Yes, the sticker price on irt is over 10K and it has everything including cb and power antenna and ive not seen many black black w all blue graphics. ....i suppose i wouldnt mind using the original block and heads and intake and making it 400 plus hp from there
I will not hook up emissions there are 200 hoses under the hood. ! i dont want to use stock exhaust manifolds really ... plus i wont have to have an engine laying around for it if i redo the original ....what are best options on that? compression/rods/cam etc etc

Good info in Steve's thread. For a Trans Am I agree, I would build a '71-72 455 HO, 9.5 to 1, runs on pump gas and cool as a cucumber.

Save the numbers engine for when you sell it.

If you go peruse this thread by BentwheelBob (who now owns and restored my black 455HO Formula) you can see what he did. He built a 461 stroker with 474hp/550 torque off the original 400 engine in his 78 T/A. Bob is a great guy and quite entertaining to read. And he had a set of modified 6X heads built for the project (similar to the heads that I used on my 455, from the original 350)

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=755425

engine info here:
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=755425
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...755425&page=18

dyno results
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...755425&page=39

Majority of the 4.4.4. cars were basically full option loaded cars in the 10k range with 2 page window stickers.
However, in that respect - the CB and the Pwr Ant. are the 2 things you usually do not see on most of them. Unless they were Silver Tenth Anniversary Editions (TA/TA)

Have only seen 1 Blk/Blk/Blue Birds ... just in internet pictures ... and was maybe even this same car you have now. It was also low miles being offered by a classic car dealer a few years back.

You can buy what we call a "garden variety" 400 core engine pretty cheap usually. $200-500
1972-up Lemans/Grandprix/GTO/Bird base engine
That is what i would do.
And then buy the forged component stroker kit to have around 455cid and approx 450-500hp. 9.2 - 9.7 Comp Ratio

That platform would have less initial investment than the cost of a pair of aluminum heads by themselves.

Then a pair of repo Over-Size RamAir high flow cast iron exhaust manifolds (aka 70 T/A Ram3 units - with Larger than factory outlets) , and a full performance bolt-on exhaust system from PYPES made for those manifolds , with a transverse mounted muffler.
Clean easy install D-I-Y.

Have the heads and intake and exh mans - gasket matched.
Mild clean up and bowl blend on the heads.

Cliff on the carb
Cliff on distributor recalibration
Cliff on the heads and valve/seat cut specs
Cliff on the cam selection
Basically Cliff on everything as far as build parts and recommendations , maybe even assembly.

His build platforms have mostly all already been dyno proven on the HP targets. No guess work. And no confusion with 27 different cam suggestions from interwebbers.

The Gramma car was the test bed for the installation video of the new Pypes oversized manifolds and exhaust system. It definitely woke the car up. I can honestly say that the Gramma car will leave our '73 SD455 in the dust. I did a little comparison timed sprint of a local on-ramp. The SD455 would get to the end of the short ramp at 50 mph. Gramma hit the same spot at 70 mph.

angry engine sound video clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptAubfuN8N4

install video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b9nQOYa4Hk

:biggthumpup:
Excellent strategy and sound advice !

Bob Rocks ! :beers:

Just to get you fully prepped -
Open Shaker vs. Closed Shaker is 2 different worlds completely.

You'll want to find a substitute 77-80 shaker top to cut open - if yours isn't already cut open. I think they might even offer an electric "functional flapper" D-I-Y upgrade for these now ?

This is the guy who sells the parts: http://pontiactransamshakers.homestead.com/

I actually used original 70-72 parts for my project since they were easily locate-able in my basement. :-)

Man
we are Hooking this dude UP with the mojo stuff

We Rock ! :headbang:
lol

I have a 557 block that I was considering using and have done some extensive research. The conclusion was roughly this:
Do not take it past 6000rpm. Keep it below 450 hp if going to ~5500rpm. If sticking at a max of 4500-5000(low-grunt street engine; torque monster), there is a reasonable chance you could get 500+hp and it would live safely.
RPM is going to be the thing that causes the weaker 557 castings to slightly contort and that would then encourage the crankshaft to fail.
I would say for anything around 400hp, a 557 block would make a fantastic replacement motor so you can preserve the original block. Thankfully they are relatively common.


Have fun with the build!