[63 Pontiac]

was there such a beast from the factory?

[tom s]

I think over the counter stuff.Tom

[Bill Eveland]

It was part of a later in the year package for Nascar but available to the public like Tom said. Quite a bit more involved than just an intake setup. Also had the big 57-64 rear and a bunch of other stuff. Lots of info on this package on the pontiacsafari.com website.

[56 Batwing]

I used to spend a lot of time tracking down people who had personal experiences with these 2x4 cars. Some of these people were owners, but some were children of the original owners.
One fellow whose father owned a farm implement and Pontiac dealership in Montana, told me that when he graduated high school he got a new 56 2x4 car from his dad. A chieftain 2 dr ht. He told me that he had taken the car to Glacier National Park, on the way home a Chrysler 300 tried to pass him. After about a half hour of trying neither car could pass the other. He also said that the car came with a HD frame under it and some items like brakes were special order items. His little brother got a 60 Pontiac with 3x2’s for his graduation. The 60 was faster from a standing start, but the 56 could keep up with him from a rolling start.
Another person remembers his father buying a Star Chief that had the 2x4 option that was sold as a trailer towing package. That Texas dealership had 2 or 3 other Star Chiefs with the 2x4 towing option on the lot. His father didn’t like the way the car ran and had the 2x4’s removed and traded the car the next year. Gas mileage was terrible.
Another remembers his father coming home after a tour in Germany, and being mad at his wife for putting regular gas in the 2x4 car and burning a piston. The engine was swapped out for a standard 56 Pontiac, and the 2x4 engine was junked.
Two other guys told stories about finding 2x4 cars more recently, one was a Star Chief out on the Texas prairie, and another who found one in a rock quarry back east.
There isn’t any doubt that most parts were sold over the counter, but more cars were sold with the 2x4 option than I thought. Also way more of these cars had automatics than I thought. Most of these people tell stories about these cars running poorly at slow speed, but once wound up were very fast cars for their time. Most remember these cars also getting really bad gas mileage.

[U47]

My uncle bought a 1956 Pontiac Colony 2dr wagon ( summer-fall 1956) with the 316.6, 2X4 engine. Car came with a slant pan "D" type four speed HydraMatic. White over dark green. Raced it for approx. 5 years. I remember seeing it at Christmas 1956 when my parents had the family Christmas day-dinner, and a few times at the track in 1959 when my dad was racing his 59 "A" stock automatic Catalina. The Cat was much faster. Still ,I loved those batwing air cleaners! Looked the same as the ones on Olds and Cadillac...wonder if they interchange?

[Bill Hanlon]

Originally Posted by U47

Still ,I loved those batwing air cleaners! Looked the same as the ones on Olds and Cadillac...wonder if they interchange?

The center to center spacing was larger on Caddy. I didn't know Olds made a factory 2x4.

[pfilean]

Chevy did offer them in 56. Factory delivered and not just over the counter. Brother of a friend if mine traded a 51 Merc conv for a new 56 Chev 2dr http black with three on the tree. I'm very sure he would not have bought it over the counter and installed it. No wrench talent.

[U47]

Originally Posted by Bill Hanlon

The center to center spacing was larger on Caddy. I didn't know Olds made a factory 2x4.

I think your right. I remember now it was a 57 J-2 Olds with a tri power batwing.