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#1
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2 barrel performance.
Our '67 LeMans has cruise control. It's not operational. I have every component, widget and fastener for it, in a box. The reason for this is that the previous owner replaced the original '67 326 2 barrel with a 400 4 barrel out of some random '74. I've been installing the system bit by bit. I had to install the transducer to get the speedo cables hooked up to it.
One important and proprietary part is the little lever that connects to any old factory '67 2 barrel carb. I've searched high and low for one for a 4 barrel carb, but no luck. They had them for the Carter or Rochester, but I've not seen one outside the assembly manual. So if I want the cool factor of cruise control, then I'm running a 2 barrel. Is it even worth putting in anything other than the very best 326 engne that I can? I was thinking of dropping in a 400, possibly the Len Williams long block. His engine purportedly has 385hp. I'm thinking that a 4 barrel will go WWAAAAHH, and a 2 barrel will go wwaaaaahh. I'm torn between which I want more. Originality or performance. Your thoughts. |
#2
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Personally I would drop the 400 in without any hesitation lol. It would be so much more fun and exciting. The whole attitude of the car is so much cooler for me anyway. Have fun with it I say.
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#3
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Some guys will research how to put the inspection chalk marks in all the right spots and will figure out how to install lug nuts without marking them and losing points. That’s cool - whatever floats your boat.
When I was a kid, driving a “showroom stock” car was definitely NOT cool - we always personalized our cars for performance, looks, sound, etc. I’m in the midst of putting some aluminum heads on the 400 in my LeMans, and it’s got hydro boost and 4 wheel disk brakes. Whatever you think is cool.
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1965 Pontiac LeMans. M21, 3.73 in a 12 bolt, Kauffman 461. |
#4
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I'd go Len Williams with a 4-WWAAAAHH !
Frank
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Poncho Huggen, Gear Snatchen, Posi Piro. |
#5
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i am in the “crank up the van halen and burn rubber” camp myself.
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The Following User Says Thank You to i82much For This Useful Post: | ||
#6
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Quote:
Tranny - Muncie - 4 WWAAAAHH. Rear - 323 - Stereo with reverb. Go ahead and jump ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq-potK_7Ts Frank
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Poncho Huggen, Gear Snatchen, Posi Piro. |
#7
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Quote:
https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Produc...Radios/2792-20 a 400 four barrel ought to be tons of fun for any sane person. cruise control is a cool novelty but the primal spirit must be fed ... let that motor eat! |
#8
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Quote:
Make one. Better yet, make five, sell the other four. |
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Schurkey For This Useful Post: | ||
#9
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With traffic being what is nowadays, cruise control won't have many places you can use it. In contrast, that extra oomph can be used pretty much anywhere, stop and go, on ramps, you name it. A little fabrication will give you the best of both worlds. I imagine PY's collective brain can make this work...
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#10
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Schurkey has the right idea here. Make the brackets, put in the 400, save the 326 in the garage somewhere, and do your best to disguise the 400 as a 326. Here's my 389 posing as a 326. There's a Carter AFB under that air cleaner...looks stock but definitely not.
__________________
"I know just enough to keep me here, but not enough to get me out" |
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Cardo For This Useful Post: | ||
#11
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Just keep a baton under the seat, and when the roads open up wedge it between the pedal and seat.
Plus it can be used for protection should you ever need it.
__________________
"Those poor souls have made the fatal mistake of surrounding us. Now we can fire in any direction" 1970 Trans Am RAIII 4 speed 1971 Trans Am 5.3 LM7 1977 Trans Am W72 Y82 1987 Grand National |
#12
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400 four barrel goes wah, 326 two barrel goes nah.
Go with the 400. I don't see why you can't adapt the cruise control to the 4 barrel. They both accept the same throttle cable and have the same throttle arm right?
__________________
Triple Black 1971 GTO |
#13
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Okay, so we decided on prioritizing the engine and the cruise, we’ll have to figure that out. The lever that attaches to the 4 barrel is completely different from the 2 barrel.
But I trust that the Pontiac brain trust will help us with fabricating something to work when the time comes. We’ll start a thread on that soon. Thanks for everyone’s input. |
#14
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I don’t get it, the 326 was replaced with a 1974 4bbl. If the motor is in good shape why not get a early set of heads raise the compression and get a lot of HP for little money. Just saying.
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#15
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Yeah, it’s a good engine, but not a great engine. It’s just not 100% and we believe that it’s just old. This is the problem when someone drops some random motor in a car and we don’t know what’s been done to it.
We’ve never had a classic car with a nice new (or carefully rebuilt) performance engine. So I don’t mind spending the money to acquire something that I know how and who built it. As always, the input and opinions are appreciated. |
#16
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Found unobtainium
Well, I have to hand it to my son for being persistent and finding this part. We’ll be able to have a working cruise control system with the 4 barrel.
Now, we just have to save up a few bucks and get a nice ‘67 4 barrel carb. I believe it best to switch back to the factory intake from the Edelbrock one that’s on there as well. While we may hardly use it, it will be great to have a working factory cruise control system. |
#17
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Nice find! There's the proverbial needle in a haystack!
__________________
"I know just enough to keep me here, but not enough to get me out" |
#18
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Just a thought but a good 2bbl will out 60 foot most 4bbls.. Back in the day there were an assortment of 400-450 cfm 2 bbls from Rochester but think the only 500 cfm was a Holly.
Ruminating a bit but know there were some 400 2bbls mainly for trailer towing packages. Think by '72 were even 455 2bbls. |
#19
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If your intake is a Performer it will be fine on the 326. No single plane.
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Triple Black 1971 GTO |
#20
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I would go with a 69/70 carb. beter float setup on it and you can still bolt that bracket to it I believe.
__________________
1979 Firebird Trans Am 301/4spd (Now 428) 1977 Firebird Formula 400/Auto 2007 Grand Prix GXP 5.3L |
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