Pontiac Power in Other Makes

[Blackcat]

I would like to start a new forum. Pontiac engines in other makes. I have done several.
My last two were chev trucks. I'm interested in other transplants. An old friend put a Pontiac in a Dodge truck.

[Blackcat]

I would like to start a new forum. Pontiac engines in other makes. I have done several.
My last two were chev trucks. I'm interested in other transplants. An old friend put a Pontiac in a Dodge truck.

[PONTIAC DUDE]

Good Idea. Take the "other makes" non- pontiac section out of the engine section and put it in there. Later.

there's a 69 camaro for sale in Charlotte with a 400P in it.that's just plain stupid.

[Doug]

Blackcat, A good buddy (diehard Poncho man) has and early 50's Studebaker pickup with a 455/Turbo 400 setup. He has done several of these over the years.
Never seen one but some guys were telling me that a while ago, farmers were looking real hard to get Tempest 4 cylinders for transplants into farm tractors.

[Blackcat]

A couple of years back I purchased a 65 Tri-power engine (complete) out of a 40's Truck.
I have also observed several 70's vintage trucks in the yards here with Poncho power.

[This message has been edited by Blackcat (edited 09-29-2000).]

[mike nixon]

68 chevy 3/4 ton w/428, 75chevy blazer w/400,73 monte carlo w/400,34 ford coupe w/4bbl ohc 6cyl, 82 olds cutlass w/400. i don't know if all of these are still around or not. mike

[JB]

<--built chevy truck with pontiac 400,

in high school (one room schoolhouse, uphill both ways to get there) had a friend with a 455 in a chevy luv mini truck.

[Scott Misus]

Ed Shafer, Governor of North Dakota and big-time SD collector has a '32 Ford with a 421 tri power motor in it.

A few years ago, my wife pointed out a little blurb in the local paper entitled "The Governor's Honeymoon." It detailed Ed's recent marriage and how he and his new bride left the church in a '32 Ford. I called him to bust his stones about driving the Ford. He remarked that the Ford has had a 421 Pontiac in it since '65!

[old gto]

Maybe I`m not too far out there, then! The 389 sits on a stand for re-build while a 400 is in the (`66) goat "for now". `31 Chevy sits in the corner with no engine, think that 400 may fill the bill?........interesting thought!

[jim darlington]

My neighbor once had an 70 something Ford pick up truck . It had a 455 in it . He would never tell me what motor it had . He was a big Ford man . He knew once I found out , he'll never hear the end of it .
Well one day I said to him that motor sounds like a Pontiac engine. He just smiled and opened the hood . After that I would ask him how he enjoyed all that power ! I would also tell him if he wants it to run like Ford ,disconnect some spark plug wires !

['ol Pinion head]

The Pontiac 455 in a Cheby-GMC pickup truck used to appear from time to time around these parts. Without finding a $50 running 455 Pontiac, the JoeBob's have moved on to the smog era Olds 455 & 472 & 500 Caddys & even Buricks. Our local Pick-N-pull usually has one of these Oldspickup contraptions.

[KO]

A good friend of mine had a mid forties pick up of some kind with a 421 Tri Power in it back in the late seventies. This was in Ohio somewhere. Could this be the same truck? He told me a story about turning an African-American(PC) gentleman Caucaision(PC) after going for a ride Aint dat sumpin.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Seen a SS396 4Spd Chevelle with the OHC6 4BBL in it, apparently since 1972. The fella stores the 396 motor, as it is one of those that tended to split the main journals.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Seen a Jeep with the Poncho 4cyl. Guy said he a Ram IV head on it, then a Ram V head on it, then some newfangled Olds head, with 4 Velocity stack Fuel Inject setup. The jeep had a name..Postal something, Lil mailtruck.
Better I could look it up and supply much more detail.

The fella has been doing the 100Yard paddlewheel dash for about 20years with this jeep, and beeting out some big V8s.

[Scott Misus]

Your memory sucks. The jeep is an Opel GT and the guy's name is Andy Bassista.

The Chevelle SS was a '68 and the guy was running an OHC-6 in it since '70. His name was Mike Maglio and I bought that OHC6, remember?

