Clark455

As many of you know, I have been very busy developing much needed camshaft thrust plates for our beloved classic Gen II 1964 - 1990 Oldsmobile Engines. As a result of all of this prototyping, I have built a number of rather beastly test engines to prove out my cam thrust plate designs in live testing with a variety of different flat tappet and roller camshafts along with a variety of popular timing chains. I have four engines in various stages of prototyping. This 403 has very successfully served its complete purpose at this point and is now ready to go up for sale. It has successfully achieved over 25 cumulative hours of run time on the test stand, having been torn down for re-inspection and confirmation of the tolerances and run time wear testing quite a few times to ensure the validity of the new 403 only cam thrust plate design. This engine is currently installed in my '86 442 test bed vehicle. You can run engines all you want on test stands, though it is my opinion that real world in car testing is the final word. This engine has surpassed all of my expectations, being an "oversquare" package with a large 4.351" bore versus its 3.385" stroke. Unlike its true big block brethren, this "big little small block" has really turned out to be quite the little rev monster, eagerly willing to rev very freely as per enjoying the good cylinder head flow characteristics of the big block heads installed onto it! The Crane roller cam, the Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, and the 10.5:1 compression have come together in such a way as to surpass all of my expectations. This build is belting out a solid 500+ horsepower, but it is also providing a very large amount of unexpected low end torque too. It is VERY civil with excellent drivability, smooth but distinctive roller cam idle.

* Check out the new action videos posted on 5/24 * (Scroll all the way down to the latest posting on 5/24 - post #35)

Here is the parts list that went into this rather exotic 403:

1979 Firebird Formula Engine Core Casting 557265 4B
Olds 330 Forged Crankshaft
Machine Crankshaft .010 / .010
Polish Crankshaft Rear Main Seal Flange for Viton updated seal design
4340 Chromoly Steel H Beam Connecting Rods
Racetec 4.351” Bore Forged Flat Top Pistons 4cc Valve Relief / Moly Rings
King (Performance Oiling Modified) Main Bearings
King Connecting Rod Bearings
Durabond Cam Bearings
Crane Cams Hydraulic Roller Cam / Lifters 276 / 284 Duration .520 / .542 Lift
CNC Machined Bronze High Performance Camshaft Thrust Plate
Speedmaster 4130 Chromoly Heavy Duty Pushrods
Speedmaster 5140 Chromoly Adjustable Pushrod Guide Plates
Speedmaster 4140 Chromoly 7/16 Rocker Arm Studs
Speedmaster Stainless Steel Roller Rocker Arm Set
Speedmaster Top Sprocket Adjustable Timing Chain Set
Cloyes .005 under size Timing Chain
Speedmaster Custom Milled 69cc Cylinder Heads
ARP High Performance Series Cylinder Head Bolt Kit
Cometic MLS Head Gaskets .027" installed thickness
Edelbrock Custom Milled Performer RPM Intake Manifold
Edelbrock Intake Manifold Gaskets
Mr Gasket STOCK HEIGHT Chromed Valve Covers
Edelbrock Valve Cover Gaskets
OLDSMOBILE V8 HEI 65,000 Volt Performance Distributor with 4340 Chromoly Gear
Delphi Ignition Module (observed longer dwell time for improved coil saturation for hotter spark)
New Oldsmobile Oil Filler Tube & Cap
Rocket Racing 2 Piece Billet Timing Cover
Performance Quotient PQx SFI-Rated Racing Damper
Milodon Adjustable Billet Timing Pointer
Grade 8 Crankshaft Bolt and OE Reproduction Correct Washer
Speedmaster Billet Flexplate
ARP Flywheel Bolts
ENGINETECH 2 Piece Viton Rear Main Seal
MELLING High Volume Oil Pump
Oil Pump High Pressure Spring Kit
Oldsmobile Non Bypass Design Billet Oil Filter Adapter
Correct Brass Oldsmobile 442 Reproduction Oil Pressure Elbow
8 Quart Chromed Oil Pan (yes, 8 quarts)
8 Quart Pan Oil Pump Pickup
Milodon Oil Pump Driveshaft (shortened to correct length)
Port Rear Crankshaft Main Cap Oiling Passage
Oil Pump Mounting Stud Kit
ARP Main Studs
Dick Miller Racing 5 Point Main Girdle with Windage Tray
Machine Crankshaft Main Caps for use with DMR Girdle
ARP External 12 point Stainless Engine Bolts throughout
Balance Rotating Assembly to within a 1/4 gram (thank you Grant Racing!)
Hot Tank Engine Block
Hone Cylinders for Moly Rings
New Replacement Cylinder Head Dowel Pins
New Overlength Replacement Timing Cover Dowel Pins
Moroso Extra Long Bellhousing Dowel Pins
Fel-Pro Composite Oil Pan Gasket
Fel-Pro Timing Cover Gaskets
GMB Aluminum Water Pump Late Model 5.97” Height
Four Seasons Cast Aluminum Thermostat Housing
180 Degree Gates HD Thermostat
Billet Handle Custom Oil Dipstick
Milodon Brass Freeze Plug Kit
New Replacement Oil Gallery Plug Set
Canton Racing Billet Aluminum Mechanical Fuel Pump Block-Off Plate
New Replacement Crankshaft front oil slinger
New Replacement Crankshaft Key
FST Performance RT Plus Series 750 Double Pumper Carburetor
Chromed Carburetor Fuel Line
Chromed Throttle Return Spring and Bracket
Stainless Steel Intake Manifold Port Plugs
Mr Gasket 14” Low Profile Air Cleaner
Thornton W31 Reproduction Coated Exhaust Manifolds

