Oddball Muscle Cars

[treessavoy]

1958 Pontiac Chieftian 2 dr sedan, 370cu, 10.30 compression, 3-2's, auto with positraction. The car ran in the mid 14's.

Mary Ann Foss dominated D/sa with a black one just like the one in my garage.

JimR

[bill dedman]

Jim, did they have TWO 330 HP motors that year? One had sold lifters (optional and probably dealer-installed) anf the other a McKellar hydraulic grind?

I remember a guy from Memphis named "Sonny Belt," running a white, 3-on-the-tree Catalina 2-door post with the solid lifter motor, racing at Carlisle (AR) and Halls Tennessee in '58.

Bucrons and a 4.56:1 on the concrete at Halls....

Hard to beat...

[Paul Ceasrine]

JIM R,
Mary Ann Foss 'La Bella of Bellville' (Ohio)Tore up Division 3 with that 58' Pontiac 'Black Magic'.
No one could touch her in D/SA. Set the record at the 66' Regionals (late 66') with a 13.75.
A wonderful car. A staple at Dragway 42 (West Salem, Ohio)

Have to add,, the 65' Sunbeam Tiger, 260 with the LAT HP up-grade kit, and, 4.56 gears,, could run 13.00's @ 108,, in 1965.
Agent 86...

[NewHemi]

Dragway 42 is still there too....I sometimes forget that it was once a top notch track. Still has nice folks working it, and we do test and tunes and run my grandsons junior dragtster there still.

And I remember that car too!

Fastest lump of coal I ever saw.

David
The New Hemi Guy

[Paul Ceasrine]

Dave New Hemi,
I think the whole town of Mansfield used to head NE for a little
Sunday picnic in West Salem, back in the mid-late 60's.
Big Dodge dealer in that town,,,"Dependable Dodge"

ODD-BALL thread, don't think Ms. Foss' 58' Pontiac 370 ci car fits the
Odd-Ball category.
PC

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by Paul Ceasrine

Dave New Hemi,
I think the whole town of Mansfield used to head NE for a little
Sunday picnic in West Salem, back in the mid-late 60's.
Big Dodge dealer in that town,,,"Dependable Dodge"

ODD-BALL thread, don't think Ms. Foss' 58' Pontiac 370 ci car fits the
Odd-Ball category.
PC

Paul,

Maybe not oddball but certainly rare but then there are many cars mentioned here that were just everyday driver cars back in the day and I'll bet you can find more Sunbeam Tigers for sale that the Pontiac with tripower or for that matter the fuelie version.

JimR

[Bob Bender]

My car with the 427 in it.

[treessavoy]

Originally Posted by bill dedman

Jim, did they have TWO 330 HP motors that year? One had sold lifters (optional and probably dealer-installed) anf the other a McKellar hydraulic grind?

I remember a guy from Memphis named "Sonny Belt," running a white, 3-on-the-tree Catalina 2-door post with the solid lifter motor, racing at Carlisle (AR) and Halls Tennessee in '58.

Bucrons and a 4.56:1 on the concrete at Halls....

Hard to beat...

Bill,

I've done a fair amount of research on the engine combinations and there is conflicting data everywhere.

First, there are two 2 bbl engines listed in some of the sites, three 4bbl engines, two 3-2bbl engines and either one or two fuellies.

Here's the breakdown ( note, this is internet info from several sites ):
370ci 255hp 8.6:1 ratio with a 2bbl carb
370ci 265hp 8.6:1 ratio with a 4bbl carb
370ci 270hp 10:1 ratio with a 2bbl carb *
370ci 285hp 10:1 ratio with a 4bbl carb
370ci 300hp 10.5 ratio with tripower
370ci 310hp 10.5 ratio with fuel injection
370ci 315hp 10.5 ratio with a 4 bbl carb (PK code)#
370ci 330hp 10.5 ratio with tripower (PM code)#
370ci 338hp 10.5 ratio with fuel injection *


* these two engines are noted on two non-Pontiac sites

# these two engines were built for NASCAR racing but were also released for street driving. I couldn't find any info on the camshafts for these two motors but I'm very sure that they are solid lifter engines.

If someone out there knows any more about these engines I would be happy to hear from them.

JimR