten out. Hard to go wrong with an 068 type cam, decent intake, and decent exhaust. Waaaay back when, a friend of mine had a tripower on a 326 powered GTO, and it screamed!

[GT182]

A PY member's dad that I know held an NHRA record for a Pontiac with a 326 in it. If my 400 craps out on me, I'll be putting in a 326 with a 4bbl because of gas prices.

A friend back in 1970 blew up the 389 in his 66 GTO. He put a 326 in it with a 4bbl. And surprising as it sounds, that Goat ran pretty darned good with it. We couldn't tell the difference just looking under the hood.... until he told us what it was.

[Steve Hoog]

Yes Tripowers work well on the 326, this makes the third 326 my old Tri has been on.

[1967Tempest]

NICE!!!!!

I love it!!! The beauty thing about the 326 is the cooling. IMHO. You will not fight a 326 to stay cool. It just will.

The 326 in my wagon has an 11 bolt water pump set-up works great. car stays cold. PLUS, people will give you a 326 for free or less than 50$. So you can stockpile them!! I had 4 a one point. I donated them to guys who actually needed them. Pay it forward I guess..

What is that Tripower 326 in???

[saltman 1965]

1967Tempest Whats the deal with the head gaskets? No aftermarket available? Plan to pull my non HO 326 this winter. Have a 65 GTO intake & carb to put on it, new timing gear set. And now that you mentioned it will buy that 068 cam. And yes I love the way may 326 Lemans never over heats unlike big blocks I had! Jay post some pics would love to see it. Saltman

[67 LeMans 326]

My 326 NEVER runs hot down here in FL and I have a bad radiator to boot! My radiator has a split in the top tank and I can not put the cap on tight, otherwise if it builds any pressure it pukes out the coolant.

Last Friday we cruised our LeMans up and down Daytona Beach several times in the 95* heat and at only 5mph speed up and down the beach for miles and miles at a time and never once did the temp go up over 180*! Nothing like the 400 in my old 68 Firebird!!!

[1967Tempest]

Originally Posted by 67 LeMans 326

My 326 NEVER runs hot down here in FL and I have a bad radiator to boot! My radiator has a split in the top tank and I can not put the cap on tight, otherwise if it builds any pressure it pukes out the coolant.

Last Friday we cruised our LeMans up and down Daytona Beach several times in the 95* heat and at only 5mph speed up and down the beach for miles and miles at a time and never once did the temp go up over 180*! Nothing like the 400 in my old 68 Firebird!!!

Truth in advertising!!!


The head gasket market is geared for the 400+ market. Not many vendors make a real 326 head gasket.

If you put a 8518 on a 326 you will have a serious ridge were gas will accumulate and detonate.

Take the pics below....granted it is a 350, but you get the idea...wrong HG on a 326 will be worse....


400 Gasket on a 350






true 350 gasket on a 350...

[Steve Hoog]

The head gasket issue is more with the stock heads than the bore size.

This current 326 is in a 74 Ventura.

[1967Tempest]

Originally Posted by steved400

The head gasket issue is more with the stock heads than the bore size.

This current 326 is in a 74 Ventura.

Must scream in a light car!@!@!!

[Steve Hoog]

By the way 1967Tempest, you are the one that set me on the correct course to get the gaskets, thanks again for your help.



One of the single gasket numbers is F/8-T/8 (326) GASKET, HEAD 9784501, and the one I used.

Car is not running yet, we are out of money for the moment.

[1967Tempest]

Originally Posted by steved400

By the way 1967Tempest, you are the one that set me on the correct course to get the gaskets, thanks again for your help.



One of the single gasket numbers is F/8-T/8 (326) GASKET, HEAD 9784501, and the one I used.

Car is not running yet, we are out of money for the moment.

Glad to help.. Don't feel bad, I can gaurentee that every one on this forum has "run out of money" at one point!!!

P.S. What happened to the O.P?? Did he forget about us?? LOL!!

[arbys]

This is an excellent thread. The 326 seems to be overlooked with all the large cubic inch engines getting all the attention. I've learned a lot about the 326 here I only wish I could pick up one of those old blocks for $50 like someone mentioned.

[67 LeMans 326]

Just last month we changed the original timing chain and gear in my 326 at 69k orig miles! Let me just say, this thing absolutely RIPS now! Once I swap out the open 2.56 rear gear set with a 3.23 posi (providing I keep the car), she should scoot pretty good!

[Steve Hoog]

Originally Posted by 1967Tempest

P.S. What happened to the O.P?? Did he forget about us?? LOL!!

Forgive me but what is "O.P."?