[gomickeygo]

hello! I'm new here and im also working on a 55 pontiac. i currently got the engine out and im trying to see how to place a pontiac 350 motor on the compartment. i see the tube and flat plate being used but what are u guys using for motor mounts and frame mounts? also what about the electrical change over? does anything need to be changed? i currently have 2 wires on the generator would i have to do a simple swap to an alternator. solenoid on starter?

[Bill Eveland]

The engine and frame mounts are going to be differant if it's a 69 or earlier engine or newer. The earlier engines had the isolator on the engine, later used the isolator on the frame so go accordingly.
Starter is the same wiring setup. What distributor are you running, if hei than you'll need to bypass the ballast resistor on the firewall.
I prefer the 3 wire alternator. If you don't want to add any wiring outside of the new wire from the battery to the positive post, than reuse of the the wires from the generator , I would use the larger one, unplug the regulator and jump accross the connector to the wire that goes into the gauge. The internal regulator connector, the red wire loops back up to the positive post, the other wire (white) runs back thru the harness back into the gauge.

Here's a link to a wiring diagram courtesy of Starchief garage.

http://members.tripod.com/starchief57/images/ilk.jpg

[gomickeygo]

little confused on how to understand this whirring. on the voltage regulator theres three wires and i am to disconnect this correct? the red goes to the new alternator (of a 67 firebird) then the other two wires? unsure were to plug or to what wires

[Bill Eveland]

thats if you don't want to run all new wiring for the alt, didn't mean to make it confusing. is your alternator your using internally regulated?

[Bill Eveland]

No offense but you might want to start your own thread or post on a newer engine in older car thread , this thread is kinda getting off track. Its all info that applies to swapping in a newer engine, but not to the progress of my car which is why I started this thread. Which btw hasn't gotten anywhere lately , with the addition of my daughter and my 7 and 4yr old sons, i've been plenty busy.

[Bill Eveland]

Hi guys , i've been busy on the car lately. Here's the latest....

My old frame needed alot of work, I picked up another and started from scratch.

I've been wanting to build a period correct 60's gasser.

I'm using a 51 Ford F1 truck axle and springs,mounts and disc brake kit from Speedway motors. I kept and boxed in the radiator crossmember since it was also the mounting point for the front sheetmetal. Now it is doing double duty acting as a main support for the suspension , I boxed it in with 1/4" plate and mounted the leaf spring perches to it.

I also cut out the engine crossmember to use my hurst front mount. Most of the frame work is done, I still need to rework some of the rear x frame legs for rust, flip the frame over and box in the front area. Than build in the mounts for the engine and trans.


Here's some of the build pics

[PLAY400]

Looking good Bill. Would have been ahead of you with the gasser look but the motor and trans I bought off here turned out to be junk so instead of doing the front axle I did the motor again and decided to set the rear spring into the frame thus lower the big time. Sits level with 165 15s on the front and my 315s on the back. Had it at the track but had a major bog with the wenzler and 2x4 and some trans linkage problems but still ran a 12.8 @ 105 leaving soft in drive. Ran straight as a bullet with my home made r&p steering. Still have another motor, a 51 chevy axle and 56 2 door kicking around so may have a gasser yet.

Having the Canadian Pontiac version makes everything way easier except putting the Pontiac motor in.

[Bill Eveland]

I got the frame turned over and front rails boxed in on the bottom today.



Alan, you could always mount the rear axle under the springs than put the straight in the front?

One thing I tried to accomplish was using the 60 cover is that this cover could possibly be used an any newer block to use the factory front mount . Or use the Hurst mount in your case. I'm also using a 2 piece rear engine mount that will bolt to the back of the trans where is bolts up to the block and use the biscuit mounts like the Hurst mount will..

[Bill Eveland]

The 2 rear legs of the center x was rusted thru pretty bad. I got some 2 1/2 and 4" wide 1/8 plate from the local metal shop . This is about twice as heavy as what was there, but alot stronger. I'll cut some extra holes in plus for the exhaust routing.

[Bill Eveland]

fast forward a little, i've got most of the frame done and pulled the body off my old frame to work on the inner rockers and floors. I already replaced the outer rockers before I pulled the body. I also added in the crossbracing behind the front seat to stabalize the body before pulling it.

