Ramon Lowe 58 Pontiac

[58 Chieftain]

Does anyone here have any idea how much a 58 Chieftain weighed in at(race weight) back in the day?
I would really like to know what Ramon's car weighed.

I'm working on a 58 Chieftain that was raced back in the 60's, up through the early 70's when NHRA changed the stock class rules that bumped 10 year old(or older) cars out of stock class drag racing.

I'm hoping to have this back on the track within the next month.
This car competed at the first 3 Popular Hot Rodding Championships at US131 Dragway, Martin Michigan in 69,70,&71

[Charlie A]

[58 Chieftain]

putting a 67 400 in the car with a 700R4 trans, back to the 4.30 Safe-T-Track rear.

[FED 387]

saw some numbers of curb weight @ 3385 or so and shipping weight @ like 3070--- do not know how accurate those numbers are might help give you an idea tho

[vic guilmino]

i still have my 3x2s off of my 58 pontiac bonneville conv

[Paul Ceasrine]

In 1968,

Ramon Lowe was running in G/SA (11.00 to 11.49 Wt/Hp) with the 1958 Pontiac Chieftain.

370/338 HP 'Fuel Injection'

The Pontiac's 'Shipping Weight' was a minimum of #3718 lbs.

Later, in 1969 - the NHRA deemed the 370/338 HP 'Fuel Injection' combination illegal for use on this 1958 Model Pontiac.

Photo from March 1968, at the Hot Rod Magazine Championships, at Riverside International Raceway (California).





In 1969, Ramon Lowe was now running in 'I/SA', with a 58' Pontiac Chieftain and a different HP combination.

1969.....I/SA........( 11.50 - 11.99 Wt/Hp )




And in 1970, classed in 'J/SA'........( 11.50 to 11.99 Wt/Hp )

Chasing the...'J/SA'... NHRA National Record of...........12.90 @ 106.50 MPH

[Paul Ceasrine]

Doc,

Jay Hamilton is running a 1958 Pontiac Bonneville Hardtop 'Sports Coupe' with
a 370/330 HP '3 x 2 Barrel'

Classed in H/SA {11.50 to 11.99 Wt/Hp} .......... {#3825 lbs. ~ 330 HP = 11.59 Wt/Hp}

In 1958, the Bonneville was available as a Hardtop 'Sports Coupe' or 'Convertible'.

The wheelbase was 122".

The body length = 211.7"

Shipping Weight = #3825 lbs.

The key item, is that the 1958 Bonneville's were 'fitted' with the powerful 'Star Chief' engine.

The Bonneville had the 'full -trim' package and exterior side moldings.

Available with;

Standard Engine
* 370 / 255 HP '4-Barrel'
* 370 / 285 HP '4-Barrel'

Factory Option Engine
* 370 / 300 HP '3 x 2 Barrel'
* 370 / 310 HP 'Fuel Injection'

Dealer Installed Option
* 370 / 315 HP '4-Barrel'
* 370 / 330 HP '3 x 2 Barrel'

Over-The-Counter Option
* 370 / 338 HP 'Fuel Injection'

The 'Tri-Power' option was only $100.

The 'Fuel Injection' option was $500

It also featured the 'Strato-Flight Hydra-Matic' 4-Speed Automatic with a 3.97 '1st-Speed' low-gear.

Standard Gear-Ratio's
* 3.23 {3-Speed Manual}
* 3.64 {Automatic}

Optional Gears {Dealer-Installed}
* 3.90
* 4.10

The Bonneville was a beast, and weighed in at 3785 bs.

Photo from March 1968 {Hot Rod Magazine Championships @ Riverside International Raceway}

[Dan Fahey]

Wow. More information please. This is really cool.

What FI did the Pontiac have?
Was the 370 cuin engine later became the 389 and later the 400?

D

[Paul Ceasrine]

Dan,

I'm no expert, but the 370 Block {4.063" Bore x 3.563" Stroke} was a slightly different
animal than the longer-stroked 1959 and later Pontiac engines.

The 'Fuel Injection System' was built by Rochester, and was very problematic
on the street, as well as adding $500 cost to the Dealer Price of the car.

Only 500 or so of the 1958 Pontiac's were produced with the 'Fuel Injection' option.

Despite problems on the 'Street', the guys at the Drag Strip could really 'dial-in' the
'Fuel Injection' unit, and get those 370's to fly.

The 'high-performance' 370 had a 10.5-1 Compression-Ratio, and there were several
Camshaft units available.

Also 'High-Rate' Valve Springs were included with the more radical bumpstick,
as well as 1.65-to-1 Rocker Arms.

Pontiac provided the 'special' Camshafts and they had 'special codes'
*) "886"
*) McKellar #6, #7 and #10

By 1968, these engine combinations were heavily protested by the competition, and in
1969 NHRA deemed several of them as 'illegal options'.

[Rich Biebel]

The Mckellar cams were solid lifter cams......and very radical in a street car.

I had one in my '58 Chieftan for a while but don't recall what number it was...

I also had a complete F.I. unit......

I removed it from a '58 SuperChief 4 dr hdtp......along with the fender emblems......The car was laying in a farmers field in Flemington N.J.

In 1969 or 1970 NHRA no longer allowed combinations that were not available as regular production line available and this knocked out dealer installed optional parts as well as many combos that were really never built at all......engine/trans combinations like hydro's in sedan deliveries.....and 4 speeds in cars that never came with them..just to name a few...