------------------
Never been banned here...
Because I've got MANNERS
....I've been warned a coupla times, though...

[Half-Inch Stud]

I saw Andy B's Jeep [doing a wheel stand] on the cover of 1975 High Output Newsletter, by HO-Racing. http://smilecwm.tripod.com/cwm/freak1.gif

I didn't mention the Opel, and was close enough on the Chevelle. http://smilecwm.tripod.com/cwm/fucyc.gif

[Blackcat]

Hey Ccass,
How about making this a permanent Forum!

[Bud Lyons]

I saw a jeep with a 4 cyl pontiac in it. It used to run the sand drags at Atco about 20 years ago. It was painted blue and called the lamp lighter.

[hiwaystar71]

guess i am not nuts after all.have 84 suburban i want to put 455 in to pull goat.i know u can get adapter to put 700r4 on poncho,but what are you guys using for frame mounts?

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[pont406]

Some friends of mine are building an 1980 Chevy Malibu for the E.T street car class at my local strip for next season. It will be powered by a N.O.S fed 428 pontiac motor! the chevy guys will go nuts when they get dusted!

[Blackcat]

Putting the Pontiac in a Chev truck is simple. But you need to have the trans hooked to the engine. The transmission needs to be hooked to the trans mount and the crossmember. Mounts that I used were from a TransAm (metal three hole block brackets) Then I would mount into them the frame mounts. Finally lower the engine down
to the front crossmember. Center it. Mark or tack weld the frame mounts to the truck crossmember. Do not try to use the previous Chev mounts at all! The engine will sit too high or tilted backwards. If you have any more questions contact me.

------------------
Gatomon
A car is cheaper than a girlfriend. Better than a wife. If it gives you trouble you can park it and forget about it!

[mike nixon]

blackcat, if you use the 4x4 mounts the engine sits close to level. the 2wd units are higher for some silly reason. mike

[Blackcat]

Mike,
Remember it's chev engineering. But it is best if the engine sits level.

------------------
Gatomon
A car is cheaper than a girlfriend. Better than a wife. If it gives you trouble you can park it and forget about it!

[LarryF]

About 12 years ago I was building a Jeep CJ5 with a 455 (on the bottle, too) for sand drags. If I recall, the drive shaft would have been just over a foot long. Good wheelbase for wheelies. Too many problems with the engine builder, though, so I got tired of it and parted it out. On to bigger and better things...



------------------
Larry

'63 421SD LeMans...
in pieces in my garage
and basement

[Jerry Brock]

One of my die hard Pontiac friends has a 455 with tri-power in his Dodge 4 wheel drive pickup. He also has a 428 in his ski boat. He has a 67 Firebird convertible and a 1987 Firebird convertible.
Jerry

[bob8748]

"still" working on getting my 78 412 into 87 Camaro... doing more of building the body instead of engine work Got the floor cut out and waiting to get my rear built to weld in the ladder bars. Time and $$$$ are my biggest setbacks.

[jeffgoss]

I have just started a project to put a 428 pontiac into a 1978 Malibu Wagon. Looking for a Lemans front clip to put on it.
Should be an easy 12 second machine.
Might hit it with nitrous.
Jeff Goss

[Steve Barcak]

How about the 10 second wangers "Ponte-Carlo"? I've seen a '74 camino with a 428, my jet boat now is proudly powered by a 428. Extra sharp '84 black T/A with a 455SD seen at the '84 POCI convention at Atlanta in '84 (that was a new car!), '55 or so Ford p/u with entire '60 tri-power 389 and drive train in rural Colorado (I got the induction), several cheby trucks in the Phx area with Real Pontiac power, 1 is a dually. LUV mini truck with dual quad 400, 428 Mazda pick up on N2O. How 'bout a '75 corvette? Also, there was an article in an old Car Craft, I think, that did a 421 transplant into a '62 vette. I also saw a 421SD in a '65 era vette in a magazine. 200mph vega flopper in a 70's issue of Super Stock & Drag Issus with a blown/injected d port Pontiac "Raymond Walker"on the side. lots more, Great subject!

[Half-Inch Stud]

Used to be a Ram Air V in a JEEP in this area in the early 80's.

"11.00/123MPH/1.50 60foot/29.5"/4.10:1/10"/472 #48/Flat HYD/DualQuad/Wenzler/3250Lbs
12.00/112MPH/1.61 60foot/26"/3.31:1/10"/472 #48/FlatHYD/Q-Jet/Torker/3650Lbs
12.70/103MPH/1.71 60foot/28"/4.10:1/12"/472 #48/FlatHYD/Q-Jet/Torker/3950Lbs"

[drewhelm1974]

Bob, what engine moutns are you using for the camaro swap?

69 Firebird, FINALLY installed the Pontiac 469.
01 Red and pewter GMC Ext Cab SIERRA SLT 4x4
02 Maple Red (maroon) LS1 Trans Am

[drewhelm1974]

Oh, speaking of Pontac motors in other makes, I was thinking of building a 66 427 Cobra replica with a Pontiac 455......

69 Firebird, FINALLY installed the Pontiac 469.
01 Red and pewter GMC Ext Cab SIERRA SLT 4x4
02 Maple Red (maroon) LS1 Trans Am

[bob8748]

Once again I "believe" Dick Duclow is making the mounts as well as the headers. Will be available after the first of the year.

[69Byrd]

For your pontiacs in non-pont. cars, I built an 82Cutlass with 72 400 out of a Catalina.I used a short th400 out of a Cadillac. My Cutlass was all stock looking except I put the 400 emblem on an aluminum backand put it in the grill.Car had 2 1/2 exhaust all the way back and dropped over the top of the axles.The satisfaction of people laughing when they saw the emblem and didn't believe that motor in a stock looking car was too much!Had 2:73 gears,perf.intake,Holley 650,mid and upper range cam.I felt un-beatable at a 20mph rolling start race.It did dent the front of the hood on the alt.brket.

69Byrd

[vondy]

my dad bought a 70 chevelle ss396 from my ex-brother in law. 47,000 miles pretty well preserved with a 72 400

[Marty Phipps]

How's this for an idea??
My dad has a pair of 46 & 47 Chev. Sedan deliveries.
He wants to give me one of them in exchange for chopping the top on one for his own use.
If I do this, I plan on setting the body on a 67 Chevelle frame and Suspension I have.
I was going to use the 350 that came out of my Firebird.
But after it did a meltdown, I'll have to find another Pontiac motor and trans.
But I thought either a 400 or 455 Poncho would be real nice to have in a Chevrolet.

[KK]

My brother put a Pontiac 455 engine in a '71 Nova The Nova originally came with a six that blew up. The 455 had an overhaul, an "067" cam stock heads, dual exhaust, aluminum intake, a Q-jet, and an open rearend with 3.08 gears. The body was fairly light with no heater, fiberglass seats, and aluminum wheels. On the street it was a lot of fun. 3 or 4 big guys in the car would help on traction and it would still go like mad. The Chevy guys would look so confused when the hood was up, and even more confused when the car would graciously pull away in traffic without the familliar small block whine.

[PONCHOMAN]

I put a 455 Pontiac in a 85 3/4 ton 4x4 Chevy Truck. It breaths through a set of 3 tube headers (four tubes wouldn't clear)and 3" dual exhaust with a pair of Dynomax Ulta Flow Welded mufflers, dumping out directly in front of the rear tires. I ended up using the origional Chevy 350 motor mounts, with minor modification work to the engine crossmember. http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[Pontaro]

I'm drag racing a 83 Camaro with a 463
pont in it. It was some aggravation but well worth it. f bodys hook good. Need advice, more than happy to help anyone. We also built a pro street 55 chevy pickup and put a pont 400 in it. We get alot of greif over that one. Any curiosity we'll give ya' any details.
Our best drag car is a 1966 GTO 455, Jerico 4 speed, 9 inch Strange rear. All three have been built, body and mechanics by us in our shop. Lots of work but well worth it and 29 years in the bus. paid off but damn I'm tired! My son and myself have alot of fun doing them.

[fast72lemans]

half inch stud,
you sure that was a ram air v, i think i have the car that motor came from and it was a ram air vi 69 convertable. I would like to track that jeep down to find original motor for my car!