Ready to Run! Includes FST Performance 750 CFM Double Pumper Carburetor tuned in just right, runs like it is fuel injected! Ignition timing and advance curve dialed in just right, includes 8mm spark plug wires – ready to drop in and run. Complete turn key engine from air cleaner to oil pan!
NOTE: Includes late model 5.97” length aluminum water pump, but does not include any other front drive accessories / pulleys beyond the harmonic balancer. Currently equipped with the CVF Serpentine Drive System which is being transferred to the next prototype engine being installed in place of this engine.


Initial Test Runs Completed

Ready to go into the 442 next

Freshly Honed STOCK bores! (Lisle 15000 Cylinder Hone 320 Grit Finish)

Racetec Piston and H-beam Rod about to go in

DMR 5 Point Girdle Test Fit On Machined Main Caps

Windage Tray Installed

DMR Windage Tray Installed 2

Final Production Thrust Plate Installed

Rocket Racing 2 Piece Billet Timing Cover

As you can see, a LOT has gone into beefing up this engine. I believe the bottom end can easily now handle an additional 150 shot of nitrous on top of the power it is already making. It now has almost 200 miles of road use in the 442, finding that it wants to rev and rev and rev, but I am shifting at 6 grand right now because I feel like it is right there at peak power. It is likely capable of pulling well into 6500 RPM's, but I just don't see the need for it.

Summary? This engine is now officially for sale, with an asking price of $12,500 FIRM. I have tallied up what has been invested into this build, and it surprised me to see just how much I ended up putting into it. I want to keep it in the 442 until a perspective buyer is ready for a test drive, as it is quite the handful that really should be experienced live in the car. You've got to watch it with this beast, as it will absolutely light the tires on a 15-20 roll, then continue to just blaze the tires well into the top end of second gear! Needless to say, I'll be doing the driving. If you want any particular picture of any aspect of the build, let me know, as I have quite a few on file. I have videos of testing the rotating mass while on the stand available, and can shoot any requested run time videos or take any particular pictures you may want. This engine is located in Lebanon, TN on the eastern side of the Nashville area. PM me if you are interested - SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY. Payment must be in cash. Once payment is received, I will commence pulling the engine out of the car for you immediately, ready for LOCAL pickup within 24 hours or less.

Olds64

Clark, I moved your thread to the "For Sale" forum. Hopefully you get more views this way.

Who needs a SMW 403 when it's built like that?

