No 59 but close

Im new here but been into Pontiacs since 1970. I have a list in the other section under whats in your garage. I've worked in a major candy company factory since 1970. Just retired 2007. Lived in Wisconsin (just outside Milwaukee) until our recent move to sunny, sunny Glendale (sub of Phoenix) AZ. NOT missing the winter they are experiencing back there. I've built several different cars but I keep falling back to a Pontiac. They are under my skin and I can't shake 'um. My present fun project is a turbocharged street/strip '73 Trans Am. You can see and read about it here. http://www.americantorque.com/page/0/62/ Since the turbo install I've been able to go 11.5 @ 125 but with uber-conservative tuning. I feel it should be good for 9s once all the tuning is right. I also had the wastegate plumbed backwards (DOH!!!) and I did not get any boost until half track. Got that corrected and I get boost fairly fast now. Also have an electronic boost control to install. Then I can play with boost pressuers. My friend is build ing a supercharged '91 Mustang 5.0 hatch and we are going to take both cars down to our local track the weekend of Feb 14. UHH, weekend after next. Geez, just realized how close that is. Gotta get that controller in. I've owned 3 turbocharged cars-'87 Turbo T Regal, '89 Toyota Supra Turbo, and '91 Dodge Spirit R/T turbo. They got me hooked on turbos and I ain't lookin' back. My family driver is a 2002 Bonneville Supercharged SSEi. Nice car. Gotta keep my hands off of it or I'll start throwing money at that. Heh!! MArk L

Welcome to the site Mark.

Hell yeah! That's fast, I had a 67 Skylark and a 430 big block that I was going to pro charge. I ended up selling it to pay for my '62. I still want to have a forced induction muscle car someday.

get that 1960 already!

Do you have any pics of it?

Found this site and the '60 on it is identical to the car I found only the paint is much better. http://hem.bredband.net/lisselbo4/STARCHIEF/1st-page.htm I made an offer but I have not heard form him. I'm hoping he does not get any interest and gives me a call. I know that it's selfish but I like the car and can't pay a lot on retirement. Especially with what the economy and the stock market has done to me. Hope I can eat in another year. Mark L

Hell yeah!!! Is it that same color?

Most of it is under primer but it was medium blue with a white top. Some surface rust coming thru the primer but not a problem. The only rust I could find was the little spot down at the bottom of the front fenders near the front edge of the doors. Passenger side had been repaired all ready, although not sure if they replaced metal or just did a bondo flash, and the drivers side still needs to be done. The carpeting is gone and most (if not all ) of the floor was in red rustoleum. But solid as far as I could tell. The trunk was solid, all original and sanded/primered about half way up the inside walls and the full floor. Anywho, this is a good example of what the '60 looks like that I'm trying to get. Thought I'd pop it in. MArk L

Good luck, that thing is awesome

Still waiting for a reply from the '60 Starchief owner. Have a feeling I will not be getting it. Have some shots of my finished turbo install.

https://s601.photobucket.com/albums/tt97/marks73turbota/?action=view&current=DSC00646.jpg


Mark L

Holy shit, how big is that turbo?

Hey Robert. Its what they call a thumper frame. Large frame turbo. The actual size is 77 mm with a exhaust A/R of .96. Functionally its not that big, just physically, and HEAVY. That's why I wanted to find a way to mount it as far to the back of the engine compartment as possible. Can't get any father than the firewall. hehe! I started seriously working on the install right after my back surgery in 2006. I had already bought the turbo and had it sitting in the shop. After the surgery I almost couldn't lift the thing. Took me a while before I could. It was very interesting lifting and then holding it over the front fender while I measured things and in mocking up things. Mark L

haha wow. Why such a large housing for only a 77mm turbo (ha ONLY 77MM)

See my post in the "Other Rides" section. I had a dyno experience. I think I done goot!!! Mark L

Looking at the pictures i wonder : how does that carb deal with the pressurised air - are the float bowls under pressure too ? - Do you run both manifolds together through the turbo ?.

59vista, yes the fuel bowls must always be under more pressure than the carb or the fuel will blow back into the bowls. So any carb must have the bowl/bowls vent into the carb or to the pressure source. The bowl vents open up to the carb entrance inside the carb hat. The fuel regulator is referenced to the carb hat also. This way it reads the air pressure (boost) right at the carb entrance and in doing so it boosts the fuel pressure one pound psi for every pound psi of boost. I do have a set of old try-Y headers I modified to use. The drivers side goes back and crosses over to the passenger side, the passenger side header drops down a immediatly turns outwards and under the frame kickup by the lower A-arm. Both sides then go into a Y merge collector and up into the turbo. Mark L

Thanks for sharing - there is just somthing about forced induction.....

Well, just when you think it's safe to go back into the water something big and scarry comes along. Well, I'm back. I never did get that first '60 I found, never found the guy again. But I'm buying a '60 from Steve Barcak down here in Phoenix now. Hopefully will have it tomorrow, Thursday. My purchase depends on his getting a full clean usable title for the car. Again will know tomorow. This is a 2dr hdtp though where the other one was a post car. This one is not nicer but I like the hdtp. It's light blue and got here via IOWA. It is not a perfect car but anyone living in the rust belt will know, if you can't see any holes it's worth millions. Since it is not concours it means I can attack it with my trusty little saw and torch and not look back. To that end, this is the plan. Take out all unneccessary sheet metal. Cut out the firewall. Move the engine back. Make my own frame with a 4 link backhalf in the rear and a '57 chevy pickup front beam axle. The car will ride high but not in the sky like many of the gassers. Maybe like the early Super Duty cars. Just up alittle. Move the engine back under the windsheild (how far yet to be determined). Cut out all of the flooring from the back of the front seats to the rear bumper, build a doghouse in the rear seat area up to the window level and place a big diesel radiator back there. No radiator in the front so the the only thing you see behind the grill is motor. Or a big intercooler if I go turbo. The Trans Am is up for sale to build this. If I sell it complete I'll build one of my 1958 370 motors, either turbocharge it or if I can possibly swing it, a big fat blower. That would be my preference. If I can't sell it complete than the drivetrain from it will go into th '60. I would rather use a manual trans. But it will depend on cost. That is pending. I'm sure I've left things out but they will come along as I go. This is the plan so far. Hope I haven't offended anyone with my cut and go plans. The car is nice by my normal standards but not a world show beater. Therefore I feel OK with making my own. My TA was the same and I never looked back. Thanks for listening guys. I don't get the car until tomorrow butI'm sitting in the front window with my tool box on one side and the torch on the other. And the weather down here is now just getting nice for working in the garage and outside. Mark L

Sounds like a great project Mark!

I miss my '74 TA. But a black car with a 4 speed and no A/C plus being worth beaucoup bucks (original SD car) just wasn't worth keeping down here.

Get it Mark! Don't let this one slip away

Well, anyone know the song Slip Sliding Away ?? Well the '60 ain't happening---AGAIN. We can't get it titled. So I gave up. On the look out for another car. Sorry for all the hype guys, I think I'm jinxing myself. Mark L

You'll find one. but I think it's a sign. You need a '59, not a '60

Heh, I just want the dash board LOL!! Mark L

While you're at it...grab the whole thing haha

Na I like the 60s but they're so toned down from the '59s.