[68grandprix]

I found something in a field about 200 yards behind my house. It's a mid-eighties firebird with a 72 400 in it! It's in pretty good shape except it has a small dent/hole coming from under the hood. One of these posts makes me think that it might be the alternator mount hole from wehere it hit. It's been there the whole time I've lived here. I found out who it belongs to and was thinking of asking the guy if he wanted to sell it.

We're just going across the border for some french fries and gravy.

[bmpmdf]

I will try to make this short as possible, but these are Pontiac engined cars and trucks from my doings. 400 in 31 Ford hi boy, 428 in 68 SS Chevelle(oridginally 396/375 hp car), and it finally got out of it's own way with the 428, 79 Z/28 with 350 P,88 Z/28 with 400, 350 in 74 VEGA TURNED INTO ASTRE, ran 9.80's and was a blast on the street,(about to do it again with new Vega bought last week), 70 1/2 RS camaro with 400, 73 camaro with 455, 77 camaro with 326, OHC6 in 69 malibu, 301 to replace 305 in 77 nova. Yeah, if engines are changing body makes, it should Pontiac engines into chevies. And one ford 460 in to early camaro!

[MPKind]

My brother wants to put a Pontiac 400 in his 65 Chev 1/2T PU. Hooked onto that engine will be a TH400 out of a 65 Catalina! I've read all the other posts about putting Pontiac engine in a Chev, but the truck currently has an I-6 in it, will that couse problems when changing over the motor mount base plates? Also, which Pontiacs are the best for retrieving the base plates? Are some bolted to the frame while others are welded? I have no idea what kind of issues will occur when we try to fit that TH400 under it!

[buds56]

we did this in a 68 chev,get a rear crossmember from a 67-72 auto trans,we dropped the complete unit in with the trans on the crossmember until the radiator shroud and fan lined up without hitting. we used 76big car mounts and fabbed some c-channel and flatbar[pretty easy].we used rear exit exhaust manifolds.shorten the driveshaft and we changed the rear gears to a higher ratio. this combo ran about 10 years with little problems. hope this is helpful

[MyOwn69]

You'll need to look for my buddy at Norwalk. He tows his '66 GTO with a Ford 4wd pick-up, powered by a 428! Makes the Ford people sick!
Then, just to really bother the blue oval guys, his Dad took an original '57 T-Bird and put a Pontiac in it, too! You never saw so many grown men cry (Ford guys can be that way)!

[axle]

my brother and i run pontiac engines in everything......especially pre war fords!
www.purplepeopleeater.250x.com (http://www.purplepeopleeater.250x.com)

[Nickv]

There is a local 41 willy's Street Rod that boasts a blown Pontiac 455 in it.

[Jon Wood]

I think GMC trucks got Pontiac motors from the factory in 1956. I can't remember where I read that, though.

[Jagarang]

BLASPHEMY I SAY!!

[PLAY400]

Jon you probably seen it in HPP mag. I seen a chevy/gmc pu this summer at a local show/shine that had an old Pontiac in it. Guy said it was stock, I said sure, not believing a word, only to come home and read an article on Ponchos in factory 1950's Chevy/GMC trucks

[Taff]

I have a european Opel Manta with a 400 Pontiac in it,it's run 10.65 at 127 so far(without nitrous) and it only owes me about $4000. It's got all stock steel body and floorpan,factory glass and dashboard etc but I am in the process of building a streetable tube framed mid 70's Vauxhall Viva station wagon that will have a blown 400 so that I can run REALLY quick http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[azbirds]

A guy in Scottsdale Az has an old Ford truck with a 389 in it. A dual quad 428 resides under the hood of a Mazda? truck as well. The one thing that really struck me though was seeing a 72 455HO in a 56 4wd Chevy truck up in Flagstaff (Smoked all 4 tires through the parking lot). I love it when a plan comes together. http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[skid2964]

455 in a Jeep ... http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

Link to Pontiac 455 in a Jeep thread (http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee/forums?a=tpc&s=7286011111&f=7466077811&m=639106116)

[Banditone]

Taff any pics http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_cool.gif--Axle that PURPLE PEOPLE EATER is cool--should be in the movies http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_cool.gif.

