Mystery Motor Revival

The motor was in this rusted out 76 TA, and was pretty much an unknown when I brought it home. Patrick Page, the previous owner, had parked the Trans Am behind his fathers barn 18 years earlier when family commitments (kids and houses) came first, and it was still there. Unfortunately the car did not survive the down time but Patrick knew the power train was special (he knew the motor had 4 bolt main caps) and he wanted to see it go to a good home. The power train included a recently rebuilt Borg Warner Super T10 4 speed transmission and 10 bolt 3.23 Sure Grip rear end. The bonus was, he also sold me another  455/TH400 combination that came from a 1971 Grand Prix SJ

Motor-6.jpg (83736 bytes) Motor-Out-2.jpg (106991 bytes) and the extra motor 2x455.jpg (137593 bytes)

On removal the motor in the car was found to be a 1971 455HO Service Replacement long block, missing only the HO heads and intake - certainly something worth saving!

Spring 2006 Update  

The old M/T valve covers were refinished along with some Hooker Super Comps

  Mt-vc-1.jpg (102566 bytes)  Headers.jpg (107421 bytes) 

The motor was delivered to Killer Racing in London Ontario where Larry Kilpatrick will revive it to better than new. The block was cleaned by shot blasting it inside and out 

(before)  Windage-Tray-2.jpg (83442 bytes) (after) Four-bolts.jpg (85901 bytes) Four-bolts-2.jpg (96629 bytes)

The lifter valley is reinforced with the SD Performance Mega-Brace kit

  Mega-Brace-1.jpg (128364 bytes) Mega-Brace-2.jpg (101563 bytes)

New Eagle 6.80" H-Beam rods (Big Block Chevy) and Ross pistons

  Eagle-Ross.jpg (87059 bytes) Piston-Bottom.jpg (47856 bytes) Piston-Top.jpg (70144 bytes)

Comp Cams Roller Cam & Lifters

  Cam-lifters.jpg (111075 bytes)

Dave Bisschop modified 72cc E-heads that flow 300+ cfm

 HO2-5.JPG (123941 bytes)

Big Valves -  2.19" intake (BBC valves), 1.77" exhaust.

  Valves.jpg (105299 bytes)

Larry Kilpatrick,  drag racer and engine builder

  Larry-K.jpg (129067 bytes) 

My other 455HO motor is in the foreground, he also rebuilt it with new pistons, bearings, timing chain and return to "041" cam and 1.6 roller rockers. The previous valve springs had only lost 10 lbs of pressure in 3 years of use with the solid lifter cam - guess I wasn't reving it high enough :)

The Revival is complete!

HO2-1a.jpg (109626 bytes) HO2-1b.jpg (109347 bytes) HO-2X2.jpg (121513 bytes)

The "Revived" Motor is going in the TA this year.

HO2-3a.jpg (114229 bytes)

 Time Slip from St. Thomas Dragway Oct 18/08

11.28.jpg (93398 bytes)

Back to the 78 TA  Page