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The 454 came out of some type of dirt track car and was still covered with dirt and smelled like racing gas when I pulled
the oil pan off. The engine was an LS-6 crate motor that someone had spent quite a bit of money upgrading. The engine has
been internally balanced and had stainless steel valves installed along with an Crane cam. It came a dual-plane L-88/LS7 intake
manifold that has the factory notch in the plemium.
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The engine provided quite an increase in horsepower and propelled the car into the low-7?s in 8th mile and to 11.40 @ 122
in the ? mile. The engine upgrade quickly overpowered the suspension; luckily I had a buddy who was parting out his 57 Chevy
drag car project. He had a 12 bolt with 4.88 gears and Strange axles complete with ladder bars, floaters and all the miscellaneous
parts needed to install it.
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In the meanwhile the engine had been providing good power with no major problems until a cam lobe bit the dust. A major overhaul
was in order. The block was bored out .030 and new set 11-? TRW pistons were installed along with a 595/621, 320/330 258/268/@50
solid lifter camshaft. The heads received a set of one-piece stainless steel 2.300/1.88 valves along with a Moroso stud girdle
and Comp Cams roller rockers, Chrome-moly locks and retainers and a mild port clean up and a three angle valve job.
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While the bottom end was apart the rotating assembly was rebalanced, and the 5140 steel crankshaft was turned .010-.010, the
7/16 dimple rods were resized and SPS rod bolts were installed. A windage tray and oil gallery pan along with a new low profile
oil pan a double roller timing chain rounded out the upgrades to the rebuild.
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The car ran good and looked good for several more years, but in the fall of 1991 the cars paint started going downhill fairly
quickly and it was time for a new paint job. As with most car guys I enlisted the help of a friend; he traded a paint job
for an engine overhaul. He did the finish bodywork and laid on the paint while I did the minor rust repair in a welding class
at college.
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A new set of Hooker super comp headers were added long with a 750 Holley double pumper that has been idle
circuit squared.
During overhaul I started cleaning up the transmission and the miscellaneous pieces from under the hood.
** Here is a shot of the interior, thats about as much of a close-up as you get until it gets redone.**
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