CHAPTER 1
RESTORATION RESOURCES
To many Pontiac hobbyists, it’s difficult to find a more impressive sight than a fully detailed Ram Air V-8. The subtle contrast created by a lightsilver-blue block, natural castaluminum intake manifold, and highly polished chrome valve covers can be breathtaking for any enthusiast. Engines such as this 1969 Ram Air IV are full of small details that require careful attention.
Ames Performance Engineering offers exact reproductions of many small engine brackets to replace missing originals during a restoration. These particular units retain the throttle linkage and spark plug wires. Certain examples are even marked with the proper part number just like an original.
There are several companies, organizations, and publications that specialize in the preservation and restoration of Pontiacs. While vehicle restoration is a topic large enough to fill its own book, many of these sources can help identify and document Pontiac engines, so you can correctly restore your Pontiac engine to a factory-fresh appearance and they can provide you with an exhaust system to make your Pontiac look and sound as it did the day it was delivered.
Reproduction Parts Suppliers
The hobby is full of restoration parts suppliers, and high-quality reproductions can be purchased from any number of them. It’s unlikely that the Pontiac hobby finds stronger support than in two of the companies: Ames Performance Engineering (APE) and Max Performance. True Pontiac enthusiasts founded and operate both companies, which specialize in Pontiac restoration components. Both companies bring parts trailers to serve customers at various Pontiac events across the country.
APE has supported Pontiac hobbyists with top-quality reproduction components for the past 30 years. In addition to a number of suspension components, interior pieces, and body panels, APE offers a complete line of reproduction engine components. It has even created a number of its own proprietary reproductions. Those include small brackets, chrome valve covers, and a cast-aluminum timing cover and oil filter housing. APE can fulfill all your Pontiac restoration needs.
In its 20 years of supporting the Pontiac hobby, Performance Years (PY) has made a name for itself as a premier reproduction-parts supplier, providing hobbyists with highquality reproduction body, interior, and suspension pieces. Its engine component line includes a wide array of quality reproductions, some of which are exclusive to PY. Those include small brackets, throttle linkages, fuel filters, and vacuum hose harnesses. In 2015, Performance Years consolidated its retail operation with Ames Performance Engineering and rebranded itself as Max Performance to focus on its specialty lines such as Pypes Performance Exhaust, which is a high-performance line of complete exhaust systems, and Cold-Case Aluminum Radiators. Max Performance also hosts one of the most popular online forums on its website.
Reproduction Exhaust Systems
Gardner Exhaust Systems has long been considered a premier reproduction exhaust company. It specializes in exhaust systems that are authentic reproductions with careful attention given to exact appearance and sound. Gardner Exhaust Systems products fit and function just like factory pieces and even include exact reproductions of the hangers, clamps, and tailpipe extensions for installation. Complete systems are readily available for most 1967–1974 Firebirds or a 1964–1972 LeMans or GTO.
When it comes to exact reproductions of popular Firebird and GTO exhaust systems, many agree that Gardner Exhaust Systems is an industry leader. Gardner used original exhaust pieces as templates to produce its complete reproductions, which look, fit, and function just like the originals. Gardner also reproduced the original hangers and clamps. If you seek a factory exhaust system, then Gardner Exhaust Systems may be the answer. (Photo Courtesy of Eric Gardner)
Waldron’s Exhaust reproduces exhaust systems for Pontiac applications with mufflers specifically designed to recreate the original Pontiac sound. Unlike some of its competitors, Waldron’s Exhaust has the ability to customize certain pieces for an application. It can modify its mufflers internally to attenuate a specific sound without compromising the factory look.
When it comes to pre-bent fuel lines, Inline Tube is considered an industry leader. It also offers reproduction exhaust systems that look and fit like the originals. In some instances, the reproduction mufflers are modified internally to improve airflow and performance without compromising the factory look. To complement its reproduction exhaust systems, Inline Tube also offers reproduction exhaust hangers, clamps, and tailpipe extensions for many models.
The rubber grommet used to seal a Pontiac’s system have often rotted from years of underhood heat. Replacements may be only as far away as the HELP section of your local auto parts store. HELP number 42054 is the PCV valve seal that presses into the valley pan, while number 42055 is the small grommet that slips into the valve cover. If your local parts store doesn’t stock either piece, it can likely have them for you in a day or two.
Pontiac Engine Colors
Pontiac engines were always painted some shade of green or blue over the years. The most popular colors seem to be the light blue and light metallic blue hues that Pontiac used during the 1960s and 1970s. While some colors are available in spray cans and easily found at local auto parts stores, those colors are usually just close to that used by Pontiac, not exact.
Supercar Specialties restores all types of Pontiacs, and owner Scott Tiemann has spent a great deal of time researching and mixing colors to produce exact matches to the colors that Pontiac used. Supercar Specialties offers any Pontiac-type blue that an owner many need in a quart can. Bill Hirsch Auto is one company that offers several Pontiac engine enamels in aerosol cans or quart containers. And Inline Tube has recently released its own line of Pontiac engine paints.
Pontiac’s 301 received forcedinduction when a turbocharger was added in 1980, adding more than 50 hp to the naturally aspirated 4-barrel mill. To accommodate the added cylinder pressure, the block received additional material in high-stress areas and the crankshaft was specially prepared. Availability was limited to the Firebird Formula and Trans Am.
OEM Paints specializes in reproducing all types of automotive finishes. The company has documented original colors and offers a wide variety of Pontiac engine paints in easy-to-use aerosol cans. Unlike other conventional engine enamels, however, OEM Paints’ engine colors are uniquely formulated to increase heat dissipation and resist grease and grime, keeping its engine colors looking new longer. I found OEM Paints’ products to be an excellent choice when attempting