1961 Pontiac Ventura - Acing The Ventura
Pontiac made its mark with the first makeover of the Ventura in 1961, creating what many in the Pontiac faithful believe is one of the most beautiful designs ever to roll off an assembly line. Pontiac was hard at work recreating the brand's Wide Track image for the swinging '60s. Thanks to the design effort of Jack Humbert and his team in the Pontiac Design Studio; and the approval of GM Vice Presidents Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell, who had responsibility for the Design and Styling Department; Pontiac General Managers Bunkie Knudsen and Pete Estes; and then-Chief Engineer John DeLorean; all full-size models received new exterior styling featuring squared-off bodies, shorter wheelbases, and small tail fins.
In mid-range offerings, the Pontiac Ventura enjoyed its second year as an affordable, stylish upgrade to the base-model Catalina. Available in either a two-door hardtop, or an equally popular four-door Vista hardtop, the Ventura offered Tri-Tone Morrokide interior, custom steering wheel, electric clock, right-hand ashtray, bright metal roof drip moldings, Ventura script badges, and all the features of the Catalina.
Ted Robb, a 64-year-old engineer in Akron, Ohio, says the '61 Ventura has been his favorite Pontiac for over 45 years. "I have always had a passion for '61 Pontiacs since finishing high school in 1961. In 1962, I bought and raced my first '61 Ventura. It was optioned with a Trophy 425A 348hp engine, a four-speed, and 8-Lug wheels. It was my daily driver and I raced it in and around the Akron area-at Dragway 42, Quaker City, and Thompson Drag Strip. I retired it from racing in 1966," he said.
Over the years, Ted continued to amass a collection of '61 Venturas (and Catalinas), including most of the colors available for the model year: Shelltone Ivory/Coronado Red two-tone, Coronado Red, Cherrywood Bronze, Shelltone Ivory, Jadestone Green, Bamboo Cream, Dawnfire Mist, Bristol Blue, Mayan Gold, and Regent Black. He's been featured in High Performance Pontiac three times: "Giant Slayer," Aug. '01; "The Batwing," Oct. '04; and "Mountain State Mayhem, Part III," Mar. '05. In 2005, he told HPP editor Thomas DeMauro, "Never again will I restore another '61 Pontiac."
But times changed, and Ted found himself drawn back to his youthful passion when he revisited his Coronado Red, 318hp '61 Ventura Tri-Power hardtop that had been in storage for the past 15 years.
In the interim, Ted sent away for the PHS package on the Ventura and discovered his vehicle was a "body in aisle car." According to Pontiac guru Jim Wangers, "In those days we had what was called a 'body drop.' GM manufactured the body in one plant and sent it on hangers in a large passageway to another. It was coordinated by a PEL automatic system that would guarantee the body would arrive at just the right time to drop down onto its awaiting chassis, which was coming along on the final assembly line. If a body had anything special on it, or there was a delay or shortage-that is, if there was any reason it got out of synch in the system-it would be moved over into the aisleway between the assembly lines until the properly matched chassis could be put back onto the assembly line. The procedure was not just for special-ordered cars such as Super-Dutys. The shortage of any item, even a fabric or small suspension part, could force a vehicle to be pulled from the assembly line and put in the aisle."
Ted had restored five '61 Pontiacs previously, so performing a body-off on this Ventura was an easy project. After gutting the interior, removing the stainless exterior trim, the front clip, glass, and decklid, his next step was to disconnect the bolts that hold the body to the chassis. Ted then lifted the Ventura up using hooks, Come-A-Longs, and overhead ceiling beams. "I rolled the frame out from underneath the vehicle, and removed the engine, trans, front and rear suspension, and rear end," he says. "Then I sandblasted the frame, sprayed it with a heavy coat of DuPont Primer, followed with DuPont Chassis Black, and began rebuilding the suspension." He sourced new Moog springs and Monroe shocks and he used OE replacement upper and lower control arms and tie-rod ends, but cleaned and reinstalled the original spindles, backing plates, wheel hubs, steering linkage, and later added 8-Lug wheels.
