1964 Pontiac "Top of Engine" Reference Material.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Okay guys.

I'm getting ready to start putting together a game plan for the engine details for my '64 Bonneville, and I'm again, asking for all of your expertise.

On my last '68 Coronet Hemi project, I was lucky enough to get a lot of information from members of this forum that was instrumental in helping me do the best that I could with the details on that build.

 

Now I'm asking again for any detailed reference materials, (photographs, schematic drawings, etc) for the most part, for the top of the engine for a '64, V-8, 4 bbl, 4-speed Pontiac.

Any detailed photographs, or anything else that you might have, that will help me facilitate the layout of the carburetor linkages, vacuum lines, fuel lines, etc, will be greatly appreciated.

There are a great bunch of guys here that are always willing to jump in and help out, and my guess is that there's probably a couple of you who might own, or have access to a 1:1 '64 Pontiac.

Anything that you have to offer would be hugely helpful.

 

That said, anything found online, or anywhere else, is absolutely welcome.

 

Thank you gentlemen, and my Bonneville thanks you as well!!

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

I don't have specifically what you need, but I've been doing lotsa different Google image searches for ca '65 Pontiac block details, 3X2bbl hose routing, linkage, stuff like that, and there's tons of pix of all of it...but you often need to try several different search terms to get the best results..

I wouldn't bother with most of the other search engines though. Sorry as I am to say it, DuckDuck in particular is pretty useless for any hard technical images.

[StevenGuthmiller]

19 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I don't have specifically what you need, but I've been doing lotsa different Google image searches for ca '65 Pontiac block details, 3X2bbl hose routing, linkage, stuff like that, and there's tons of pix of all of it...but you often need to try several different search terms to get the best results..

I wouldn't bother with most of the other search engines though. Sorry as I am to say it, DuckDuck in particular is pretty useless for any hard technical images.

Thanks Bill.

I look for, and find, material myself online as well.

I'm not trying to get everybody else to do my leg work for me, but just asking that if anybody has anything that they can offer, to please do so.

There's no such thing as "too much" information.

 

When I was building my 1968 Coronet Hemi, a gentleman who is a member of this board, (Bill Allphin) actually went out to his garage and took specific and detailed photographs of particular parts of the engine in his '67 Plymouth.

They were absolutely invaluable to me!

Often times, photographs that you find online only give you a partial picture, and if that's all that's available, it has to do, but I've been pleasantly surprised that in the past, sometimes if you ask for some extra feedback, you may receive some extraordinary information.

 

 

 

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

2 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

...There's no such thing as "too much" information.

Agreed.    

[Bills72sj]

I am building out four 65-66 Pontiac 421 Tri-powers. I have had success using Bing and selecting the images tab. Google is useless unless you are shopping.

[Bills72sj]

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=1964+Pontiac+4bbl+engine&qs=n&form=QBIR&sp=-1&pq=1964 pontiac 4bbl engine&sc=10-24&cvid=18D06DE32AD9449DB421FDDC8520C35F&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&first=1&cw=1263&ch=899

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks Bill.

I'll check it out.

 

 

 

Steve

[Brian Austin]

On 1/21/2023 at 2:45 PM, StevenGuthmiller said:

...There's no such thing as "too much" information.

Agreed.    

 

Sure there is.  A hard drive packed with reference isn't helpful if it isn't organized.  ?

 

[Brian Austin]

Do you guys still check eBay for car listings?

For many years that used to be a go-to source for reference (whole cars or just parts), then some time ago I became frustrated with search results.

[Ace-Garageguy]

26 minutes ago, Brian Austin said:

A hard drive packed with reference isn't helpful if it isn't organized.  ?

There's this thing called "alphabetization". Works for me. Just tag an image with a simple reminder name as you save it. Like "Pontiac engine top 64"

I can find anything in my tens of thousands of references in, quite literally, a few seconds.

[junkyardjeff]

If I could have seen this thread yesterday before I went to my local old junkyard I could have gotten some pics as there are plenty of mid 60s Pontiacs in it,not sure how many would still have a complete engine.

[StevenGuthmiller]

9 minutes ago, junkyardjeff said:

If I could have seen this thread yesterday before I went to my local old junkyard I could have gotten some pics as there are plenty of mid 60s Pontiacs in it,not sure how many would still have a complete engine.

That's the problem.

What I really need are clear pictures of a complete engine from various angles with the air cleaner removed.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of photos that you find anywhere online are photos with the air cleaners in place.

Virtually useless when you are looking for top of engine details.

 

 

 

 

Steve

[junkyardjeff]

2 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

That's the problem.

What I really need are clear pictures of a complete engine from various angles with the air cleaner removed.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of photos that you find anywhere online are photos with the air cleaners in place.

Virtually useless when you are looking for top of engine details.

 

 

 

 

Steve

I will be going back in a couple weeks and can grab some pictures if you do not find any.

[Shark]

One thing I found useful, in building some Corvettes, I got some parts catalogues and they were more helpful than the pictorials I have.

[keyser]

Tried this rabbit hole. Obvs lots of tri-power. Changed Boolean to -tri-power, better 4bbl results. As stated, little with air cleaner off, but, there are a couple decent B-J auctions, Mecum has a great 421 dual quad 4-sod, and Volo has pics of a sold nice 64, great resto. The used-em-up ads have trash, random kluge wiring. Ugh. 
I didn’t realize almost every Pontiac had tripower ?

Hunting Manifolds and Cooling may help, I found a little on H.A.M.B.  