[Brutus_5150]

About ten years ago, a friend of mine bought a 75 Olds Delta 88, with 23,000 original miles. He then told me it had a 400 in it, orginal. So, thinking he was full of sh*t, because Olds stopped 400's in 69, I opened the hood and there was a Poncho 400, from the factory, emission sticker and everything. Even my chiltons had it listed as a one year present from PMD... I guess it doesn't make up for the billion and a half 403's Olds had given Pontiac, but I thought it was kinda neat.

[RandyW]

About 1980 I put a warmed up 326 in an Olds Starfire. Everybody assumed it was a Monza with a sbc until I raised the hood!

[Skip Fix]

My 79 Camaro is at the paint shop now , then gets the 455 and a roll bar to keep the tech guys happy and me safe!

[krisr]

1971 Holden HQ Monaro Coupe fitted with a 389 Poncho, 5speed Toyota Supra box behind it.

Life's good http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[swanzy]

I remember that my parents had a factory 77 buick le sabre with a 301 pontiac, it had a 4 bbl intake but an adapter and 2 bbl carb.

[pontiolds]

New guy here,Im not an experienced olds or pontiac guy,just bought a 1972 cutlass assuming it was a 350 rocket,the guy said he didn't know?
Turns out its a 1974 400 pontiac, Who woulda knew?

[Taff]

Banditone,I've only just read your post! I'll try to post some pics in a few days time. The Manta is running 10.50s now.
I've also convinced my nephew to put a 400 Pontiac in his first car buildup. It's a early '60s (GM) Vauxhall Viva 2 door saloon,a tiny little thing,he's going to back halve it with a very narrow 9" axle and I've agreed to build him a mild(350hp) 400 motor out of all the Pontiac parts I have lying around that I've grown out of. Should be fun too, weighing in atjust about 2000 lbs!
Now all I have to do is convince my brother to swap the 305 Chebby in his Lotus for a decent Pontiac motor and my quest is complete .

[Taff]

Acouple of pics of my 400 powered Opel Manta.

[Taff]

Another one.

[Taff]

Oops! Sorry!

[Taff]

last one.

[Steve C.]

The previous stroked 400 (450ci) motor out of my Trans Am is in a friends Ford Fairmont.
Previously it turned a 9.94 @ 134.8 in the 1/4 mile on the motor and today a 5.76 @ 119.4 in the 1/8th mile with a small nitrous tune up.
No serious tuning yet.
It's way cool http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Skip Fix]

The Manta is pretty cool!
Glad to see the Fairmont rolling again Steve. Let me know when you're going this way or to Sequin.

[Steve C.]

Thanks Skip.
Right now the car has no class to run in, other than bracket racing. And John wants to continue heads up racing with the pro tree at the many 1/8 mile tracks here in the area.
It's not fast enough to play with the big boys in the heads up racing with the true 10.5" tire class like the other cars in the shop. So I think we are going to replace the ladder bar suspension and put back in the stock type suspension and go play in the heads up cheap street class where a 9-second car can compete.

[462conv68]

My 17 year old just put my 8000 mile 350 Pontiac into his 86 chevy caprice wagaon all by himself.He helped me swap the 350 for the 462 so I gave him the motor. I have to say it does sound kinda weird hearing the Pontiac lope out of a chevy lol.
proud popa

[71 formula]

I had a friend that has a 70 nova with a 455 when he bought it and it was fast. Then he built up a 10 grand 388 small block chevy with 14 to 1 comp and a 6000 stall and 513 gears and it turns out the pontiac motor was faster.Duh! I helped one of my friends put a 455 in a 89 gta firebird with a 700r4 and projection.

[RiverCityHustlas]

A Pontiac motor in a Vette would probably piss a few people off, and be cool as hell in the process.

[TENNO]

Jagarang, I am totally diggin' your avatar lol http://forums.performanceyears.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif

[63gpstanley]

1930 Ford roadster with Pontiac running gear, not sure which engine yet (a few to choose), a '57 housing with custom 31 spline axles and a 4.10 spooled centre.

[67GTclOne]

what all does it take to put a poncho motor into a chevy truck? we're about to take the 350 out of my le mans and put into a 83 gmc truck with a locked up motor

[67GTclOne]

ah i just read a post where a guy pretty much explained it....seems simple enough...