Greg Rogers

Sounds amazing!!

DR_DAN

Just an FYI, at that price I’d include a dyno sheet to back up said HP / TQ numbers

Clark455

"Just an FYI, at that price I’d include a dyno sheet to back up said HP / TQ numbers"

As the previous owner / engine builder of Unlimited Racing in Detroit years and years ago, I have a pretty darned good sense of what types of power levels I am dealing with behind the wheel of most any given car. Here are the results of plugging all of this engines relevant data into Desktop Dyno:



This graph is just about exactly what it feels like in the car. Gobs of low end torque followed up with a rapidly climbing horsepower curve.

The low end torque is amazing, pulling like a turbo diesel from all the way down low, then here comes the horsepower climbing quickly where they meet right in a sweet spot of 5250 RPM. The horsepower peaks right where my observations are behind the wheel, shifting at 6 grand. The numbers show it will continue to pull well higher up in the RPM range, though shifting at 6300 didn't seem to bring anything more to the table as compared to shifting at 6000.

There is a Mustang Specialty Speed Shop in the area that has a rear wheel dyno. I will give them a call and see if they will let me put my 442 up on the rollers as I am curious as to what the rear wheel horsepower numbers are.

This is a helluva combo that has really surprised me. I am purposely leaving it in the car until a perspective buyer can get a ride in it. Dyno sheets are great, but every passenger I have put in the car with me has said "Holy Sh*t that thing is an animal"

Again, let me know if you would like any other pictures or information about this build, even if it is to possibly help you with your 403 build.

Paul

Clark455

Adjustable cam timing via the top sprocket instead of the usual bottom sprocket. The Rocket Racing billet two piece timing cover and this top sprocket design makes it half the work to change the cam timing if ever desired.

Close up shot of cylinder walls. YES, these are the STOCK bore size, opened up .003" more to accommodate the expansion characteristics of the forged pistons at wide open throttle (when HOT!) - they cleaned up beautifully with the Lisle 15000 Pro bar type hone (most definitely not just dingleberry honed). These pistons are "talkative" when cold, but just right when hot. The rings were set on the loose side of the end gap range to possibly accommodate Nitrous (150-175 plate system).

This is the first time I have tried the FST Carburetor - VERY IMPRESSIVE!

All of the main bearings have been modified for proper oiling by slotting the feed holes. Oil pressure is excellent on 10W40 Castrol Classic High Zinc break in oil. 35-38 at hot idle, 65-68 at 3000 RPM hot. No (silly) oil restrictors used - the DuraBond Cam Bearings have the properly sized oil feed holes along with precise tolerances. You can see all the way through the oil passage to the cam bearing oil feed hole if you look closely.

Ported oil passage in the rear main cap. Oil pump mount surface cleaned up dead flat for perfect oil pump interface.

Installed and running now in our 1986 442. Chevrolet Performance 4L85E, Bowler Custom Triple Disc 2600 Stall Speed Torque Converter, Moser Fab9 Rear Axle with 3.70 gears. Clears the G Body STOCK HOOD with room to spare. The Thornton W31 exhaust manifolds have been coated bright silver and haven't discolored one bit yet using KBS Extreme Temp Coating - look great with the aluminum heads! Impressive CVF Serpentine Belt Drive System running a factory clutch fan (front drive accessories NOT INCLUDED with the engine).

DR_DAN

I have a 680 hp pump gas 403 based. I don’t need any help with anything. I was merely trying to help you as if you had actual dyno numbers. These guys on here want that information for that kind of money. Good luck

Clark455

Here is the valve train testing:


Here is the rotating mass testing:


Here is the initial test fire:

Simmering in the new build nice and easy at idle

Clark455

Wow - you're pushing 680 on pump gas - impressive! Is that naturally aspirated or with any type of power adder? I built this 403 as only a test engine for prototype validation of my new 403 only cam thrust plate. The goal was to make it a very friendly street / strip engine, though it's turned out way better than expected. I definitely don't mind if we comingle discussions of my 403 that's up for sale here with some info about your beastly 403 pushing 680 on pump gas! Knowing how to make a 403 live at high outputs is an art in and of itself, what with the windowed mains and thinwall lightweight castings for sure. Did you do a full custom bottom end girdle on yours? As far as your posts, I appreciate your input - right there with you on your thinking. I know you don't need help with anything, just thinking maybe there are others reading wondering what they may possibly want to do to their 403's.

DR_DAN

NA, very good street manners

Clark455

I had tried to add some further technical notes to the original listing, though I apparently have hit the limit for the allowable amount of characters...

TECHNICAL NOTES:
* This engine builds WAY more power than any stock type mechanically driven fuel pump of any sort could ever hope to provide. As such, the fuel pump connection on the engine block has been blocked off with a Canton Racing billet plate (the fuel pump eccentric IS installed inside of the engine). This means that a successful installation into your vehicle will require an upscale fuel delivery system such as a chassis mounted or in tank high-capacity fuel pump - this engine needs fuel to make the power it does.

*This engine is currently equipped with Thornton reproduction Oldsmobile W31 exhaust manifolds that have been ported for maximum flow. These high flow manifolds actually flow almost as good as full length headers do. This means that you can connect this engine to most factory style Oldsmobile dual exhaust systems as a direct plug n play. I will say that there is definitely 30 to 50 more horsepower to be had if a set of full length large tube headers where to be installed on a minimum of a 2 1/2" performance exhaust system, but as you can witness in a test drive, this engine breathes astoundingly well through the W31 high performance factory style exhaust manifolds as currently connected to a Pypes 2 1/2" full X pipe exhaust system (with electric dumps / cutouts just for fun!).

* For best results, you should have a torque converter with a slightly looser than stock stall speed combined with a 3.08 or better rear end gear ratio. I just don't know why I didn't think of this while the crankshaft was out at the machine shop being serviced - I definitely should have had them easily drill the backside of the crankshaft to accommodate a stick shift installation (hindsight is always crystal clear!). A stick shift can still be run, but a special auto trans to manual trans conversion bushing / bearing will have to be installed into the back side of the auto trans spec crankshaft to do such. Again, I had the perfect opportunity to have the machinists drill the backside of the crank while it was in their possession for a mere $75 to $100, and I just cannot believe it slipped my mind to do this. Why Oldsmobile didn't just drill all of their crankshafts to accommodate both stick shift and auto trans use is just beyond me - especially a forged crank...

*Additionally, the bottom end of this engine has been built STRONG: Forged crankshaft, chomoly H beam performance connecting rods, forged pistons, fully balanced, modified high-capacity oiling system, and most importantly ARP main studs tied into a Dick Miller Racing 5 point main girdle support package with windage tray. Dick Miller feels that this combination is capable of handling up to 700 horsepower. The engine is putting out a solid 500 horsepower. This means you could very safely install a 150-175 shot of Nitrous Oxide to this engine without worry. Very tempting, but my '86 G Body 442 can barely handle this engine as it is. If you have an earlier '64 - '72 A Body Cutlass, you could definitely put a 175 shot of nitrous on this engine as your chassis / body can handle it WAY better than my late model G body can

Thank you for viewing - please feel free with any questions that may come to mind.

Clark455

I have been receiving inquiries as to whether this engine will fit a Pontiac Trans Am with a shaker hood. Unfortunately, the Edelbrock Performer RPM intake is too tall for this unique shaker hood package - please look it up on the internet if you are not clear as to what a Trans Am shaker hood is. It would take a very considerable amount of modification and fabrication to make this work. With these factory shaker hood air cleaner assemblies now being worth a thousand dollars, I strongly suggest you do not even think about cutting yours up (!). If you are serious about this engine, I have a stock height '83 Hurst Olds A4 aluminum intake that I can modify to work with the Speedmaster big block cylinder heads (at further additional expense), though this is no easy task either. I would have to carefully TIG weld a considerable amount of aluminum to the tops of the intake ports and then have the intake manifold machined to even up the intake manifold gasket flanges (as the intake ports on the big block heads are much larger / taller than a standard 403 small block Oldsmobile cylinder head). This will kill a little bit of top end power, approximating 40-50 horsepower, but would increase low end torque a bit as a decent trade off. With this much power on tap, I doubt you would even really miss the 40-50 horsepower unless you had run it and gotten a full taste of it. As this would require considerable modification to an already valuable Hurst Olds intake manifold that is in excellent condition, I'd rather not go down this path. So, sorry guys, this engine is not the best choice for your Trans Am with the factory shaker hood. Firebird Formula? YES Factory Turbo Trans Am? YES Just not any model that has the factory shaker hood scoop package. An aftermarket hood of a different design is also an option that would clear this engine, but take away some of the character of the Trans Am package in my opinion.

