Hi Guys I have had two very interesting books in my collection of random stuff for a while and I thought I'd try to share them with you. They are the new product training books for GM mechanics for the years 1966 and 1967. They cover the changes and new stuff for each year for the Pontiac, Beaumont, Acadian and GMC lines . This was Canadian data for Canadian dealerships so has some very pertinent info about stuff we all like. I will try to post the 1967 book in a separate thread.
I have taken a few shots of the opening pages of the 1966 book and will use them as sort of a test to see if sending them here as Jpg files will result in a a product that is readable. Just remember if the picture is too small on this forum you can always save it on your computer and then blow it up big enough for your old tired eyes.
I will try to at least send a few pages per day. There are about 80 per book.
Interesting. There's a mistake in it from what we know they came with.
My car was a 283 with 3 speed manual. It shows the base ratio as 3.36:1 which is a 10 bolt ratio. My car as well as many other 66 Pontiacs built with a 283 came with a 12 bolt diff.
And another mistake. It lists ratios for a 283 4 speed Saginaw (must be a Saginaw, not a Muncie because of the 3.11 first gear ratio) but the order guide says you could only get a 4 speed B body with 327, 396 or 427 engine.
I love seeing this original factory documentation though, don't get me wrong.
66 Grande guy said
Nov 9, 2021
Hi Carl I'm not taking this stuff as definitive either as it was likely prepared quite a while in advance of production (Preliminary in the title) but it has a lot of neat stuff in one place and may generate some civilized discussion as is the specialty of this forum. Thanks for blowing them up by the way.
4SPEED427 said
Nov 9, 2021
66 Grande guy wrote:
Hi Carl I'm not taking this stuff as definitive either as it was likely prepared quite a while in advance of production (Preliminary in the title) but it has a lot of neat stuff in one place and may generate some civilized discussion as is the specialty of this forum. Thanks for blowing them up by the way.
Yes, it's always interesting to see what "could have been" with a new model year. One thing I have sometimes wondered is why they wouldn't offer a 283/4 speed combo in the B body. I drove my car like that for a summer and it actually was fun. It was no powerhouse but certainly was a lot more fun than 3 on the tree. Also, why no floor shift with a 3 speed manual on Acadian or B body and yet you could buy a Beaumont with a 3 speed floor shift and console if you wanted it.
DANO65 said
Nov 9, 2021
4SPEED427 wrote:
Interesting. There's a mistake in it from what we know they came with.
My car was a 283 with 3 speed manual. It shows the base ratio as 3.36:1 which is a 10 bolt ratio. My car as well as many other 66 Pontiacs built with a 283 came with a 12 bolt diff.
And another mistake. It lists ratios for a 283 4 speed Saginaw (must be a Saginaw, not a Muncie because of the 3.11 first gear ratio) but the order guide says you could only get a 4 speed B body with 327, 396 or 427 engine.
I love seeing this original factory documentation though, don't get me wrong.
Carl so yours is a 3.31 12 bolt or the optional 3.55 12 bolt?
66 Grande guy said
Nov 9, 2021
Here are the next few pages and more food for discussion etc...
Interesting. There's a mistake in it from what we know they came with.
My car was a 283 with 3 speed manual. It shows the base ratio as 3.36:1 which is a 10 bolt ratio. My car as well as many other 66 Pontiacs built with a 283 came with a 12 bolt diff.
And another mistake. It lists ratios for a 283 4 speed Saginaw (must be a Saginaw, not a Muncie because of the 3.11 first gear ratio) but the order guide says you could only get a 4 speed B body with 327, 396 or 427 engine.
I love seeing this original factory documentation though, don't get me wrong.
Carl so yours is a 3.31 12 bolt or the optional 3.55 12 bolt?
Mine is a 3.07 12 bolt. Most of the 12 bolt 283 Pontiacs I've parted over the years had 3.31 but they were Powerglides, so that might be the difference.
beaumontguru said
Nov 9, 2021
Good Grief Ken, this stuff is beyond cool!!!!! never seen anything like it before!
cdnpont said
Nov 9, 2021
The Rochester carb numbers are interesting in the 66 Book.
I always understood the the 4th digit in the part number on the Rochester's was the year of MF. There was still some 4's in the BV and 2GV's. Leftovers from 64?
The 5's would be manufacturing in 65 for early 66, or leftovers?
Here are the next few pages and more food for discussion etc...
As you know, I love looking for variations in actual production vs. the preliminary info. On this page it says Strato Buckets are standard on the Grande Parisienne Sport Coupe, which was true for production. But then it implies that only the Sport Sedan (4 door hardtop Grande Parisienne) could be ordered with the Strato Bench and we know that's not true, the Sport Coupe had it as an option as well.
4SPEED427 said
Nov 9, 2021
66 Grande guy wrote:
Here are the next few pages and more food for discussion etc...
