Hey everyone, just joined the site after checking it out from time to time. Nice site!

Have a question I've been pondering for over a year now. I have a '67 Firebird, 3.8 OHC six, 29k actual, protect-o-plate, interior perfect body pretty good, everything original. It was sitting for over 15 years in a shed a guy built for it before he passed so I went though everything, fluids,points, plugs, wires you name it. The problem is that it is so gutless it is no fun to drive. My other classic is also a pony car, different make, with a pretty wild street motor I built and four speed. Fun Fun Fun! I love the Firebird but don't know if it would be a good idea to do a V8 swap into it because of the low milage original part. Do you guys think I should do the swap or look to trade it off for a higher milage not so original car? Thanks alot!

First of all, welcome aboard! Glad to have you. I'll be the first to say that the OHC is as unique an engine as you'll find. I would prefer that you find another car for your project, but that's just me ... most people do opt to swap in a V-8 for the OHC, which is pretty sad considering how rare the OHC is. If only it was rare AND desirable!

There are ways of waking that little six up and really opening some eyes, but it takes quite a bit of effort and money. And - unfortunately - only a few people in the country can do it.

To swap the V-8, you'll have to make some changes to the suspension and wiring and install new frame mounts. A new radiator as well. The rest is obvious.

I hope you will sell the car to someone who enjoys what it is and get something else to modify. Fairly original cars that are 40+ years old are hard to find.

i will agree with the above post. to find one not molisted over the years is rare. the early firebirds with ohc 6 are rare , its easier to find a firebird that has been modified than to find one original. if it was me i would keep it original to keep or sale it and find one to modify. thats my 2cents.

Welcome aboard!

i agree. The money, time and effort it takes to find and buy a good drivetrain, take out the OHC-6, install the V8 after some modifications, etc together with the money you might get for an original unspoiled OHC-6 will probably buy you a very nice non-#-matching 400 4 speed to enjoy. With lot less effort!

çause once you take the engine out, you'll start doing the engine bay, youi'll find some other things to work on and before you know it you're in over your head, LOL!

Some pics of the barn find perhaps...?

Thanks everyone! That has always been my problem with the car. I am not looking for some drag strip killer, just descent power and sound. Even the points kit I put in it was a new one from K-Mart that had a 1.99 price tag on it that was in the trunk! I can post some pics tonight if you'de like. Just let me know how.

and don't forget, you are lucky to have these problems!

If you want more pep, trade it for a V8 version ,or sell it and buy another bird w V8....
but IF you go ahead and "fix up" the OHC , this is what it could turn into....(not mine , but a pic that a friend took in Seattle), then its not gutless!

and here`s something I found this morning on PY...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEYOx6u00f4

Is that a supercharger I see???

All I can say is WOW!

yes....I think I heard something about 400 HP.....but I could be wrong..
but not a gutless OHC

411 hp and still climbing at 6000 rpm IIRC.

how do I add a couple pics?

when you hit reply, theres a "file manager" below the box on the left side (first Using UBBBCode, then Poll Manager, then File Mgr)....you can load pics thee (only 5 on ea reply) from your picture files

Thanks! Did this work?

What ....? No engine pics?? C'mon!

Nice looking time capsule.

no that didnt work, all I see is a car...no girls! LOL

nice car! and hub caps too, you rarely see those....nice!

wow very nice looking bird, looks like it is untouched by time!!! that engine bay looks nice!!!

I got rid of the ugly and wrong heater hose for factory correct. Everything else original,besides the battery, even the rad hoses are in great shape, no rot, factory tower clamps and all. I checked the VIN,body code, as far as I can tell, only option it has is the rear mounted antenna. I did change the fiberglass cam belt and kept original, good shape but didn't want to chance breakage.

Any chance you mistimed the cam or the accessory drive gear? It's not going to be a rocket but it shouldn't be bog slow. What's your 0-60 mph time?

what is that red one I see in the corner?

Not to digress, but speaking of the timing belt breaking, are those OHC interference motors???

They are non-interference.

In my experience of tearing down more than 30 of them - some with very high mileage - I have never found an OEM belt broken.

These belts were the first of their type. (Yes, the fibergalss cord reinforced neoprene belt for OHC timing was invented by Pontiac.) They were very over-designed. They don't stretch like a metal chain; they don't walk off the sprockets; they don't jump teeth on the sprockets and they don't snap for no reason.

I did hear about one jumping a tooth on the sprocket when being driven in heavy snow with a loose timing cover.

Cool, always wondered about that.

The teeth usually strip off the belt itself when they fail. No Pontiac OHC belt failures on the 15 engines that I've seen either but one on a TDi Jetta (diesel - very much an interference engine but I got away with it!) and also on a Cosworth Vega that had lost about ten teeth in a row but the cams were still in time with the crank when the belt was replaced.

IIRC, the skipped tooth incident occurred at start-up because of snow that packed in during a snow storm (no belt cover) in pre-production testing. Belt covers were added after that.

Old OHC belts are great for lifting engines.

TOHCan, I don't think so, it runs like a top, more power than a 250 six in a Nova but that's not saying much.

Johnny, I don't know if I can say on this forum Not a Pontiac...............

Looks like a Harley Golf cart to me JM? Oh, you mean the Mustang? Even though we don't often talk about the other cars, many of us here are "Car People" and have multiple makes and models. I have a 67 Firebird Convertible, a 66 Mustang for the wife, a 72 Camaro, a 78 GMC Sprint and longing for a 69 GTO...
My first car was a 67 Sprint-6 with a 3-speed, still miss that car!

It's all good. But I agree, that would be something to keep original if at all possible. Yes, Brad's 69 Sprint-6 has a supercharger on it, as brent said it Dynoed at 411HP and still pulling. Not the seat of the pants torque feel you might expect, but impressive in it's own right. (He's finishing a 67 400 4-speed car right now)

Hope with TOHcan & Q's direction you can get a little more out of it to make it enjoyable as a classic cruiser...

Keep us updated! - Brett!

Thanks Brett. Yes it is a Harley Cart, HOK Brandywine for the paint. I acctually have another one, a '65 that I will paint to match my '65 Mustang, HOK Ultra Orange with Graphite grey pearl stripes. I am currently getting all of the parts I need to install a '78 HD sportster engine with some S&S parts on it into the '65, should rock!