I finally got my 62 up and running. With a couple 30 km runs under its belt I drove it 3 hours from Princeton to Vancouver.
the car cruised great at 65 miles an hour but up hills and from a stop it is a real dog.
It has a 194 engine with split exhaust an a single barrel carb.
I have a 292 engine I eventually intend to build and hop up.
For the time being I would like to wake the 194 up. I was considering getting the Offenhauser intake and a holley 4 barrel 390 cam carb. I figure the intake and carb will be compatible with the 292 when the time comes.
Just wondering how significantly this would wake the 194 up. As it is really really slow from a stop and climbing the big hills on the hope prinception I was barely able to hit 75 kmh.
Any other bolt on suggestions for getting more out of this engine would be appreciated
-- Edited by juuraslahti on Sunday 31st of July 2016 12:18:08 PM
-- Edited by juuraslahti on Sunday 31st of July 2016 12:18:59 PM
-- Edited by juuraslahti on Sunday 31st of July 2016 12:42:58 PM
Hard to find I'd guess, Jegs or Summit offer free shipping inside the US, if you have a place to ship it to close to you in the US and can easily cross the border to get it. Fedex is reasonable on cross border shipping, never use UPS. USPS is OK too.
The 194 never was a very powerful engine, even in a Chevy 2. But at least you are driving. If your RPM on the highway is not too high already, you could change out the rear end. Stock was likely a 3.36 or even a 3.08. Also, try a smaller tire on the rear for a trial run? They won't look good, but at least its an easy way to check out the benefit of changing the rear ratio.
Congrats on being on the road.
Don
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Don is right......try the same run with stock size wheels and tires on the rear....
The taller tires/wheels have given you better gearing for cruising....but also kill your acceleration...
That hill ...coming out of Princeton has ALWAYS been notorious for killing cars....on a hot day....But you already know that....
The offy holly swap will prolly just DESTROY your fuel mileage....and also ultimately set your nice car on fire...at the side of the road....
AND....you could find a decent used running 283 to bolt in for about the same cost as the new carb and intake...
I've driven the Hope Princeton......many times..... in a bone stock 64 Pontiac with a 283 2bbl. and had NO problems going up the hills......while pulling about 20 mpg....
Just make sure you put a fresh fuel pump on it....
First, congratulations on getting the car out for it's first trip!
I'm no expert but I don't think the bigger intake and carb will do much toward waking the 194 up.
The bigger intake would probably work great on the 292 but it might be too big for the 194. When you put a bigger intake and carb on a smaller engine you usually give up some low end power and gain just a tiny bit of top end power.
First, congratulations on getting the car out for it's first trip!
I'm no expert but I don't think the bigger intake and carb will do much toward waking the 194 up. The bigger intake would probably work great on the 292 but it might be too big for the 194. When you put a bigger intake and carb on a smaller engine you usually give up some low end power and gain just a tiny bit of top end power.
Jim, 9.06 @ 148 from the 409, congrats. For a couple of dollars more , maybe trade out that 194 for a 409?
Don
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Ok thanks for the info everyone. Ok seems to be the consensus that bigger manifold and carb won't do much for me.
I drove the car from Princeton to comox on the island. Drove great on the highway but so sluggish in town, at lights I probably barely get above 20 kmh by the time I am through the intersection.
The carb on it now is pretty old, but even a fresh carb or rebuild I don't imagine would do much.
It certainly can't stay this way and I don't have the funds to quickly build the 292 I have. I do like having a 6 with split exhaust. Has such a unique sound.
But perhaps I should drop in a decent used 283 so I can enjoy the car for now.
Any cheap small block you find would likely work, 305, 307, 327, 350. If you stick with stuff that is say 80's back, would be a relatively easy switch. I'm not up on newer SBC's, others can give you better advice there.
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63 Parisienne sport coupe (The Big GTO), black, maroon interior, 409 4 speed; former owner of a 59 El Camino, 63 Corvette SWC, 62 Chev Bel Air SC. 1963- Pontiac top selling car in Canada
Mahone Bay, NS Still not old enough to need an automatic
Big car, small motor, not fast, that's a given ... so, why hurry? You like the exhaust note, it makes you happy ... you will never replicate that with any V8.
It gets you where you want to be, in style, maybe takes a little longer, but, what's the rush?
Unless you step up to a big block (409 or otherwise) your big car (hey, is it comfy? can you take a bunch of people out in it? do you like riding in it?) will never be "fast" so ... smell the roses, not the burning rubber, eh?
My
Dave
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1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
Just asking because I'm curious. Wouldn't the '62 have had the old torquey 261 six in it? I thought the next generation 194/230 wasn't in the big Pontiacs until '63?
If so, then maybe you can find a decent 261 for cheap and that may satisfy your needs. I had a clapped out 261 in my old '60 Bel Air years ago and it seemed to have plenty of torque for climbing hills, but I don't live in a mountainous area like BC so it might still not be enough. I'm sure there are some 261 owners here who could chime in.
Ya you guys are right, I don't want to give up that split 6 sound. I just love it. Yesterday I drove the car back over the Hope Princeton. The return trip is the harder one on cars and it made it like a champ. And I wasn't the slowest vehicle out there either.
The whole way from Vancouver I had the window open, just listening to the wind and the braaap of that split 6.
I have flipped a lot of cars over the past few years trying to get my keepers. This one has never crossed my mind to trade away and after this trip and using it as my wedding car, it is never going anywhere.
So I guess I will keep the baby 6 in there and try a different carb. The one on there is really old and the accelerator pump wasn't working on it till I cleaned it up some. I figure it could use a proper rebuild.
I do have a fresh rebuilt carb that could fit on the car but it needs a heat riser and the linkage messed with to work. I will give that one a go and see if it wakes up even a bit. Then eventually build the 292 I have
And you are right davelacourse I don't need to hurry. I should just enjoy the gentle cruise and sound of the car.
Just wasn't used to such a slow car. I have 1970 Oldsmobile with a 455 showing up in a couple weeks. That will have more power than I know what to do with. I will enjoy that craziness and then most likely trade it for a Pontiac haha. It's a long road but eventually I'll have 3 Canadian Pontiac keepers and consider myself done!
I have seen this car for sale a long time ago advertised as a turbo 400 behind the engine That trans takes 60 hp just to run it compared to 17 hp for a powerglide. maybe that's it
A 194 in a full size 62 Pontiac........... wow. As good a motor as that is, it was never designed to pull the weight of a full size 62. Yank that sucker out of there and put in a motor that was designed to pull the weight. Cheers.
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1957 Pontiac Pathfinder Deluxe sedan restored 261 six
1974 Chevrolet Caprice Estate wagon low mileage original 400 V-8
1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod