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Grasshopper1



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PostPosted: Thu Oct 15, 2015 9:39 am    Post subject: 1940 Pontiac coupe rear end Reply with quote

I just bought a 1940 Pontiac coupe I am placing a v-8 into the car. I noticed the rearend is trashed. Is there a certain modern rearend that is popular that would bolt up to this car or close to this with little modification? It going to have a Ford motor and trans if this is any help.
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rexs73gto



Joined: 17 Sep 2015
Posts: 94
Location: Niles MI

1973 GTO

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grasshopper1 I want you to slowly go into the bathroom & get out what ever you use to take your temp. be it a manual T-meter, or one of those you just put on your four head or one that you stick in your ear . but take your temp. as you have to have a very high temp. & are in distress because I think you just said your going to put a ford engine in a PONTIAC......... You have to be running a really high fever to do something like that. Sit down think, now before you say that again you must realize your going to do something really wrong. Are you having a heart attack. Check it. LOL Now for real do you really want to put a ffford in a PONTIAC??? Please think about it before you do. Any way back to your question, a rear out of a 68-72 Nova or a 69 -72 Ventura, or any 1st gen F-body will be your best & easiest rear to modify to put under you 40 as it will be about the width you'll need. 73 up F-bodies are a little wider & the same thing with the 73 up X-body which is the Nova/Ventura body. Also 63 to 67 Novas rear end will work to. Any way you go you'll have to cut the spring mounts off weather it be leaf or coil springs you'll have to change the spring perches.
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I have a 73 GTO that I bought new, well it was a demo because the car I ordered was an SD car which never came in & i had to take what was left because I was in the Navy & had to talk to the dealer when I could.
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Larry
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 9:46 am    Post subject: 1940 Pontiac Reply with quote

Well, I guess you got a real feel for what Pontiac lovers think of going non-Pontiac with their engines. It's all meant in good humor... I think. However, you will find that there is a big trend in the Pontiac hobbyplace to keep their cars "Pure Pontiac" as much as possible. You will probably spend more time trying to explain your choice of a Ford engine than it actually takes to install it. Pontiac people will probably not have kind words about it.

I am re-restoring and modifying my '40 Pontiac 2519 (little Chevy-body 4-door sedan) that I have had since 1977. However, with great pride, it is getting a '73 Trans Am 400/350 setup. It is a good feeling to go this way!

If you have the Ford engine sitting around already I would suggest just selling it or trading it for a Pontiac mill. Your fellow Pontiac hobbyists will be proud of you for staying "Pure Pontiac."

All that said.... we are still happy that you are bring a good old Pontiac back to life. Most of us are kind, and I hope others will be too. If you have any questions as you proceed, give a yell. I have worked out a lot of the lumps and bumps of a '40 modification already, and know some others who have done the same. Good luck.

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Grasshopper1



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 5:59 pm    Post subject: 1940 Pontiac with ford motor Reply with quote

Thanks Rexs for the rearend info!!And Larry, I would love any info you and your buddies have! But here's my story and I am sticking to it.
You guys are probably right !! infact I wasn't looking for a pontiac at all. I have a 1990 Ford van with a 351 fuel injection with less than 14,000 miles on it and a C-4 trans with about 8,000 miles on it sitting in my yard . I have to much money in it to give it away. So I was looking for something to drop it in. When on craigslist this guy had a 1940 Pontiac coupe with a 9 in ford rearend in it and a ford automatic trans already in the 40. It had 302 motor mounts already installed which will bolt right up to my 351. (AT least in Theory...). It has a Camero front sub-frame on it which gives me disc brakes and power steering. ( even tho I don't know what year it is.. yet.) Buckets seats and tilt power steering also installed. mags and new tires. for less that $2400. I couldn't turn it down. Yes it's a rust bucket. and I thought it needed to come back to life. Plus I like the body style !!Being 61 and a I "ve tinker on cars on my life this seemed to be my diamond in the rust. I should have all the parts from the van to get it running until I decide what I want to do with it..but that Trans-am thing has got me thinking.. I am still trying to find the information on what modern tech parts to fit on the 1940. Engines, Body Parts, Trans., rearends, electrical, ect.

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Larry
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 9:42 pm    Post subject: '40 Pontiac Reply with quote

That was my guess... had the engine set-up so why not use it? Bottom line will always be it is your car, and we are all glad to see another old Pontiac back on the road.

There aren't many magic answers to modern things that will fit your '40. They just don't make any street rod stuff. I can help with info on a gas tank that will fit ( '68-'72 Nova with work), and where to get an aluminum radiator at a fraction of the price of most (Speedway Motors universal one- almost a direct fit). I have been working through my '40 bit by bit and trying to do it without spending a fortune. Well, at least a big fortune!

It sounds like a lot was done already, but as I'm sure you know there are still zillions of things to do to finish a project like this.

I'll tell you one thing..... I will NEVER EVER again convert front doors to solid glass (without the vent windows)!!! What a hell of a project that turned out to be! Mine will probably be the only '40 Pontiac like that.

