Vintage Pontiac Pics

**Tommy Nolen** · #1 07-20-2011, 04:45 AM

These are some old photos from my racing days back in the mid sixties. They were taken at the old fairgrounds raceway in Richmond, Va. 1966.

**Xplantdad** · #2 07-20-2011, 05:24 AM

Neat pics Tommy! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img]

StealthBird · #3 07-20-2011, 05:46 AM

1965...

m22mike · #4 07-20-2011, 05:47 PM

Worth another look.. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]
Anderson of course became Knafel Pontiac

**olredalert** · #5 07-21-2011, 01:10 AM

-----Love seeing any of these old cars that had anything to do with "Akron Arlen". Knew him back in 65-66 and sold him nuts and bolts. Great guy and way ahead of his time......Bill S

StealthBird · #6 07-21-2011, 08:07 PM

Some experimental engines:

1963 SOHC 421 - This was installed in engineer Malcolm McKellars 63 Grand Prix. Mac just recently passed away. He was a camshaft guru, and designed some of the best hi-perf camshafts of the whole Musclecar era...

The 1968 Brabham 303 SOHC, a joint project between the famous Brabham-Repco Formula 1 Grand Prix team and Pontiac. DeLorean loved the idea of making a "Super Firebird" with an exotic engine, or with the help of racing team, similar to the Ford/Shelby collaboration. The Brabham 303 was abandoned when Pontiac engineers found out they were getting more power from their RAV 303 project.

The 1963 DOHC 4-valve 389 with sequential fuel injection - not making production, it was scrapped when the GM racing ban hit in Jan 1963, but this beast would have gone into Grand Prix's, Bonnevilles, and Catalinas. When the 1964 GTO hit the streets, the engine was deemed to expensive to install or make available in the GTO series, and the project was scrapped.

Another 1963 SOHC 421, with rear mounted cam belts, and 3-valve heads.

StealthBird · #7 07-27-2011, 06:22 AM

...

**Paul_S** · #8 07-30-2011, 01:20 AM

StealthBird,

Great engine shots and info. Is there any more out there especially of the fuel injection? Would like to also know what has survived. A bunch of neat stuff was in the works but the racing ban and emissions getting tighter (and redirecting development attention) killed a bunch.

Paul

StealthBird · #9 07-30-2011, 01:49 AM

Pontiac built 3 SOHC 421ci engines in the early '60s. The photo I posted earlier was the one engine that survived, and was presented to Chief Engine Engineer Malcolm McKellar upon his retirement. McKellar had it placed into his personal 1963 Grand Prix, and it's running to this day. McKellar said that during the testing, the SOHC 421 engines produced around 625 hp and were capable of turning 7,000 rpm.

What's really cool about this engine is that this isn't a tri-power setup on top, it was an an experimental single six-barrel unit that Pontiac Engineering tested for the 1967 model year. But when GM pulled the plug on multiple carbs, this setup was shelved.

Below is another view of the SOHC 421 I posted earlier, the one with the belt driven, rear mounted cam drives. Check out the exotic fuel injection setup.

old5.0 · #10 07-30-2011, 03:41 AM

StealthBird, what were the differences between the late 50's Pontiac fuel injection and the Chevrolet unit? Was the Pontiac Rochester sourced? Any websites that discuss the Pontiac F.I. in any detail? It seems like all the discussion is about the Chevy unit and the Pontiac gets lost in the shuffle. I know the F.I. pictured above isn't a production unit, it just got me wonderin'.

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