[59safaricat]

Nice work! It starting to look like a car again

[Bill Eveland]

I finally got the frame done and went ahead and put the body back on and set the front clip back on. I didn't want the frame and clip sitting outside during the winter. I had to clear space in the garage for momma anyway for the winter so she could park in there.

[PLAY400]

Looking real good Bill! Is the front lower fender extension part of the fender or a bolt on piece? Just picked up a lower pan off a 56 for mine so I never seen it installed but it has bolt on extensions. I also radius my rear wheel opening last week as I got fed up with having to drop the rear suspension to change tires.

Any plans for a tilt front end? I've been thinking about it but don't know if I want to get rid of my inner fenders yet

BTW I just came across 1 of my favorites Pontiacs today and it's local, complete and cheap but I passed on it. 1957 2 door hard top for 1200 CA.

[Bill Eveland]

Thanks, the lower extensions bolt on. I doubt i'll do a tilt front end for now or ever. I just want to get it together to drive it, maybe down the road?

[Bill Eveland]

I got all my steering hooked up and redid my spring mounts some, and added in almost 2". I still have alot or work to do, but it was good to roll it outside and get a better look.

[Bill Eveland]

I finally got my new cam in and engine all back together. Crower 60243, springs, lifters and rocker studs also in. Got the firewall and engine cleaned and painted. The 60 cover was bored for the newer style seal and thanks to Bill Hanlon for letting me use his tool to center the timing cover on. The moroso valve covers stuck out like a sore thumb so instead of buying new covers, for now I ground down the raised stamping and filled it in with some body filler and painted to match. Than added in 2 breathers at the front similar to the early engines.

[60man]

Nice work Bill.. I race with a guy from PA once in a while that has a 56 2dr he converted over to a 60's gasser. It runs pretty darn good..I'll have to check it out more as I believe he did away with the x members ..I think.

[Bill Hanlon]

Bill:
If there is any chance that you will mount a belt driven accessory on the passenger's side down near the exhaust manifold (where I put my A/C compressor - used mounts from a '59) cut the "tab" off of the very bottom of the passenger's side of the timing cover now while it is easy to get at. The tab will end up in the way of the belt.

Glad the alignment tool worked out for you.

- Bill

[Bill Eveland]

Unless I can mount an alternator over their on that side I doubt i'll have anything to worry about. Another thing too about the timing, my 66 hub doesn't have the marks for the pointer on the 60 cover. I think i'll use some timing tape or make some marks on it myself? I think there is a timing cover tab available from Ken Keefer too.

Does anyone see a problem with how i'm doing to do my coolant bypass? For now I'm using the opening of the intake where it normally mates up to the timing cover and tapped for an elbow with a hose barb than took the factory pipe out of the timing cover. I'll put another elbow there also, my only concern is going down to a 3/8 hose instead of the 1/2 hose than went to the topside of the coolant crossover. I had to take the coolant tube out of the timing cover also and go with a 90 degree to make more room for the alternator.

[60man]

Originally Posted by Bill Eveland

Unless I can mount an alternator over their on that side I doubt i'll have anything to worry about. Another thing too about the timing, my 66 hub doesn't have the marks for the pointer on the 60 cover. I think i'll use some timing tape or make some marks on it myself? I think there is a timing cover tab available from Ken Keefer too.

Does anyone see a problem with how i'm doing to do my coolant bypass? For now I'm using the opening of the intake where it normally mates up to the timing cover and tapped for an elbow with a hose barb than took the factory pipe out of the timing cover. I'll put another elbow there also, my only concern is going down to a 3/8 hose instead of the 1/2 hose than went to the topside of the coolant crossover. I had to take the coolant tube out of the timing cover also and go with a 90 degree to make more room for the alternator.

Just plug the bypass outlet in the 66 intake ....run the stock 60 by pass hose to one of the bungs on the 66 water cross over....won't have to reduce it then..If you need a outlet for a heater hose find one of the head mounted hose outlets used on some 60's......looks like you have a unused bung on crossover ??