[Onestone]

Hi everyone, another newbie here - this time from Europe

I'm not new to car restorations, but so far I was in the Volkswagen scene and I own and drive a Rabbit convertible MK1. This is my first US oldtimer.

I came across this forum on my search for good Pontiac knowledge, since I recently bought one from 1955 as a good restoration base. The recommendation for this forum was on www.pontiacsafari.com

Since a few weeks I was already reading a lot here, and also this thread was very helpful and came just at the right time for me:
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...d.php?t=882633

This is the good piece of automobile art what it's all about:





Originally I was looking for a Chevy Bal Air, but there are just too many around in here, and I really fell in love with the beautiful dashboard of this Pontiac:




Since these a very rare in Europe, I hadn't much offers to chose from. I was looking for about 3 years now to find one at a reasonable price, almost complete and with a body in good condition. This one met all my criteria, and it drives, steers and brakes I already know that the previous owner added emblems from later models, like the Star Chief lettering on the dashboard.

This is going to be a longer restoration project, since there is a lot of work to do until it will be in a nice state.

What's roughly planned:

• Medium engine overhaul. Its running nicely, but way too fat and the engine is leaking everywhere Also the carburetor needs to be checked, and the ignition will be upgraded to contactless, I already bought a Pertronix kit and a matching coil
• The Hydramatic transmission only shifts two gears instead of four. It was overhauled by the previous owner, and this is the result
• The interior will be completely renewed
• A new professional painting and chrome renewal is planned, since the painting wasn't done professionally and the chrome is very spotty
• More or less complete renewal of the electrics, since its really (!) botched

And a hundred other little things of course
I already own the shop manual and was reading a lot on pontiacsafari.com.

Parts are really a problem here, but rockauto and pontiacparts.net will be my friends I guess.

I'll keep this updated and I hope for some good tips and hints of the experienced members here.

[Bill Hanlon]

Welcome Onestone.

HydraMatic transmissions of this era are very sensitive to proper throttle linkage adjustment. Maybe that is all that is wrong with yours. When you say "only shifts two gears instead of four" do you mean it only shifts once (for instance from 2nd to 3rd gear) or does it shift two times (2nd to 3rd and then 3rd to 4th)?

Can you tell which gears it is using?

[Onestone]

Originally Posted by Bill Hanlon

Welcome Onestone.

HydraMatic transmissions of this era are very sensitive to proper throttle linkage adjustment. Maybe that is all that is wrong with yours. When you say "only shifts two gears instead of four" do you mean it only shifts once (for instance from 2nd to 3rd gear) or does it shift two times (2nd to 3rd and then 3rd to 4th)?

Can you tell which gears it is using?

At the moment it only shifts once, but I'm not sure which two gears its using. It must be either the 2nd and 3rd or 1st to 3rd (...is that even possible?) I guess, since I can start driving without any problems and then it only shifts once at a higher speed.
If I decrease speed it also shifts back from the higher to the lower gear, so its working both ways.

Reverse an neutral are working fine too by the way.

[67drake]

Cool color combination!

[Jack Gifford]

Welcome!
Where in Germany? I ask because I spent three years stationed very near Luxembourg, and drove a Pontiac-powered Chevy. Back then ('64-'67) Luxembourg and Belgium were sources of American car used parts.

[Onestone]

Originally Posted by Bill Hanlon

Great job cleaning up the fuse block!
Are all the fuses supposed to be 10 amp or did you just install them for the picture? The spare fuse holder at the bottom is marked for a 7.5 amp fuse.

But the blue plastic covered crimp connector in the STOP-DOME-COUR fuse position of the "before" picture takes the prize.

Absolutely Bill, I really don't know why the previous owner didn't spent a few bucks for new fuses and other small things. Seems to me like he just used stuff he already had there, regardless if it fits or not. There are also a lot of other things on this car, like using sanitary silicone on the engine instead of spending a few bucks for the right gaskets and so on

According to the shop manual they should all be 7,5A, (except the rheostat one which ist 4A), but 10A (or bigger) is the only size of this old fuse format which is available in shops here in Germany.


I try to keep everything in the original state and look, but I really wanted to have a few additional instruments, like a rev counter and a voltage indicator. Oilpressure too, but luckily my Pontiac has one originally. I'm the type of person who needs to know if my engine is healthy, to keep my heartbeat in a healthy state too

So while doing electrics I also designed and 3D-printed an additional instrument holder. I did it two-part with a cover painted in the original metallic dashboard color. It took me three tries until everything was perfectly primed, filled, polished and painted, including clear coat with no inclusions etc.
Its screwed on the holes which are already in the dashboard, so no drilling necessary. I also spent a lot of time to adapt the rev counter (which is originally for a V12 marine engine) and find LEDs with the exact same light color of the original instruments. After a long search I found some beautiful instruments with chrome rings which had almost the same look as the original instruments. This is how it looked in the end:






If some wants to have the 3D-print files of this instrument holder for his Pontiac, just let me know. It fits any 52mm instruments.