Do please feel free with any further questions you may have.

Paul

Alaska442

Butler performance makes a modified air cleaner package to use with the RPM and shaker.

Clark455

Unless I am wrong, or they have developed something I am not aware of / hasn't hit their website yet, the Butler Perf drop base air cleaners for the Performer RPM intakes state: **WILL NOT WORK w/ 403(1979) or 301(1980-81) Shakers**

Am I missing something? Can the T/A guys with the 403's do this without chopping up their Olds specific shakers?

Alaska442

I have used one in my 1979 trans am 403 powered. You have to modify the shaker to use it but the instructions are in the kit.

cutlassefi

That’s a really small camshaft, and I’d be curious as to what head flow numbers you used on the desktop Dyno, as those heads ain’t great out of the box.
Paul, do yourself a really big favor, either don’t make horsepower claims, or have it Dyno’d. I don’t think that’s an unfair request for that amount of money. What somebody else did, even with a similar build, really doesn’t help you here at all. Just sayin.
P.S. And you have a halo, not a girdle. Big difference in cost and effectiveness. Again, just sayin’.
Best of luck in the sale though. Hope it sells quickly for you.

Clark455

I had the car out the day before (warm sunny day, not cold evening pavement), and from a 10 roll it instantly went ballistic, shifted into second as quickly as possible to stay out of valve float, still going ballistic straight to redline, banged third and it STILL kept blowing the tires off screaming towards redline. I didn't expect this at all, especially with a heavy full tank of gas ballasting down the rear. That was on asphalt. Know of anything less than 500 horse that can do that? 1986 442, Chevrolet Performance 4L85E, Bowler custom built 2800 stall converter, Moser Fabricated 9" with 3.70 gears, 10" tires. I doubled back to look at the rubber on the road, estimating 300' +/- This makes trying to get readings out of my Gtech Pro impossible, as I am having no luck at all getting this car to hook. I then made another pass on an area of road where some rubber is laid down onto cement - our local neighborly test and tune spot lol, where it hooked just a bit better on the initial drop of the hammer at the 10 roll, but there it went again up in smoke doing it's same crazy 1st, 2nd, 3rd blazing of the rear tires - got really sideways this time though which scared the wee out of me. That ol' saying of "my heart skipped a beat and I greased the seat" (zoiks!) I didn't want to cut my 69,000 mile original car, but am in the process of notching the rear frame rails as we speak to get some more rubber out back before I kill myself skating as severely as it did the night before. I have been on the fence about cutting the car, as everything I have done to it so far has been in an effort NOT to cut it, BUT that last session of extreme traction problems all the way well into third gear sealed the deal as a must do, so currently cutting and welding (!)


REALLY didn't want to have to do this, but the 403 scared me the other night skating sideways at 70+ MPH - DOH!
I knew this frame notch was inevitable with the 540 twin TorqStorm engine eventually heading for the car, but even the previous 488 didn't give me such traction problems as this 403 is. Once its gets up into its peak at 6 grand, it's downright nuts how this thing pulls.
Sounds like I need to strap this down to a rear wheel dyno to put some hard data in front of you, though I believe I already have the engine sold. I may still depending upon if I have enough time before I need to pull the engine for the buyer.

This is EXACTLY why it is in the car, so that I can put the perspective buyer into a real-world scenario. Dyno numbers and parts lists are nice, but to see what this "big little small block" can do live in the car to me is the REAL DEAL.