Interesting. Under front suspension, they describe the F41 option but it seemed like they hadn't yet designated the option code for it. But then under rear suspension the option became F41.
The rear suspension/ring gear size chart is certainly out to lunch. They don't list a 12 bolt in anything except 396 or 427 cars and we sure know that's not how production worked. We know they made 283 cars with 4 link 12 bolt diffs.
Under engines it implies that the 396 Beaumont could be ordered with any of those 4 transmissions but we know there was no TH400 in a 396 Beaumont until 1967.
66 Grande guy said
Nov 10, 2021
More discussion fodder. Glad you like the postings so far.
Hi Guys I have had two very interesting books in my collection of random stuff for a while and I thought I'd try to share them with you. They are the new product training books for GM mechanics for the years 1966 and 1967. They cover the changes and new stuff for each year for the Pontiac, Beaumont, Acadian and GMC lines . This was Canadian data for Canadian dealerships so has some very pertinent info about stuff we all like. I will try to post the 1967 book in a separate thread.
I have taken a few shots of the opening pages of the 1966 book and will use them as sort of a test to see if sending them here as Jpg files will result in a a product that is readable. Just remember if the picture is too small on this forum you can always save it on your computer and then blow it up big enough for your old tired eyes.
I will try to at least send a few pages per day. There are about 80 per book.
Let me know if this works for you or not.
My car was a 283 with 3 speed manual. It shows the base ratio as 3.36:1 which is a 10 bolt ratio. My car as well as many other 66 Pontiacs built with a 283 came with a 12 bolt diff.
And another mistake. It lists ratios for a 283 4 speed Saginaw (must be a Saginaw, not a Muncie because of the 3.11 first gear ratio) but the order guide says you could only get a 4 speed B body with 327, 396 or 427 engine.
I love seeing this original factory documentation though, don't get me wrong.
Hi Carl I'm not taking this stuff as definitive either as it was likely prepared quite a while in advance of production (Preliminary in the title) but it has a lot of neat stuff in one place and may generate some civilized discussion as is the specialty of this forum. Thanks for blowing them up by the way.
Yes, it's always interesting to see what "could have been" with a new model year. One thing I have sometimes wondered is why they wouldn't offer a 283/4 speed combo in the B body. I drove my car like that for a summer and it actually was fun. It was no powerhouse but certainly was a lot more fun than 3 on the tree. Also, why no floor shift with a 3 speed manual on Acadian or B body and yet you could buy a Beaumont with a 3 speed floor shift and console if you wanted it.
Carl so yours is a 3.31 12 bolt or the optional 3.55 12 bolt?
Here are the next few pages and more food for discussion
etc...
Mine is a 3.07 12 bolt. Most of the 12 bolt 283 Pontiacs I've parted over the years had 3.31 but they were Powerglides, so that might be the difference.
Good Grief Ken, this stuff is beyond cool!!!!! never seen anything like it before!
The Rochester carb numbers are interesting in the 66 Book.
I always understood the the 4th digit in the part number on the Rochester's was the year of MF. There was still some 4's in the BV and 2GV's. Leftovers from 64?
The 5's would be manufacturing in 65 for early 66, or leftovers?
As you know, I love looking for variations in actual production vs. the preliminary info. On this page it says Strato Buckets are standard on the Grande Parisienne Sport Coupe, which was true for production. But then it implies that only the Sport Sedan (4 door hardtop Grande Parisienne) could be ordered with the Strato Bench and we know that's not true, the Sport Coupe had it as an option as well.
Interesting. Under front suspension, they describe the F41 option but it seemed like they hadn't yet designated the option code for it. But then under rear suspension the option became F41.
The rear suspension/ring gear size chart is certainly out to lunch. They don't list a 12 bolt in anything except 396 or 427 cars and we sure know that's not how production worked. We know they made 283 cars with 4 link 12 bolt diffs.
Under engines it implies that the 396 Beaumont could be ordered with any of those 4 transmissions but we know there was no TH400 in a 396 Beaumont until 1967.
More discussion fodder. Glad you like the postings so far.
Next few pages for you guys.
These books are great Ken. Thanks for showing us.
I'd have them by my bedside at night, and fall asleep reading them.
Thanks, they are interesting in that some of the material gives engineering insight as to why changes were made.
I like that they seemed to have enough respect for the mechanics who got these to try to explain why things we done.
I don't suppose that when a new Ford Explorer comes out, they make a like manual for the mechanics...Naw.
Here we go again with some more pages from the 1966 Book. Transmissions Galore!
Here is the last batch of pages about the 66 car lineup. Only the GMC stuff is left for next time!
And for the completists in the bunch here are the 1966 GMC changes. I find the info on the differences between the 366 and the 396 interesting.
All done in the name of heavy duty low rpm, high torque use I guess.
Anyway there ya go!