More updates incoming shortly, I got the original radio meanwhile and also the original clock is on its way to me, really looking forward to that package

[Jack Gifford]

PM me your name and address and I'll send you some 7.5 amp glass fuses.

[Onestone]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

PM me your name and address and I'll send you some 7.5 amp glass fuses.

Hi Jack, that is very kind of you! I'll send you a PM.

Next task I want to do is the installation of the Pertronix Ignitor II electronic ignition. Since I have to adjust the ignition timing afterards, I am wondering how to do it correctly... This is why I am confused a bit:

The shop manual shows the marks on the flywheel and the pointer on the harmonic balancer:



This is how it looks on my engine. The middle mark is missing, but that's not a problem I guess, I think the upper mark is the 5° BTDC mark I need:



So far so good, but now comes the confusing part. This is what the shop manual says about how to adjust the timing:



I did many times engine timing on other cars, but I am missing several details here:

- at which engine condition the timing should be made? I guess on a warm engine with around 70-80°C oil temperature, as usual, right?

- at which revolutions should the 5° BTDC be met? The shop manual doesn't say anything about this, but this is important since the distributor has centrifugal and vacuum advance too. Is this meant like this: 5° BTDC should to be met at idle revs, so at around 450-500 rpm?
I saw the mentioned table at 12-46 in the shop manual, where the centrifugal advance of the ditributor is shown. There is no centrifugal advance at idle revs according to this table.

- and most important: what about the vacuum advance? From other old cars I know that the vacuum hose from the carburetor needs to be removed while doing the timing. Here the shop manual doesn't say anything about it. We also dont have a rubber hose here, but a stiff steel hose coming from the carb. Is the vacuum meant to stay connected while doing the timing?

All my questions are regarding the original 1955 Pontiac 287 cui V8 engine. Any hints are appreciated

[Onestone]

I have a tach, so that's no problem. The gear it shifts up to is 2500rpm at 35mph - which gear is that?

[Onestone]

For the carb overhaul I opened a separate thread here:
https://forums.maxperformanceinc.com...d.php?t=884764

Still have the question which kind of choke would be the nest solution?


I was driving yesterday a little bit, engine is running really nice so far. Now is the time to take a deeper look into may transmission problem - it only uses two gears. Bill already asked me this...:

Originally Posted by Bill Hanlon

Welcome Onestone.

HydraMatic transmissions of this era are very sensitive to proper throttle linkage adjustment. Maybe that is all that is wrong with yours. When you say "only shifts two gears instead of four" do you mean it only shifts once (for instance from 2nd to 3rd gear) or does it shift two times (2nd to 3rd and then 3rd to 4th)?

Can you tell which gears it is using?

After driving I think its using the 1st gear, and then is only shifts once. The other gear I'm not suchre which one it is - but I can tell I'm at 2500rpm at 35mph with that gear Does that info help to guess which gear it is?

[Onestone]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

Welcome!
Where in Germany? I ask because I spent three years stationed very near Luxembourg, and drove a Pontiac-powered Chevy. Back then ('64-'67) Luxembourg and Belgium were sources of American car used parts.

Ah very nice! I'm from the "heart of Germany", next to Frankfurt I saw a few old Bel Airs for sale from Belgium the last years, but not a single old Pontiac

Originally Posted by Bill Hanlon

...Can you tell which gears it is using?

Any hints where to start? I will check the Hydramatic shop manual tonight too.


While renewing electrics, I got stuck on the horn button yesterday. Under the engine hood everything is working fine after the renewal, relay switches as it should and horns are blowing very loud

Inside I removed the steering wheel because the horn button relay contact had permanent ground. After steering wheel removal the problem was gone. It looks like this, the horn blows if I connect the brass contact with the center nut. So far so good, so thats what the botton should do:



How is the button supposed to work? The horn should sound if I tip the inner wheel to the left or right, right? Is there an isolation missing maybe? This is how my steering wheel and button looks from front and back:

[Bill Hanlon]

Originally Posted by Onestone

Any hints where to start?

Assuming that ..........
1. the engine starts with the shift lever in "N" as it is supposed to and will not start with the shift lever in any other position
2. the transmission provides "park" as it is supposed to by locking the output shaft when the shift lever is in "R" with the engine turned off as it is supposed to and will not lock the output with the shift lever in any other position
.......... then the shift linkage is probably adjusted close enough that it isn't a problem.

This manual https://www.pontiacsafari.com/L1Gara...ic_1946-55.pdf is about as good as you'll find for understanding HM operating theory and making adjustments to the HM transmission. It may help with your troubleshooting efforts. Unfortunately, it depends on special tools and gauges for the adjustments. I had a set of the tools that I used to loan out, but I sold it along with a bunch of HM manuals when I totaled my HM equipped truck in 2012.