A performance rebuild of the Pontiac Safe-T-Track rear end followed with a Fabcraft-supplied 3.90 ring-and-pinion set, new clutch pack, and 31-spline Moser axles. To keep the body from hanging from the ceiling indefinitely, he lowered it onto a second '61 chassis, to move it around his shop.
Ted disassembled the motor himself, and sent the block and crank to Gable Machine of Akron for machining and a 0.060 overbore. The shop checked the alignment of the main bores and cam tunnel, and returned the block to Ted, who installed the number one, two, seven, and eight pistons to determine how much decking was necessary to achieve 0.005-inch piston-to-deck height in each hole. He sent the rotating assembly and the block back to Gable for decking, balancing and a final-hone with a torque plate.
Next, Ted assembled the engine employing original restored and aftermarket parts. A Pontiac Armasteel crank pumps forged factory connecting rods (No. 532294) and Ross lightweight flat-top pistons with full floating pins. Oiling is issued from a Melling 65 psi pump; the windage tray and oil pan are stock.
He also performed the head porting and gasket-matched the intake and exhaust ports. Ted sent the No. 538177 heads to Kris Robinson of American Thunder in Barberton, Ohio, where they were milled to arrive at 65 cc (stock is 69 cc) and provide 11:1 compression. Kris also performed a competition valve job and installed Ferrea SS 1.88/1.60 valves.
Valvetrain action is coordinated by a Comp hydraulic roller with 224/230-degrees duration at 0.050, 0.502/0.510-inch lift, and a 110-degree LSA. Trick Flow 7/16-inch pushrods activate Harland Sharp 1.5-ratio roller rockers that compress Comp 995 springs to open and close the valves.
A No. 538202 cast-iron Tri-Power intake gets its bragging rights from three Rochester two-barrels (No. 7013063 front, No. 7019064 center, and No. 7013065 rear). Spark is created with a Pontiac distributor (No. 1110971A) with Pertronix internals, and directs energy through MSD 8mm wires to Champion No. 2014 plugs. Timing is set at 32 degrees total and is all in by 2,400 rpm.
The original Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed trans was sent to Scott Baker of Baker Performance in Akron for a performance rebuild, including new synchro rings, seals, and gaskets.
Ted then reinstalled the engine, clutch, trans, and driveshaft on the frame, and lowered and bolted the body back onto its chassis.
Chip Kramer of Kramer's Body Shop in Massillon, Ohio, handled the bodywork before painting the Ventura. Chip then used five coats of DuPont Red-Oxide Primer, block-sanded the body and followed with Dupont VariPrime sealer and three coats of PPG Coronado Red, wet-sanding with 1500-grit paper between the coats. Next came three coats of DuPont 7500 Clear and progressive grit wet-sanding from 1,000-4,000. A final polishing was performed with Presta compounds.
Ted says that he is very pleased with the final results of the restoration. "I'm completely satisfied with the way it drives and looks. It turned out flawlessly."
This pristine Poncho has been shown only once, at the Super Summit XV car show in June 2007, where it took First Place. After the show, Ted was asked, "What improvements do you plan on making to the Ventura?" He responded, "Improvements, what improvements? It can't get any better."
Ted's next two projects are a '68 Firebird 400 for his son and a '61 Bristol Blue Ventura 348hp, four-speed, 3.90 posi, with 8-Lug wheels and power steering. Although this Pontiac restorer takes full credit for the immaculate work on this Ventura, he said, "None of this would be possible without the help of my friend Mike Scott and my wife, Jerri."
Very few Pontiac owners can brag of multiple stories in High Performance Pontiac magazine. It's a testament to the beauty of the '61 Pontiac, Ted's love for them, and his talents in restoring them that led to this Coronado Red Ventura being featured.

Photo Gallery: 1961 Pontiac Ventura - Acing The Ventura - High Performance Pontiac Magazine



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