Some things never change...on the other hand, some things do, on purpose. Even when you have a quick car there's that ever-present desire for more power and speed. With that desire in place and the will to make it happen, Steve Coombes re-engined his gorgeous Trans Am. The new combination, to wit: engine, driveline, suspension, traction and driving, proved to be very competitive (to say the least) as the TA was more than just another fast Pontiac at the 2001 Pontiac Southern Nationals, it won it's class. Check out the new engine picture.
Block 1970 2-bolt 400 block filled to freeze plugs
Bore/Stroke 4.165" x 4.125" (450 cid)
Deck Height +.0018" nominal
Heads Edelbrock #6050 semi-machined aluminum heads modified with T&D shaft mounted rocker arm system with .170" off-set on intake rockers; 1.65" inake and 1.60 on exhaust; Ferrea stainless steel valves: intake 2.150" titanium / exhaust 1.765'; equipped with Isky Endurance 9000 springs (part # 9365) with titanium retainers / Del West valve locks; installed at 1.955-1.957"; heads port matched to SCE #128103 gasket
Pushrods CV products 5/16" x 8.050" chromoly pushrods, .080" wall
Lifters Isky solid roller lifters with .150" pushrod offset; bolt in lifter braces
Crankshaft Crower lightweight billet with 3.0" mains; 4.125 stroke--BBC rod journal size; Pro-Gram Engineering steel main caps, rear, front and 4-bolt center
Balancer BHJ harmonic damper part # PO-1B-7 (SFI approved)
Piston Rods Crower midweight billet rods with cap screw/ BBC 6.800" with 2.20" journal, part # M93017
Pistons JE custom flat top pistons; 4.165", 5.5 cc valve reliefs, 488 grams; pin height 1.353", pin diameter .990", length 2.930", weight 1.44 grams; Spiro locks
Rings Speed Pro Competition Series, 1/16" top and 2nd, 3/16" oil ring
Bearings Federal Mogul Competition Series 3/4" groove main bearings and rod bearings
Camshaft Ultradyne mechanical roller; 310/318 @ .020"; 279/287@.050"; LSA 110, intake centerline 106/ exhaust centerline 114; gross lift of .704" with 1.65 rockers and .682" with 1.6 rockers. Valve lash .026"; camshaft degreed to 104.5 degrees intake centerline
Timing set Cloyes
Intake/Carb Edelbrock Victor, single plane, port matched to heads; Carb Shop Stage III 750 (926 cfm) Holley
Fuel delivery Electric- Holley Blue (2 total); Mallory 5 port regulator; Jaz 16 gallon fuel cell with sending unit; runs on race gas only
Water Pump Meziere electric,part # WP-103S rated 35 gpm
Exhaust Hedman with 2" primaries and 3.5" collectors into mandrel bent pipe; Dr. Gas X-type crossover into Walker Race Magnum mufflers
Ignition MSD distributor; MSD 7AL box, HVC coil and crank trigger; Taylor wires; 36.5 degrees total timing
Oil Pump Melling M54 80 lb pump
Oil 10w-30 Mobil 1
Transmission TH400 with manual valve body and deep pan; 8" Hughes Performance converter, 52oo stall; TCI heavy duty flexplate (SFI approved)
Rear End/Gears GM 12 bolt with Moser axles, C-clip eliminator; Auburn limited slip with 3.73 to 1 gearing; T/A rear end girdle
Other Canton 6 quart road race oil pan with baffles and buil in windage screen; crank scraper; Nunzi Automotive valley pan cover
Power Dynoed at: 554 lbs torque @ 5300; 699 hp @ 6900 rpm
Chassis Mods 6 point roll bar, sub frame connectors
Suspension Landrum 300 lb./in leaf springs with Cal Tracs traction bars; and Competion Engineering drag shocks, front and rear; all sway bars removed; Moog 6 cylinder front coil springs
Tires/ wheels 26-7.50-15 M/T Sportsmans mounted on American Torque Thrust rims; Either McCreary L-60-15 D.O.T or 28-10.5-15w M/T slicks
Brakes Wilwood 10.5" manual front disc, rear drum
Car Weight 3675 lbs. race weight
ET/speed Best to date: 11-3-01, 10.459 @ 128.20
Copyright © 1997-2001, Bill Boyle. All rights reserved.