One of the HM parts suppliers used to loan out a tool set. If I can find his name I'll post it here.

[Bill Hanlon]

Found it. Dave Edwards at https://www.autotran.us/

[Goatracer1]

If you are not all ready a member join POCI (Pontiac Oakland Club International) they have an international chapter whose director lives in Sweden. They have technical advisors for everything. Your car is beautiful. Your horn wiring is correct as far as the wheel. Something in the chrome horn ring is grounding out.

[Onestone]

Originally Posted by Bill Hanlon

Assuming that ..........
1. the engine starts with the shift lever in "N" as it is supposed to and will not start with the shift lever in any other position
2. the transmission provides "park" as it is supposed to by locking the output shaft when the shift lever is in "R" with the engine turned off as it is supposed to and will not lock the output with the shift lever in any other position
.......... then the shift linkage is probably adjusted close enough that it isn't a problem.

Hi Bill,
my transmission behaves exactly as you describe. Everything is fine, just it uses only two gears But I will take a closer look into that at a later time. I also got the original Hydramatic shop manual meanwhile. Als thank you very much for the link to Autotrans for the required tools.

Originally Posted by Goatracer1

If you are not all ready a member join POCI (Pontiac Oakland Club International) they have an international chapter whose director lives in Sweden. They have technical advisors for everything. Your car is beautiful. Your horn wiring is correct as far as the wheel. Something in the chrome horn ring is grounding out.

Thank you for that hint! Gettings parts from Sweden would be much easier for me.


Meanwhile I fixed the hornbutton completely. This is how I started...:

State of the pulled parts:




Cleaned from corrosion etc.:




Then I saw that the isolation of the contact point was missing. So I designed an exactliy fitting one and 3D printed it with TPU material:




I also understood that the pushback of the inner steeringwheel with the hornbutton is originally done with a foam part underneath. This foam part was also shrunk over the years so it couldn't push the contact back anymore. That also was obviously the reason for the permanent ground contact
So I desigend a new one and also 3D printed it with TPU. After three or four tries I found the perfect size and filling for the required flexibility

Old part and new part (with some adhessive strips as mounting help):



All parts assembled. Fits nice and the horn now works again as it should:




If anyone is interested in the 3D-prinfiles let me know, maybe it can help other people too.


Next questions I have while reworking electrics:

- I need to remove the rest of the steering wheel (the part under the horn button), because I need to fix the direction lights lever. How is this done?
- How do I remove the knob from the light switch? This might sound stupid, but there is no screw and I already tried to turn and pull it. I just don't want to destroy anything...

More updates to come shortly

[Bill Hanlon]

Originally Posted by Onestone

- How do I remove the knob from the light switch? This might sound stupid, but there is no screw and I already tried to turn and pull it. I just don't want to destroy anything...

I'm not sure about '55 Pontiacs, but on most old GM cars the knob along with the shaft it mounts on is removed by pushing a small metal "button" on the side of the light switch. I think the knob has to be in the "off" position when you push and hold the button. Then pull the knob.

[Bill Hanlon]

Originally Posted by Onestone

it uses only two gears

It would help if you could tell which 2 gears. Can you change gears by moving the shift lever while driving?

[Jack Gifford]

Great work on the horn switch!

[Onestone]

Next update here:

My original fuelpump was leaking fuel and oil. I replaced it with an electric Hardi pump, but I think this type of pump is maybe called different in the US (?). ... Its maybe also known as "Mitsuba fuelpump", used in many other old cars.

Technically its a diaphragm pump like the original one, but electric driven and it has an internal pressure sensor which makes the pump stop when the fuelpressure against the carburetor gets high (above ~0,35 bar). This way the pump always pumps exactly to the need of the carb - so when the float chamber is full it stops automaticly, and starts again as soon as more fuel is needed.

Another advantage is it fills the float chamber before cranking, which makes starting much easier after not moving the car for a longer time. These pumps are used on many oldtimer restorations to greatly increase reliability.

This is how this pump looks:


Preparation of the mounting location, also the integrated holder and mountplate I welded:


Ready mounted and wired:


Wiring of this pump is very easy, it just needs ground and +12V ignition. Everything I touch at this car I use new accessories, so here of cource also new hoses, new screws, new filter etc. came in too. The filter is will not stay fo very long, I used this transparent one to check if too much dirt is coming from the tank. After some driving later I will replace it with a metal one.

Also a litte optical beautification came in - I replaced these tail lights (I think they weren't original Pontiac ones...?):


...with new ones I got from a dealer in IL :




Coming up next: new crank case ventilation and pertronix ignition

[Onestone]

...I found something the craftsman updates from November 1955

So vacuum officially needs to be disconnected, and the port on the carb must be taped during timing.