Which came first, Tri Power or Six Pack?

[bull]

I was just wondering who beat whom to the punch in the "three-twos" category, GM or Chrysler? The Six Pack was mid-year '69 but did the GM version come sooner?

[hemihead]

GM with the Tri Power.But it had mechanical progressive kickdown where Mopar used vacuum.

[Ghoste]

I'm afraid Ford beat us to the punch as well.  I'm not sure if the Ford Tri Power was vacuum or mechanical though.
Now here's a question and everybody knows the answer; others did it first, but which one became legendary?

[Johnny SixPack]

Ford did have a Tri-Power option that was first available on "62 390 T-birds (I know, because my carbs came off of one).

But it seems Pontiac offered a Tri-Power option for their 347 cid engines (only mated to automatics) as far back as "57. LINK

Chysler didn't make a 6-pack option available until the "70 model year I believe.

[Ghoste]

Oh you 70 guys, always trying to plug that one swan song year.  1969 1/2 Super Bee and Road Runner??

[Johnny SixPack]

I'm afraid Ford beat us to the punch as well.  I'm not sure if the Ford Tri Power was vacuum or mechanical though.
Now here's a question and everybody knows the answer; others did it first, but which one became legendary?

The Ford Tri-Power is a full mechanical setup.

I'd say Chrysler's later version became more legendary, and even if I'm wrong, I'm almost positive it was the most powerful.

[Johnny SixPack]

Oh you 70 guys, always trying to plug that one swan song year.  1969 1/2 Super Bee and Road Runner??

True enough.

I always forget about those silly mid-year models.

And it seems Chrysler offered a 3x2 option on the "57 Desoto Red Ram Hemi.

The plot thickens?

[Ghoste]

Well it (Chrysler's later version) was on a bigger engine and it was part of a complete package.  My question was more or less rhetorical though.  It seems that everyone has heard of the Six Pack (just look at the recent B-J Super Bee) but outside of people that are into them, not many have heard the Tri Power setups.

[Johnny SixPack]

It seems that everyone has heard of the Six Pack...

I liked 'em so much, I bought one. 

[charge70]

Caddy had it in the late 50's,58-59 to be exact,outboard carbs were vacuum operated.Rare cars not to many built.

[hemihead]

The GTO Tripower was very popular, maybe just as much as Mopar.

[HDCharger]

If nothing else the "Six Pack" just sounds a hell of alot cooler.

[hemihead]

Yeah Ma Mopar cornered the market with that name. 

[tttaziz]

FWIW,

Only Dodge used the "Six Pack"  on the 340 and 440 engines.  Plymouth used variations of "Six Barrel" or "440+6".

[Charger_Fan]

Yeah Ma Mopar cornered the market with that name. 

Mopar had all the cooler names.

BTW, Ford had the progressive linkage on their systems...and guys who didn't know their stuff had a hard time getting them all to open when they were supposed to. As far as I know, all the GM's has a non-progressive setup.
Mopar had the most user friendly setup, for sure.

[greenpigs]

Caddy had it in the late 50's,58-59 to be exact,outboard carbs were vacuum operated.Rare cars not to many built.

I was thinking the same thing, seems the little old lady down the street from my parents had on in her garage. After she passed they sold the car and I was there when it was getting towed and the tri-power intake-carbs were in the back seat. It was a black 2 door, can't remember if it was a convertible.

[73ChargerSE]

The '57 Olds had the J-2 package that was 3x2's. I'm not sure how long this carried on though.

[hemigeno]

I looked in my books, and could not find a reference to a 3x2 setup for Dodge, Chrysler or Desoto on their early Hemi or Polysphere offerings.  Seems they only did single 2bbl, and single or dual 4bbl factory setups until the 6-pack/6bbl came out in early/mid 1969.

There were aftermarket 3x2 setups, though.  I know Edelbrock, Weiand and Offenhauser had several different intakes back in the late 50's for Hemi, Polysphere and Spitfire motors, including triple twos.  All of these were aftermarket offerings, from what I can see.

Chrysler may have come late to that party, but they stole the show once they got there...

[Johnny SixPack]

I looked in my books, and could not find a reference to a 3x2 setup for Dodge, Chrysler or Desoto on their early Hemi or Polysphere offerings.  Seems they only did single 2bbl, and single or dual 4bbl factory setups until the 6-pack/6bbl came out in early/mid 1969.

There were aftermarket 3x2 setups, though.  I know Edelbrock, Weiand and Offenhauser had several different intakes back in the late 50's for Hemi, Polysphere and Spitfire motors, including triple twos.  All of these were aftermarket offerings, from what I can see.

Chrysler may have come late to that party, but they stole the show once they got there...

Same thing I found when I went and delved deeper today.

I must have just seen a reference for an aftermarket intake for the Red Ram Hemi.

Thanks for the info, Geno.

[derailed]

The GTO Tripower was very popular, maybe just as much as Mopar.

The old 389 and 3 deuces was a nice setup I had 2 tri power setups at one point and sold them for next to nothing around 6 years ago.

[hemihead]

Yeah the first Hemis where only 2,4,2x4 from the factory, I missed reading that one at first. 

