New Guy Here

[Sammuzzu1]

Hello all;
I am the new owner of a 1963 Catalina Ventura that my 18yr old son bought for my birthday. This car has been sitting in a hay barn for 20 yrs. It cam with an extra long block. I would like to share my journey as I make her road worthy and then when able to do a full restoration. It is a basic 2347 HT, 3 on the tree with dealer install under dash a/c. The original paint is Yorktown Blue. As far as I can tell it is all original with only a manual choke added. Wish me luck. How may I add photos?

 

[melsg5]

welcome to the forum and thanks for joining. Good luck with your project. Check the link for photo instructions.

http://pontiacforum.com/pontiac/faq.php?faq=vb3_reading_posting#faq_vb3_attachments

 

[Sammuzzu1]

The 'Extra' engine is a 17M 1964 389 2bbl automatic block. The heads are #15: 1968 big car, Catalina or Bonneville 72cc open chamber heads. They were from either 340 or 360hp 10.25/1 big valve engine. The cam is a factory 61-62 389SD cam #540233. It is blueprinted. Before I make garbage out of this engine, can anyone answer something for me? I was told, heads made 67' and newer had a different valve angle and would probably drop a valve and or damage the pistons. It has 7/16 screw in studs, double valve springs and pushrod guides. I roll it over and I feel no resistance. I may pull the heads and just get 389 heads. It's not my first choice though.

 

[melsg5]

neither one of these two links gives any indication that you cannt put a 68 head on a 64 block

http://www.wallaceracing.com/interchange.htm

http://www.wallaceracing.com/head1.htm

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[Sammuzzu1]

Thank you sir! I was right all along. Well time to finish it and make it thump. Since my wife wished I had a Convertible ( so do I ) I will use this engine to roll the Cat until I have the original engine rebuilt. Then I will have an all number matching Cat ( right down to original carb ) ready for some new shine and paint. Then this 389 into a convertible.