[TheAmericanRuse]

Hey guys, new here, I already posted this in the parts wanted section..

Just picked up a 63 LeMans not too long ago that had a rebuilt (worked) 326 & rebuilt auto temp torq, but had been sitting 10 years since last ran.

Got it running (well for the matter) a few lifters went bad, cracked a piston (too high compression & timing, it was pinging real bad a WOT on 93, couldnt get it to stop without race gas) etc etc..
Found a cheap 63 389 to build using my 326 crank, but noticed my flexplate had a busted weld and it got warped and damaged when removing it.

I desperately need a flexplate for this car, I cant find one anywhere..
Im running out of ideas, Ive called all the pontiac collectors I know in the southeast, so far no luck..
Im getting bummed. Im only 22, and I like to have rare cars (my last ride was a 65 Rambler Classic 2dr hard top v8 3 on the tree that I tried to restore to no avail)
This pontiac is starting to follow down the same path of my Rambler.. it really sucks, I need help bad.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[mechanickeith]

Try here www.hiddenvalleyautoparts.com here, www.eastwestautoparts.com & here www.dvap.com

I am just about totally out of 63 stuff, no flex plates.

[TheAmericanRuse]

Thanks, I emailed all the places, I may give them a call as well if I dont hear back in a few days.

I'll keep everyone updated.

Thanks.

[mechanickeith]

Hang on a second?? Flexplate??? 63 Tempest with a 326?? Automatic trans?? Shouldnt this unit have a flywheel on the crankshaft instead of a flex plate?? If it is an automatic with the factory transaxle setup, there should be a flywheel on the crank with the torque shaft bolted to the center of the crankshaft. Should not have a flexplate.

[TempestFugit]

Nice catch Keith!

[TheAmericanRuse]

well, it has the weight of a flexplate, so I just assumed, but its also not flat and has an odd tooth count and smaller OD than normal pontiacs (13" 156 tooth)

flywheel or flexplate, regardless, I need one for my car.. it was my daily driver until the cracked piston and everything else.

[mechanickeith]

Could you possibly post some pics of it?? Checked the svc manual & it should be a flywheel. Weight of about 30-35 pounds.

[TheAmericanRuse]

Im not home right now, I will be in a few days. I do have some pictures from when I disassembled the engine, but I dont think these pictures are any good, you cant really see.. Ill post them anyways.

[elefantrider]

I was rather sure '63s V8s have flexplates, '62s have flywheels but maybe someone else can confirm.

[elefantrider]

Looks like a flexplate to me! I think it's a 1 year only part so pretty hard to find.

[elefantrider]

You can keep posting the wrong pics, no problem! Any more pics? The car looks nice. Bronze with white interior and 4bbl carb?

[TheAmericanRuse]

The car was originally gold/bronze, with matching interior with the white headliner. Someone dyed the carpet red at some point and painted the dash. Ill post a few pics of it when I first got it. Removed the side trim and welded up the holes. It originally had the remote mirror but its long gone and someone put standard pontiac chrome mirrors on the door at one point.

[jusjay]

Looks like the same setup as the 215 ci alu motor in the 61-62!

[TheAmericanRuse]

does anyone know if its the same as the buick 215 unit?
Im still hunting, out of everyone Ive emailed only 2 have gotten back to me so far, and they didnt have any, but one guy is gonna double check a warehouse.

[mechanickeith]

The 215 will be different from the 326. I went back & checked the tech manual. The pic I thought was a V8 was a pic of the 4 cyl motor with a flywheel. So, dont know for sure. If its a one year only part, may be pretty hard to find. I dont have one here but what may possibly work is the flywheel front half of an early 60-62 era Pontiac dual coupling hydramatic transmission. Dont know the dimensions or tooth count but thats the only thing off the top of my head that may work. I know the 4 cyl setups are 12" & 150 tooth count.

[TheAmericanRuse]

my flexplate is 156 tooth count with a 13" OD

[Sirrotica]

Any chance it's a Super hydramatic part from a 389 big car? It's looks from the pictures as though it has torque converter bolt holes and pads for a converter in it. It's been been so long since I had one of the cars with a Super in it I can't remember what they looked like. I would try to get a 61-64 Super hydramatic flex plate to see if it may be the same or at least you could get one to work in place of the damaged one. Just a thought, but that would be my next try if it were mine.

Some one that's good with a hydraulic press should be able to straighten it if all else fails. I have straightened some parts that others would have thrown away. It will take some time if it doesn't run true to get it concentric, but I'm sure someone with the expertise of a press and a lathe could get it usable again.

One other option, is it possible Tom S has one, or knows where you might find one? I see he hasn't weighed in on this post yet.

[TheAmericanRuse]

my car is all original, numbers matched, before I got my 63 389 to go in it, which Im using my stock 326 crank in. I couldnt get the bolts to break free on my flexplate to remove it from the crank, I ended up taking it to an old school guy who hammered on the bolts and got it free eventually.
my flexplate is the original one for a 63 326 auto lemans, thats what they look like, its the only pontiac flexplate Ive ever seen like it.

I just need another one cause mine is messed up pretty bad.
when I get home in a half a week or so Ill take some pictures so you can see.

[Sirrotica]

The point I was making is Pontiac wouldn't produce a part especially for 1 year, 1 model of car if they can use something already in their existing parts inventory that would work in both instances. I know for a fact that Super hyrdamatics had a flex plate 61-64 era as I've owned probably 4-5 Bonnevilles from those years and changed engines and transmissions in them, I just can't recall from almost 40 years ago if they look just like yours does in the pictures. Roto Hydramatics (Catalina and GP) had a flywheel in them very similar to a standard shift flywheel with a spring style shock absorbing hub similar to the center of a clutch disc because they had no torque converter and needed a flywheel with some mass and weight, and I'm sure that one of those wouldn't work. The point being is they made probably 100,000 cars in 61-64 (Bonneville and Star Chief) with Super hydramatics and one of them would be relatively easy to find as opposed to 63 Tempest V8 W/ automatic. In my mind it would be worth a shot to check and see if they in fact could be interchanged. A Hollander interchange manual from those years would tell you, but finding a Hollander from that era might be as hard to find as the flexplate.

I've already given you 3 options to check that I would try if I was in your situation. I'm just trying to point out how a mechanic of 40 years working on Pontiacs as well as many other cars trucks and varied pieces of equipment and machines would approach it. It's your car, and your choice, and your choice if you decide to try any one of them. Good luck in your search, I hope you find what your looking for, if any still exist.................

[c5farmer]

My parts manual shows a part number for a 63 T8 auto flywheel--9772669 and a number for a flywheel reinforcement plate--9772675. They are one year only numbers and don't show up on any other models or years. It does say the flywheel has 155 teeth on the T8 and 166 on the P8 model.
You may have to straighten the one you have or be ready for an extensive search!