Hot Rod Forum banner

Pontiac 462 stroker head and cam advice

5K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  MouseFink 
#1 · (Edited)
I have a 68 Bonneville with a 400 block and th400 trans. Ive decided to turn it into a 462 stoker and would like some advice on a good set of heads and a cam to run with it. She's not going to be a track car or a daily driver. I definitely want it street able with not problems in stop and go traffic but able to tear it up on the back roads. Thanks
Dave
 

Attachments

See less See more
1
#3 ·
Start by asking which head casting do you have? I can clue you in on modifications and parts sources. Aluminum heads are NOT "called for" here.

Compression is a serious issue with Pontiacs. Too high and it WILL detonate. Keep it under 9.5:1 for 93 octane, under 9:1 for anything lower.

In the darksider (big Pontiac), torque is king. 461s "act" like 455s, so plenty is available. We use the Comp Dual Energy grinds in these. 275DEH has dynoed over 400 HP and 550 lb. ft. in otherwise stock 455s.

Your early Q-Jet intake is as good or better than Edelbrock Performer. An 800 CFM Q-Jet ('74-on), "long branch" exhaust manifolds and an electronic conversion for your points distributor, and you're all set. NOT a Chevy. It has an entirely different set of strengths and weaknesses. Low-end power is the Pontiac's "long suit", ideal for the 4.200 lb. car.

PM me for a parts list.

Jim
 
#4 · (Edited)
I built several Pontiac 389, 400, 421 and 455 engines after I bought a new 1969 Firebird 400. I sold my 1956 Chevrolet Del Ray and my 1959 Chevrolet Impala and all my spare Chevrolet parts.

In 2011, I sold all my two 1963 Pontiac Catalina's and all the spare parts and bought a 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air 327/300 2-door sedan, with a 4-speed and 3.36 Positraction.

In comparison to a Chevrolet engine, a one armed blind man can build a Strong Pontiac engine. Pontiac engines are one of most simple automobile engines you can find. I put a 1966 Pontiac Tri-power on my 1969 Firebird 400 and lost 0.3 second ET. You live and learn the Pontiac mistakes.

I kept spinning out rod bearings on my 1969 Firebird 400 until I was advised by the late Monk King to quit driving a Pontiac like it was a Chevy and never use a solid lifter cam in a Pontiac.. You can get a hydraulic lifter cam that will do everything you need to do in a Pontiac engine without the headaches of solid lifters. Solid lifters are for Chevrolets.
 
#5 ·
I've done several with engine builders and individuals. Pontiacs actually like a reverse split cam, more duration on the intake. The last stroker project I did was for a customer up in Canada. We used the Ebrock heads with mild clean up work. 550HP and 580#ft with a hyd roller that was in the 230 degree range.

They do make a ton of torque.
 
#6 · (Edited)
I finally found a camshaft to use in my 1969 Firebird 400 after a few mistakes and solutions to the oiling problems. I used Chevrolet edge orifice solid lifters to prevent over oiling the Crane roller rocker arms. It was a Crane ZIP 510 solid lifter cam. It had .510" lift on the intake and exhaust, 254 degrees duration at.050" lift, and 114 degrees LSA. I used the original 1969 #48 heads, BB Chevy valve springs and Ram Air IV valves. I naturally broke the stock 3.36 rear end and replaced it with a Pontiac 4.33 4-pinion Saf-T-Track., under the Pontiac 50,000 mile Drive Line Warranty!!! I rebuilt the Muncie 2.52 low 4-speed transmission, used 11" Goodyear wrinkle wall slicks, 1969 428 HO exhaust manifolds, stock point type ignition, reinstalled the Rochester Q-jet but this time lon a 1970 Ram Air IV aluminum intake manifold.

Got in the mid-12 second ET Could not drive on the highway due to overheating problems with the 4.33 gears and stock radiator.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top