Aguila1

I was hesitant about submitting this image since the car's been down for the last year waiting on the 13:1 CR motor install. Now I'm waiting for the 700R4 to come back from RPM Transmissions. The car also now has 17" snowflakes left in gold. I'll take new photos when it's all back together and running, again. Click on the ImageShack link to see a higher resolution version: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/844/uzie.jpg/

Update: Part 13 has been reedited to correct the camshaft thrust plate mistake: >https://vimeo.com/70936437 Part 15, assembly: >https://vimeo.com/71524501 Part 16 to be uploaded next week - final assembly. Part 17 crank and run is uploaded - crank it up, guys! >https://vimeo.com/71934370 Next recording at Butler Performance for a dyno session! Next video series: Building a max performance 700R4!

Hey guys: There was a mistake in the last video (part 13). Can you spot it? >https://vimeo.com/68810731 >https://vimeo.com/69113336 Part 14 is online: covers checking over the assembled heads, measuring the spring height and pressure, cc'ing the heads and calculating the engine's compression ratio. Bench testing and break-in this weekend then off to the engine dyno!

On the 455: 1969 #16 GTO heads prepared by Ken Keefer, AKA Pontiac Dude. Hoping for 13:1 compression. We are cc'ing the heads and will measure them tomorrow. The Pontiac is better than most people know, according to those who use them. I mean to find out just how good. 4500 rpm because of the cam design and because there is no need to rev it more than absolutely necessary. I'd rather make up the power with more boost rather than revs. Everything now is tentative, except we will build one engine and start tuning a stock one, soon. We already started to assemble the 455 (462), uploaded in parts 11 & 12: >https://vimeo.com/67915745 >https://vimeo.com/68349318 We plan to bench fire it (break it in), but no word on a dyno shop in SC, GA, or NC.

Thanks Frosty! Over at 301Garage there's been some success with this motor, including an NHRA world record holder using all stock internals. So, the feeling is that for moderate power levels the block and crank are plenty strong enough. The shorter deck height shares the same bore and stroke ratio as small block ford and chevy 302s, meaning piston speeds are way down. This coupled with a 4500 rpm rev limit and the block is not all that stressed even under an occasional blast of boost. The 301T block was beefed up over the standard '77-'79 301 and featured a crank with rolled fillets. My guess is that the engine got a bad rap because most people, myself included, for many years, still had the musclecar era performance in mind. But the 301T did exactly what it was designed to do - provide spirited acceleration for passing comparable to the 400 it replaced. In an era where musclecars were cheap discards, the complexity and underachieving 301T were not taken seriously. I, myself, owned a pair of Boss 302s during the eighties and none of the later Trans Ams were considered a threat on the street, especially the 301 cars, at least not until the '89 TTA came out and blew my mind! Now, 33 years past 1980, after the Grand Nationals changed perceptions about turbocharging and modern 4s and 6s are embraced by the current generation of tuners, the environment is right to give the 301 its fair due. Like the 455, I wouldn't be surprised to find it also north of 400 hp, but stay tuned and we'll see how this story develops.

>https://vimeo.com/67009628 >https://vimeo.com/67025309 Hey guys: These last two cover most of the balancing and blueprinting process to be concluded in part 10. (I can only upload 5G a week on VimeoPlus). We've started recording the assembly, so it's finally coming together. Some others have commented on Wayne opting out of using a torque plate for the honing, but with a head screwed on it, it still seems to measure dead nuts (my new machinist term). Any guesses on the flywheel hp or rwhp ? On other news, I picked up a 1980 Turbo Trans Am Indy Pace Car, for a near future build-up, that will answer the question of slow or go? What is the potential of 301's much maligned motor given high-octane and a host of aftermarket upgrades. To some a waste of time and money - to me a challenge and a chance to redeem one of the most handsome of all the Trans Ams. Stay tuned!

Part 7, boring and honing the cylinders: >https://vimeo.com/65266614

Hey guys. Part 6 is now online: Align honing and decking the block. >https://vimeo.com/64665860 Hopefully, we'll be rockin' this summer. I'm looking forward to doing the testing sequence and all the action shots!

Hey guys. Here's part 4, prepping the connecting rods: >https://vimeo.com/63287673 Once you get on there you can access the rest or merely put Pontiac 455 in the search. We're probably about half way there and I'm really excited about the build! The .030 overbore calculation cleared the way to order and receive the Ross/Butler pistons (4.181x1.495 CH flat top forged) coupled with 66 cc heads will net 12.68:1 compression! Butler strongly recommended the Comp Cams Johnson lifters, not Rhoads, so that part of the plan changed. We're making progress, as the filming schedule allows, so stay tuned and let me know if you all are learning. Thanks!

Part 3 is now online: Magnafluxing the block, measuring the bores and turning the crank.

The build followed a smoothed and shaved custom or street rod aesthetic. You'll also notice the side indicator lights are smoothed, as are the door handles and locks - shaved. Look closely and you'll see that even the bumper has been smoothed a bit by getting rid of the factory step. This is an old customizing tradition that emphasizes the car's lines over extraneous add-ons or decorative elements. Only the hood and decklid have been decorated and are viewable from a high angle, the hood bird in the factory tradition, the pin-up - acknowledgement of an American tradition dating before WWII. The glamour paint also alludes to the Motorama concept cars of the fifties. The result is something familiar to old school hot rodders but different applied to a more modern car. You might want to try these styling ideas in Photoshop first on one of your project cars to see if the result is a pleasing one.

I mixed up a tan flesh tone that also had pearlescent in it. I can just offer that there are no fast rules - just experiment a lot to see what looks pleasing. And remember to always use a respirator when spraying automotive paints and a fresh-air respirator system when using anything with isocyanates. I think Dru still teaches a school down here in South Carolina and does Airbrush Getaways for Airbrush Action in Vegas and other places, so you might want to take a few courses to learn from the pros first hand.

I used a lot of different kandy toners over a custom metallic base, so it's hard to answer that question. I guess by blending the main transparent colors you can create from a few colors a tremendous range in your palette. I just try to paint what I see.

The Iwata Eclipse is my favorite airbrush, too. I remember when Dru did that painting - it really was the one that launched his career. We both got our start airbrushing T-shirts in Myrtle Beach, something I would recommend any beginner since putting in the hours under pressure makes many highly skilled artists. Not that all professional airbrush artists are great, but like anything - practice, practice, practice!

Ooops! My pin-up photo was deleted above. You all can check it out on CarDomain, though. Nothing like internet censoring!