I rebuilt the entire stock front end and added a reproduction 1" '56 Buick sway bar and new coils. Another member in Ohio has a '40 coupe that he runs 11s with using the stock front end and swears by them. The Camero front end is probably the classic early to mid-70s one. I converted to disc brakes using that early GM setup and adapters.

Let me know any questions you may have.

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rexs73gto



Joined: 17 Sep 2015
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Location: Niles MI

1973 GTO

PostPosted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Grass, My comments are in jest & not to be taken as being mean , & I hope you know that as I to like the fact that your bringing an old car back to like. The car you have I figured it was the same as Larry thought. you had the drive train & why not use it. I do understand that. But to I'm a Pontiac man through & through. Larry sound like he can help you more then I so just let him know what you are doing & i'm sure he car help. If not I'll be glad to help as much as I can , all you have to do is ask. Thats what were here for.
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I have a 73 GTO that I bought new, well it was a demo because the car I ordered was an SD car which never came in & i had to take what was left because I was in the Navy & had to talk to the dealer when I could.
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Grasshopper1



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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 11:02 am    Post subject: 40 pontiac Reply with quote

None taken Rexs. I understand totally. This one just fell into my lap and I am going to run with it. Thanks Larry I will be needing a radiator when I get to that point. I talked to a guy about a book that tells you which parts can be used from different cars of that year but I don't remember the name of it. I need to find some body parts. Like lower door frames (my are rusted badly and the piece below the trunk door also. Thanks for all your help. Bob
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Larry
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 8:27 pm    Post subject: Pontiac Parts Reply with quote

The parts book you're probably thinking of are the Hollander Interchange Manuals. Yell if you have a question on anything as I have the whole set.

However, very little is interchangeable with the '40 Pontiac (or other Pontiacs). Plus since you are modifying, there may be many items you will not need. Unfortunately the trim parts and such are as rare as hen's teeth today.

Let me know what your body style is. Do you still have the data plate on the firewall on the driver's side? We need that model number to know if yours is a Chevy body- model/style 25, Buick/Oldsmobile body- model/style 26 or 28, or the Cadillac body torpedo- model/style 29. That helps with some parts hunting as many are different between these different models.

Ask any questions you have. I will probably know something that helps. Not because I'm so smart, just been living with my '40 for nearly 40 years.

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Grasshopper1



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PostPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I found the plate and here's info:
Style:40-25278
Body: 1217
Trim:91
PAINT:87 -D (Last one looks like a 7)

Thanks for your help. Bob

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Larry
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 21, 2015 5:54 pm    Post subject: 1940 Coupe Reply with quote

Looks like you're the proud owner of a "Chevy-body" Pontiac. That's the body for the 25-Series cars. Little is available from a Chevy to fit a Pontiac though. Mechanically they were totally different, interior-wise too. Some body parts will interchange though. I bet doors will interchange, and know rear fenders will (except the filler may be on the other side). Everything else is different.

For the paint, this is all we show that has an "87" in it: "2287DB & 2287D Sherwood Gray."

The body number was internal plant numbering of some obscure meaning. I don't know about the "91" trim code. Seriously, what tiny thing might have been different between cars back then? Sure wasn't about GPS, stereos, or cup holders!

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 03, 2016 5:27 pm    Post subject: '40 Pontiac Rear End Reply with quote

I just finished a couple weeks ago getting the new rear end in my '40 Model 25 Pontiac. I had gotten a '72 Nova rear from the fellow I got the engine from, and it turned out to be beyond repair.

I did meet a real differential guru in Sarasota (FL) who built a new one for me. Here's a couple of pointers.

Use a Nova rear end because it is slightly narrower that a Firebird one. It will fit better. Also, stay away from the 8.2 and go with an 8.5. It is stronger, and the parts are actually less expensive than the weaker 8.2 unit... go figure.

I had my new guy start with a '75 Nova 8.2 rear. He changed it inside to a 10-bolt. It is a non-posi 'cause I'm not interested in any hot dogging, just cruising. He also changed it from 28 to 30 spline axles (which I had to buy separately from Summit). It is a 2.73 high gear setup so the old 400 without overdrive doesn't suck so much gas.

What is cool, is if you get the rear end from a multi-leaf Nova, you won't even have to changed the perches. The "dimples" in the perches lined up perfectly with the "pins" in the springs. I did have to fabricate bottoms for the springs as the old ones will not work. I even added tabs for the shock mounts. Be sure to use at least 3/8" plate steel as the thinner steel will bend under the force of tightening the spring shackles (which you will have to buy also- NAPA has).

I was a bit surprised at the rear end build ($600.00) the new axles ($25.00), bearings ($30.00, shackle bolts about $60.00). The fab work for the bottom plates was only about $20.00 for steel, and about $30.00 to have all my tacking together turned into good welding by a professional. My time in all of this was about $5.00.... that 20hours at 25-cents/hour!

Let me know if you have any questions.

BTW, I opted not to hunt around for another used rear end for a couple hundred dollars and end up with another junk one. I bit the bullet, so to speak.

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