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Old 12-19-2020, 06:42 PM
HotRodDan HotRodDan is offline
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Default 444???

I just picked up a '63 LeMans with a pretty good body for this part of the country. I purchased it with no definite plans on what direction to take the car on the rebuild. When talking to a buddy that knows a lot more about these cars than me, he said it might be a 444 car. I asked him what that was and he said he didn't know much about them, except that they were a 4 cylinder, 4 barrel, 4 speed car. I've searched here and a few other places and haven't come up with much. My car is a 4 cylinder with a 4 barrel intake ( has a 2 barrel adapted to it) and a stick shift( gear shift moves in a circular pattern at present). What are they, and do I have one? Thanks.

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Old 12-19-2020, 07:09 PM
PontiacJim1959 PontiacJim1959 is offline
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Originally Posted by HotRodDan View Post
I just picked up a '63 LeMans with a pretty good body for this part of the country. I purchased it with no definite plans on what direction to take the car on the rebuild. When talking to a buddy that knows a lot more about these cars than me, he said it might be a 444 car. I asked him what that was and he said he didn't know much about them, except that they were a 4 cylinder, 4 barrel, 4 speed car. I've searched here and a few other places and haven't come up with much. My car is a 4 cylinder with a 4 barrel intake ( has a 2 barrel adapted to it) and a stick shift( gear shift moves in a circular pattern at present). What are they, and do I have one? Thanks.
Check this YouTube video out. It appears to be the top engine with 166HP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tva3ycstdEE

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Old 12-19-2020, 07:30 PM
HotRodDan HotRodDan is offline
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If that were my car I would hate to let it go for that.

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Old 12-19-2020, 07:38 PM
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In order to know just how the car was optioned, your best choice is to order the build documents from Pontiac Historic Services: http://www.phs-online.com

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Old 12-20-2020, 04:49 PM
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Look on the front of the block directly below the cylinder head. There should be a code stamped there. Should be 87Z or 84Z. If one of these codes then yes, Its a 4-4-4 car. Not many were built. You could only get the 4 speed with a 4 cylinder in 63. With the 326 V8, only a 3 speed was available for manual trans. The 4 cylinder got either the 3 speed manual or 4 speed.

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Old 12-20-2020, 09:46 PM
HotRodDan HotRodDan is offline
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I'll check tomorrow. Thanks, When I got the car I had no set plans for it, but it would have almost for shure got either a 63 - 326 or a 400. If it is a low perduction special car I won't go that route. I will at some point do the PHS. In the mean time it fun learning from the group. It does not have a split manifold like the car in the link that PontiacJim1959 posted. Was that an option or a custom piece? Thanks

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Old 12-20-2020, 11:28 PM
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Originally Posted by HotRodDan View Post
I'll check tomorrow. Thanks, When I got the car I had no set plans for it, but it would have almost for shure got either a 63 - 326 or a 400. If it is a low perduction special car I won't go that route. I will at some point do the PHS. In the mean time it fun learning from the group. It does not have a split manifold like the car in the link that PontiacJim1959 posted. Was that an option or a custom piece? Thanks
The split dual exhaust manifolds were a factory over the counter performance item. Combined with an aluminum intake manifold & a different 4 bbl carb, you could pump out 188 Hp with just a few bolt on parts. Factory for the 63 444 cars was 166 Hp.

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Old 12-20-2020, 11:33 PM
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Keith,I think the alu intake only fit the 61SD head,not 61-63 pass car heads.Tom

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Old 12-21-2020, 12:01 AM
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Keith,I think the alu intake only fit the 61SD head,not 61-63 pass car heads.Tom
You may be right Tom, CRS may be kicking in.

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Old 12-21-2020, 10:51 AM
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There is a 4 cyc SD AFB on ebay,been on there for years.I think its close to 5K.Tom

  #11  
Old 01-23-2021, 09:48 PM
TransaxleTempest62 TransaxleTempest62 is offline
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There is a 4 cyc SD AFB on ebay,been on there for years.I think its close to 5K.Tom
Pete McCarthy mentioned this SD 188HP "Nascar" 4 cylinder in his book. Any idea how many were produced? Are any known to exist?

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Old 01-23-2021, 10:26 PM
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none were produced,all done with over the counter parts.Tom

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Old 01-23-2021, 10:52 PM
TransaxleTempest62 TransaxleTempest62 is offline
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The 4 bolt main block too?

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Old 01-23-2021, 11:31 PM
tom s tom s is offline
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Yes,all SD parts for the 4 cyc were OTC.Tom

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Old 01-24-2021, 12:03 AM
TransaxleTempest62 TransaxleTempest62 is offline
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Thank you!

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Old 01-24-2021, 01:49 PM
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Default Aluminum intake

Here is an aluminum intake for the HO four cylinder.
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  #17  
Old 01-24-2021, 02:42 PM
tom s tom s is offline
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C5,if you could see the intake-head flange on that intake you would notice it is 55-60 water pattern,it was designed and built for the 61SD 306 head which has that water pattern.Wont fit a 61-64 pass car head.Tom

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Old 01-24-2021, 03:31 PM
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Default Intake manifold

Thank you Tom. I knew the intake was dated early 1961 and probably used in the NASCAR compact series. Never checked the bolt pattern on the intake ports.
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