Ok my buddy is looking at a 68... I went to check it out with him last night, and I checked some numbers. I want to be able to tell him what he has... I did some research and this is what I can up with... now I want to see if I got it right: Needless to say this is nowhere need a numbers car... If anyone can tell me something about Traco it would help.

The Partial VIN and Engine Assenbly date stamp is replaced with 440001 and the Traco Logo. According to what I found about Traco on the internet, the Traco serial number means 440cu and serial #001. Traco was a company in the 80's that would take chevy big block motors and mod them to 500+hp. I found it in an 80's copy of HotRod magazine and other places on the internet. Apparently they went out of business in the late 90's. This motor sounds like it could be pushing almost 500hp. Not only does it have the Traco logo and all on the motor, but I saw a picture of a Traco Modified motor on the Internet and the Setup is the same. But what I don't understand is how you make a 454 into a 440?
If anyone can tell me something about Traco it would help.

The intake has the Winters Snowflake and is casting 30885069 which is the Intake Casting Number for - 4 BBL Holley - 1967&early1968 - 396cu - 375hp.

The engine casting date is K 11 74 which is Nov. 11, 1974 and the casting number is 3999289 which is for 1972-78 454 2-Bolt applied in Chevelle, Corvette, Monte Carlo, truck.

3925661 - Muncie Tranny Casting Number - 1970-1974... I did not see the Muncie Tranny ID Number which would have giving me the Date and type, but since the tranny casting is not correct for 1968 the date doesn't matter already... I assume it's an M-21 or M-22 by the way it sounds and feels. There is also a Roman Numeral II on side of Munice Tranny, and don't know what that means. The Munice Tranny Patent Number is 88336.

We did not take the valve covers off so I did not see the Head casting number, but they are Iron and the owner said the last time he has them off he remembers see it saying "Hi-Perf" somewhere in on the them.

Also on the Bellhousing it has a CONV2... Like in other posts, I have no idea what that means.

I don't know what to look for on the carb, but it is a Holley, I saw a bunch of writing on the side of the bolws, but those look like patent numbers and other stuff... ontop it said GR3828. The owner side it is a 750 CFM, but that all I got... maybe somone can tell me more about that.

THANKS!!!

 

I guess Numbers is a boring subject since no one even looked at it LOL!

 

I suppose that most folks aren't familiar with Traco numbers. Once the engine number is not right, they probably went on.

Your tranny looks to be an M21 - same as mine.

 

it could be a 427 instead of a 454.
http://www.firstgen.com/traco-ing.htm
traco was involved with the zl1 prototypes.

 

it could be a 427 instead of a 454.
http://www.firstgen.com/traco-ing.htm
traco was involved with the zl1 prototypes.

 

I saw a Traco 440 once. It had iron heads and the 425hp high rise intake. The whole engine was painted a light gray and sounded pretty wicked. Think the 440 is a .060 over 427.

 

Well I am also told that the engine is a 427... but the casting #3999289 which is for 1972-78 454 2-Bolt.

This engine too is painted light gray and sounds wicked.

What did you mean whe you said the 440 is a .060 over 427?

 

Travers and Coon - Traco.

Light gray shows off leaks better than other colors. That is why they used it.

The guys that brought you "Callaway Corvettes". That is TRACO today. Callaway Cars in Old Lyme CT. Not that they will be able to decode it for you but maybe you will get lucky.

-Mark.

 

Here is a link that I am certain will be of help: http://www.tra-coengines.com/history.html

Jim Jones is a super nice guy and owned Traco - now TRA-CO