Your thoughts on this engine pad stamping
07-31-2015, 07:51 PM
#21
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Yes. Jim had a couple of 421 engines slipped into the two Road and Track test cars that were tested by that magazine in Sept. '63. The '64 GTO was supposed to have a 389, but the 421 engine is identical in size, and almost identical in appearance. Same size and weight, but a LOT more get up and go. A guy on the GTO forums named Tenney has the original 'Red Car' from that test, and it is a true beast. The 'Blue Car' hasn't been seen since the time of the testing. It's presumed destroyed.
07-31-2015, 09:44 PM
#22
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07-31-2015, 09:50 PM
#23
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08-01-2015, 06:31 AM
#24
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I just make crap up that sound plausible.
08-01-2015, 10:09 AM
#25
Race Director
" after the ones you make up! 
08-01-2015, 11:50 AM
#26
Race Director
"Performance Clinic" was the super secret Chevrolet engine shop where certain engines were give extra special attention.
This was typically done for press release cars, executive cars, etc. and was not intended to be for engines that were sold to the general public.
These engines were specially balanced and blueprinted, and the parts selected had just a bit more "umpf". Not detectible to the naked eye, but could be measured if the engine was disassembled. Things like ever so slightly more compression for the pistons, ever so slightly more lift for the camshaft, special coatings for friction reduction.
They didn't usually "advertise", so finding one actually marked that way is pretty rare.
Think of if like the Lockheed Skunk Works. You know something really cool is going on behind the closed doors, but they can't tell you want it is.
This was typically done for press release cars, executive cars, etc. and was not intended to be for engines that were sold to the general public.
These engines were specially balanced and blueprinted, and the parts selected had just a bit more "umpf". Not detectible to the naked eye, but could be measured if the engine was disassembled. Things like ever so slightly more compression for the pistons, ever so slightly more lift for the camshaft, special coatings for friction reduction.
They didn't usually "advertise", so finding one actually marked that way is pretty rare.
Think of if like the Lockheed Skunk Works. You know something really cool is going on behind the closed doors, but they can't tell you want it is.
And up in New York, Baldwin Chevrolet was sending some of its brand new cars to Motion Performance down the block for a few "revisions".
On the West Coast, MOPAR "Performance Clinics" with Dick Landy and others were going on. This was in the mid-1960's. Maybe that 327 small block actually made it thru those MOPAR garages and got some semi-hemi heads or a RAM induction manifold.
Traco and George Hurst (West Coast) were also working with the factory racing teams on making more HP.
You never know during those times what really went on.
Larry