Paul...

Clark455

Dick Miller refers to this as a girdle, so...

DMR GIRDLE

DR_DAN

I have an 84 HO and 87 442 both with identical 9-16-2 compression 403’s, small cams, iron heads, can run on 87. Both are low 12 second cars and from 30 mph will annihilate the tires until you hit 4th with street tires. Either engine probably makes 420-430 ish Hp

Mr Nick

My 69 has a 400+ hp small block (dyno'ed at 360 to the tires) and best I've ran is 13.7. I didn't realize how bad I am at launching a manual transmission.

70W-32

Buy some newr M/T drag type radials

CANADIANOLDS

Why not put some sticky tires on it and take it to the track?

shut everyone up

Mr Nick

I was afraid to break something. But now I've got a new aluminum driveshaft and rear end built by Brian Trick. Maybe I need to get some better tires and try again...

Sorry to hi-jack a for sale thread. Great engine, good luck with your sale.

Clark455

Mark, I'm not sure what you are seeing on the flow bench with the Speedmaster heads. I have it on good authority that Speedmaster obtained a set of ported Edelbrock heads that they used to help pattern their version of the Olds cylinder heads. Even the original Edelbrocks flowed 272 on the intake, and 207 on the exhaust as per this article:

Edelbrock cylinder head design

I have ported a few of the Edelbrocks over the years to get them to breathe, running them before and after - it took quite a bit of work to get them to really run, unfortunately even hitting water in the process. The first set of Speedmasters I tried was with some reservation, but they ran WAY better than I expected them to right out of the box. I was very tempted to take a die grinder to them when I first pulled them out of the box, but decided to see what they would do on my 488 without touching them. WOW - I was VERY HIGHLY IMPRESSED. I don't have a flow bench like you do, but these Speedmasters have got to be flowing better than what the original Edelbrocks were flowing at 272 intake / 207 exhaust, so those were the numbers I put into DesktopDyno.

For those that might appreciate some further info on the Speedmaster Olds heads, here is an unbiased well done evaluation video you may enjoy:


I have a full UMI rear suspension, and a Moser Fab9 rear end in my car. With the previous 488, it hooked so damned hard that I scattered my Art Carr 200R4 to pieces the second time I put full throttle to it after my initial 500 mile break in. I now have a Chevrolet Performance 572 spec 4L85E in place of the 200R4, along with a Bowler triple disc 1000+ rated torque converter. The 200R4 had a first gear ratio of 2.74:1, while the 4L85E has a lesser 2.48:1 first gear, so I was expected less hit coming through the taller gear ratio and the vastly bulkier transmission with more parasitic loss. This "big little small block" by contrast has been blowing right into valve float almost faster than I can shift it into second gear, then continuing to just scream for redline wailing the tires off the rims through second gear, then still blazing the tires into third gear. As such, I spent last weekend installing the UMI frame notch kit to now accommodate considerably more rubber out back. The new rims and tires will be here this weekend, looking forward to seeing how the car behaves with vastly more rubber out back. Maybe I can now finally get my Gtech Pro to give me some readings without just blowing the tires off. I suspect I will have to "season the tires in" a bit, but hoping I can hook this car and get some good pulls out of it now. Weather permitting, I'll get some video this weekend.

Paul

DR_DAN

Clark455

This is straight out of the Hot Rod Magazine article titled "Edelbrock 455 Olds Dyno Mule - Rocket Booster" written in 1998 discussing out of the box 6051 Edelbrock heads:

As the brainstorming between Castillo and Mondello progressed, the shortcomings of the production Oldsmobile ports became apparent. The duo increased intake port volume from 177cc to 188cc and reshaped and opened up the throats to achieve airflow numbers of 272 cfm, versus the maximum of 204 cfm common to the W-30 production head. On the exhaust side, Mondello revealed that although the stock Olds ports look quite capable, a depression on the port floor hurts flow. When reworking iron heads for maximum performance, he routinely fills this depression, but since the Edelbrock effort was a start-from-scratch proposition, Castillo raised the floor of the exhaust port to eliminate the problem. The stock W-30 head shows 162 cfm, while the Edelbrock #6051 flows an impressive 207 cfm.