DIY Pontiac has stuff, but years mixed, care needed. 
One of pics below is 64 with 62 dual quad mani. But routing hints may help. 
Steve you’ve prob seen this but I was hunting anyway. 

[rrb124@sbcglobal.net]

In 1964 I was 13 and pumped that my parents bought a new 1964 Grand Prix. The engine, a 389 4 bbl, is essentially the same as the 64 Bonneville. The "Robins Egg Blue" that I see in this thread is correct. The air cleaner will be a semi gloss black and it will have one "snorkel" that should be positioned not straight ahead but at an angle facing the passenger side of the car.

Hope this helps. Loving your build project.

[StevenGuthmiller]

30 minutes ago, keyser said:

Tried this rabbit hole. Obvs lots of tri-power. Changed Boolean to -tri-power, better 4bbl results. As stated, little with air cleaner off, but, there are a couple decent B-J auctions, Mecum has a great 421 dual quad 4-sod, and Volo has pics of a sold nice 64, great resto. The used-em-up ads have trash, random kluge wiring. Ugh. 
I didn’t realize almost every Pontiac had tripower ?

Hunting Manifolds and Cooling may help, I found a little on H.A.M.B.  

DIY Pontiac has stuff, but years mixed, care needed. 
One of pics below is 64 with 62 dual quad mani. But routing hints may help. 
Steve you’ve prob seen this but I was hunting anyway. 

Just the kind of stuff I’m looking for!

Very helpful!

Thank you!

 

I’ve seen the third pic, but the others are new.

I can surely use them.

 

 

 

Steve

[keyser]

Forgot. Firewall markings important. I’ve seen various but unsure meanings. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

17 minutes ago, rrb124@sbcglobal.net said:

In 1964 I was 13 and pumped that my parents bought a new 1964 Grand Prix. The engine, a 389 4 bbl, is essentially the same as the 64 Bonneville. The "Robins Egg Blue" that I see in this thread is correct. The air cleaner will be a semi gloss black and it will have one "snorkel" that should be positioned not straight ahead but at an angle facing the passenger side of the car.

Hope this helps. Loving your build project.

Thanks, but that’s the easy stuff.

The details I’m looking for are carburetor linkage arrangement, hoses and vacuum line locations, etc.

You know.

The little stuff that’s not immediately obvious from most overall photos.

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

4 minutes ago, keyser said:

Forgot. Firewall markings important. I’ve seen various but unsure meanings. 

The firewall I’m using won’t be completely accurate anyway.

Using a ‘62 firewall, which is a little different from the ‘64 and I’m not particularly excited about making the necessary changes to make it correct.

I’ll probably just live with it.

 

 

Steve

[JollySipper]

1 hour ago, Shark said:

One thing I found useful, in building some Corvettes, I got some parts catalogues and they were more helpful than the pictorials I have.

Something like a Haynes repair manual could work, also.......

[Brian Austin]

8 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

There's this thing called "alphabetization". Works for me. Just tag an image with a simple reminder name as you save it. Like "Pontiac engine top 64"

I can find anything in my tens of thousands of references in, quite literally, a few seconds.

There's this thing called "humor"...

[W Humble]

Try POCI, the Pontiac Oakland Club International; they are the source.  Their mag, Smoke Signals, often runs photos of high-point cars that are authentic.  The Editor, Tim Dye, just ran a seven page article on Pontiac model kits, and it noted the first one was from AMT -- 1n 1953!  Well, I never saw one... but!  The promo-based 3-in1 kits first came out in 1958, and got real traction when the open-hood versions debuted in 1961.  I have them from 1960 through 1964, and discovered that I'd painted all of the engines a sky-blue without the greenish tinge that is original!  BTW, the rattle-can engine colors supplied by Ames Performance, a Pontiac speciallater ty source, are pretty accurate!  Our family drove Pontiacs, my bestie in high school had a step-dad who was partners in the local dealership, and lived right across the street.  HIS partner lived next door!  So I was a 'lot-bot' in much of my spare time from 1959 through 1965 or so, and learned a lot about the cars.  My first car would have been a '55 Poncho, but they had terrible stick-transmissions through '57, and I refused to drive an automatic.  'Tach it up, powershift here we go!'  I went with '55 Chevy instead.

If you have specific questions, I might be able to help; PMD had a lot of options in those days!  POCI has year and feature experts listed, too.  My specialty is the 1961-63 Tempes/LeMans cars, and they have a club as well, The Little Indians.  Okay, technically PMD had given up all but the Native American/Indian stuff except for the marque name (and possibly the Star Chief model) by 1961!  "Wide Track" was the pitch from '59, and then the 'TIger' image began to creep in in '62.  Pontiac, MI was the home town of the division of GM.  I'll post my version of the '61 Tempest "Monte Carlo" roadster soon; I began it in '61 with the AMT 4-dr. sedan body!  My 'holy grail' kit is the '62 LeMans ragtop, as that's the 1:1 Pony we have now.   Wick

[W Humble]

On 1/21/2023 at 11:11 PM, Bills72sj said:

I am building out four 65-66 Pontiac 421 Tri-powers. I have had success using Bing and selecting the images tab. Google is useless unless you are shopping.

Bill, when I first comped this brochure in the day, I thought it was made for us modelers!  Not many mfrs put a file of engine photos in their ads!!  Wick

[MeatMan]

On 1/22/2023 at 4:11 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

There's this thing called "alphabetization". Works for me. Just tag an image with a simple reminder name as you save it. Like "Pontiac engine top 64"

I can find anything in my tens of thousands of references in, quite literally, a few seconds.

That's the new world of filing. I read where youngies don't even know how to file anymore, they tag and search.