[Dodge-Charger]

I'd say Chrysler's later version became more legendary, and even if I'm wrong, I'm almost positive it was the most powerful.

I think that the 65 GTO 389 Tripower was and is still the most legendary. It is still considered the start of the Muscle Car era. ( Muscle Car, Big motor in a mid sized car ) Yes belive it or not the 65 GTO was considered MID sized back then.

[derailed]

nice 65, is that yours?

[67RedCharger]

1958 GM came out with the tri power setup with vacuum linkage (slider valve on the center carb) that operated a diaphram that pulled in the secondary carbs.  Back then the word was to get rid of the vacuum linkage and install the progressive linkage for  more responsive control of the carburators.  I'm restoring a 59 Impala Convertible with a 348 tri power setup (hydrolic lifters 280hp, with solid lifters it is 335hp)  My linkage is progressive but I also have the slider valve on the center carb for the originality nuts to look at.  Since everyone back then canned the slider valves, and went progressive, there are very few slider valves left to be found.  I looked on Ebay for 4 years, with no luck finding one.  Found one at a local yocal's habitat.

  ~ 67RedCharger ~

[derailed]

the 66 tri power setup I had was vacuum actuated secondaries and never really did seam to work worth a damn. I liked the progressive linkage ones better.

[Dodge-Charger]

nice 65, is that yours?

Yes it is, second owner. I bought it from my dad. It is in line to be restored.

[Ghoste]

Yes, gearheads know about the Poncho Tripowers but outside of us I bet the Six Pack is better known.  I even find a lot of people who do know about the Pontiacs refer to it as a Six Pack.  As mentioned, even the Plymouth guys will do that often. 
I still think the Dodge version became much more famous as time has progressed.

[hemihead]

The Dodge is more famous because the name is more easily associated and remembered.

[BrianShaughnessy]

All big 3 companies had some version of tri-power / six pack at one time or another.   But I'm pretty sure that the 440 Six Pack setup is the most famous of them all.    The goat 389 setup is pretty famous in it's own right.  427 Vettes and FE Ferds too.   The problem with all the rest was that the manifolds didn't flow all that well.

Either way... the 440 Six Pack was the LAST American factory multi carb setup.   I don't want somebody to mention some ricebucket or silly English thing just to bust my balls. 

[6pkrunner]

The Dodge is more famous because the name is more easily associated and remembered.

Exactly! Who really uses the term six-barrel except die hard Plymouth fans?  The term six-pack is just ingrained like Ski-Doo for snowmobiles.
Tri-powered Chevs and Ponchos were running around over a decade before Hoover and company thought about putting them on the Magnum. They actually wanted special heads and to go to the 276/292 cam, but the 440 lost more bottom end than was gained on the top end so the 268/284 cam was retained and costs negated any new heads for the 440. Because the 933 street hemi valve springs were eating the lobes of the standard cams in 10,000 miles or so in 1970 a slight taper was ground onto the lobes so the lifter would rotate in its bore and lessen the rubbing factor on the cam lobe. Typical Mopar cleverness.

[bull]

The Dodge is more famous because the name is more easily associated and remembered.

Exactly! Who really uses the term six-barrel except die hard Plymouth fans?  The term six-pack is just ingrained like Ski-Doo for snowmobiles. Typical Mopar cleverness.

Yea, except when it comes to rear ends. When I talk about my Charger with people they often ask, "Does it have Posi?" I say no, it has Sure-Grip.

[Chryco Psycho]

the first use of 3 x2 bbls is the 58 T bird , I have not found anyhting earlier so far

[Johnny SixPack]

Pontiac used a 3x2 in "57:

347

For 1957 the V8's stroke was increased to 3.56 in (90.4 mm), for a displacement of 347 cu. in. (5.7 L). For the first time, Pontiac offered Tri-Power, three two-barrel carburetors with a sequential linkage (replacing the previous dual-quad set-up). Power ratings increased accordingly:

(with manual transmission)

two-barrel carburetor, 8.5:1 compression, 227 hp (169 kW) @ 4600 rpm, 333 lbf·ft (451 N·m) @ 2300 rpm
four-barrel carburetor, 10:1 compression, 244 hp (182 kW) @ 4800 rpm, 350 lbf·ft (475 N·m) @ 2600 rpm
(with Hydramatic)

two-barrel carburetor, 10.0:1 compression, 244 hp (182 kW) @ 4800 rpm, 350 lbf·ft (475 N·m) @ 2600 rpm
four-barrel carburetor, 10.0:1 compression, 270 hp (201 kW) @ 4800 rpm, 359 lbf·ft (487 N·m) @ 2900 rpm
three two-barrel carburetors, 10.00:1 compression, 290 hp (216 kW) @ 5000 rpm, 375 lbf·ft (508 N·m) @ 2800 rpm.

Information found here: LINK

[hemihead]

When a Mopar(?) guy tells me he has a Posi rear, I say"Did you put a GM rear in that?" 

[Ghoste]

Until a Ford or GM gets 210,000 for a 3X2 setup at B-J, the Dodge is the better known version.