Anyone put a 389-421-428 or 455 Into 1965-66 Parisienne

Rallye350 Guy · Member

Anyone put a 389-421-428 or 455 Into 1965-66 Parisienne

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Not aware of anyone who has done this, it would be bastardization of a Canadian car in my opinion, because they did come with Canadian Pontiac engines.

They say so right on the valve covers and air cleaners:

Astro Flash 283 V C.jpg

1963 valve cover decal.jpg

Astro Jet 427 Pontiac 69.jpg

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Just saying that if you got a '65 what a bonus you can drop in one of the most famous engines of all times in there and be Canadian and factory correct.....

Super Flame 409 V C.jpg

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

It would not be easy. For one thing, the starter is on the wrong side so you'd have to change quite a bit on the wiring harness. That plus the engine mounts, plus I honestly think it would cut the value of the car in half, if not worse.

However, as always, it's your car and you can put a hemi in if you want to!

MC · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Rallye350 Guy wrote:
Hey guys...Just wondering if anyone has put a 389-421-428 or 455 into a 65/66 Parisienne?
I am thinking if doing this to Dads 1965 to keep it all Pontiac..Any thoughts?

Only problem is, a Parisienne isn't "all Pontiac" in the sense that you're thinking. It's basically an Impala with Pontiac styling. Go with a Chevy engine and adorn it with the requisite Canadian Pontiac decals.

-- Edited by MC on Friday 29th of January 2016 04:15:10 PM

rabbit64cs · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Carl Stevenson wrote:
It would not be easy. For one thing, the starter is on the wrong side so you'd have to change quite a bit on the wiring harness. That plus the engine mounts, plus I honestly think it would cut the value of the car in half, if not worse.

However, as always, it's your car and you can put a hemi in if you want to!

And also the fuel line is on the wrong side.. Rad will be wrong too, but workable with the correct water neck. You'd need frame mounts out of a Catalina.. Not sure if the bolt holes would line up?

Ive ve got both a 65 lemans with a 455 poncho.. And a 64 custom sport with a 327 sbc....

Apples and oranges my friend !

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Also a different transmission required as your current one won't bolt up to a Pontiac engine. You'll have to fabricate some throttle linkage, nobody makes exhaust to fit that engine in that chassis, and I have no idea what oil pan will work with the Parisienne crossmember, or if it doesn't fit at all. I don't think I've ever seen a Pontiac engine installed in a 65-70 Parisienne.

rabbit64cs · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

And ... A built 455 costs as much as a 409..

but hey... Anything is doable if your determined !

-- Edited by rabbit64cs on Friday 29th of January 2016 08:48:29 PM

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Carl Stevenson wrote:
It would not be easy. For one thing, the starter is on the wrong side so you'd have to change quite a bit on the wiring harness. That plus the engine mounts, plus I honestly think it would cut the value of the car in half, if not worse.

However, as always, it's your car and you can put a hemi in if you want to!

I was going to mention the wiring harness, glad you did Carl, basically everything underhood is on the wrong side or other side depending on your perspective. A L79 spec 327 would eat any 389 and a 409 well what needs to be said, add in these are direct bolt ins.

We've made a lot of progress educating the world about Canadian Pontiacs and how they were often superior to US Pontiacs in performance but when I hear the comments "keep it all Pontiac" I still gringe.

One aspect that is lost is that GM Canada built Canadian branded Pontiacs, not Pontiac Motor Division as in the US. GM Canada happened to own an engine foundry and assembly plant in St. Catharines ON, McKinnion Industries. McKinnion was licensed to produce Chevrolet style 6 and V8 engines so in fact these engines are really McKinnon Engines not Chevrolet. McKinnion engines were sold to their parent GM Canada for use in their auto production. There is no doubt that the vast majority of engines used in Canadian built cars were Canadian McKinnon Engines intended for use specifically in Canadian Pontiacs, Beaumonts & Acadians and Canadian Chevrolets.

In the words of Sean Conory in the Untouchables...Here endeth the lesson.

1965 PONTIAC ENGINES:

CLICK HERE TO SEE AN ALL CANADIAN 409 PONTIAC

-- Edited by 73SC on Friday 29th of January 2016 09:12:12 PM

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Rallye350 Guy wrote:
Hey guys...Just wondering if anyone has put a 389-421-428 or 455 into a 65/66 Parisienne?
I am thinking if doing this to Dads 1965 to keep it all Pontiac..

Any thoughts?

NO don't do it..... as the boys are telling you american Pontiac engines, do not make a Parisienne ALL PONTIAC

67curves · Addicted!

I have a 1967 Pontiac Grande Parisienne that someone put a 403 in. Not a real good fit.

dcneric · Poncho Master!

Personally I like the idea of dropping in an American Pontiac engine but on the flip side wouldn't do it on a reasonably original CDN Pontiac.
To do the swap I would look at B'ville/Catalina frame and engine mounts. You would then need to use a 70 or older block or get motor mount adapters or drill the blank bosses on the block for early mounts. As the starter is on left side of the block you will need to modify the wiring (as previously noted).
Like Roger said building a Pontiac 400/455 or variant is costly compared to an orange block. Also most machine shops don't know squat about clearances on the American blocks so they get machined to loose and fail on spun bearings.
Ultimately its your car and only you need to be happy with it.

Rallye350 Guy · Member

Thanks for all the replies guys...I learned a lot in this thread. Looks like we will be keeping it with a Chevy Engine to adhere to Canadian Pontiac build...The engine in the car is not original anyway so was just throwing the idea around. Didn't think about the fact that the Canadian Pontiac is actually a Chevy with Pontiac styling.

Really appreciate the feedback. I will keep you posted on our build...We are doing a frame swap over the next few weeks as the original was rusted out. Found a 66 Frame that was powder coated and looks really good.

Rallye350 Guy · Member

One more question:

The 65 Parisienne currently has a 350 SBC...To install a BBC into the Parisienne, will I just have to find a set of BBC engine mounts and it should bolt right in?

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Rallye350 Guy wrote:
One more question:

The 65 Parisienne currently has a 350 SBC...To install a BBC into the Parisienne, will I just have to find a set of BBC engine mounts and it should bolt right in?

Big Block mounts will be nice in a pinch it will just bolt in as is

Congratulations on Canadian Pontiac power

4SPEED427 · A Poncho Legend!

Rallye350 Guy wrote:

One more question:

The 65 Parisienne currently has a 350 SBC...To install a BBC into the Parisienne, will I just have to find a set of BBC engine mounts and it should bolt right in?

It's actually as simple as taking the mounts off the 350 after you pull it out and putting them on the big block.

You have to make sure you have the right oil pan though, a Chevelle pan doesn't fit.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Rallye350 Guy wrote:
One more question:

The 65 Parisienne currently has a 350 SBC...To install a BBC into the Parisienne, will I just have to find a set of BBC engine mounts and it should bolt right in?

My experience is that all you need to do is transfer the mounts on the 350, ears to some, to the big block and bolt it in.

IMG_9843 mount.jpg