Argue with Hot Rod Magazine about the published Edelbrock flow rates - not me... I have no vested interest in Speedmaster, only my own observations building Oldsmobile engines. Like I said, I bolted an out of the box set of Speedmasters onto my stroker 488 and was blown away by how well they breathed well past 6250 RPM. The information regarding the Speedmaster design cylinder head came from the owner of a large race specialty manufacturer not affiliated or in competition with anybody in the cylinder head industry. He has no reason to BS. I have fact checked various things he has said to find them all true. You of course are a free agent to believe what you wish.

DR_DAN

I believe real world data not magazines or desk top dyno. Those heads out of the box aren’t great at all. They need a lot of work. Good luck with sale

Clark455

Well, I have been working VERY HARD to get some more appropriate rubber out back in efforts to hook this thing. Here's what has come to pass over the course of the last week:


Now we've got some decent rubber back here!

Oh that just looks so much better now

Turned out great! No rubbing - hooks WAY better now!

I need to still work on my launch, as it stills breaks loose and screams right to red line, but I DID manage to get it hooked up decently providing the following data on my GTechPro:


1/4 mile on brand new 295/50 street tires and just basic cement. This is STILL being hampered by severe traction issues during launch efforts. So so ET, but decent mile an hour on the big end. Need some slicks and a sticky track to really hook this thing up, but at least I can get some readings now, as all it would do before is just blow the tires off well into 3rd gear skating all over the place.

Terrible 60' but still managing a 0-60 of 3.877 spinning the tires all the way through 1st gear, and somewhat into 2nd gear.

How about these numbers?

Damn it's nice to finally get this car to hook and book!

This just about EXACTLY matches the Desktop Dyno numbers - interesting, no?


My guy Andrew from RideTech was supposed to shoot some video today of the 442 in action, but being a family man, he had to respectfully pursue other obligations with the kids today. It was a beautiful perfect day, and I wanted him to vid "seasoning the tires in" with 100 foot long wild rubber repaving select roads throughout the Tennessee country roads. I have to look into one of the GoPro cameras, as I could've recorded some wild passes today

Your friendly Ukranian Mad Scientist !

Paul...

Clark455

I am working with Reed Grant of Grant Racing in Murfreesboro, TN to have him flow an out of the box Speedmaster Olds head. He is digging around the shop to set up for a 4.350" cylinder flow test, illustrating how these heads flow in the unshrouded LARGE 403 cylinder bores. I am also asking him to set up a comparison flow test in a 4.155" bore (to see the effects the smaller cylinder bores that the big blocks have). I expect the flow numbers to be quite different between the two cylinder sizes, as the big block cylinder walls effectively shroud the valves much more (just out of sheer proximity of the valves to the cylinder walls).

Should be interesting to see the results before all too long. Some good hard data that I have not been able to find anywhere. My experiences with the Speedmasters have been surpassing my expectations, so either I'm hitting the mark on the combos in the builds I've used them on just right, OR they actually are going to raise some eyebrows with the flow bench results. Again, should be interesting...

Mark Remmel, aka cutlassefi, is currently massaging a set of Speedmasters I sent in to him for use on my 540 Twin TorqStorm supercharged build. This Rocket Racing block build will also be punched out to a 4.350" bore, so the valves will be rather unshrouded by cylinder wall proximity. Since I need to keep the compression down to a target of 9:1 in this build due to the boost it will be building, I have also asked Mark to rework the combustion chambers to open them up to increase the chamber size considerably which will further unshroud the valves increasing flow just that much more.

Paul

DR_DAN

Take it to the track and get an actual time slip. 11.34 @140 mph….. oh brother 🤦🏻‍♂️

Clark455

Here is the data playback:


It took quite a few passes to even get in the ballpark of a decent launch. I could not get the transbrake to hold, which likely would've not helped any as it would've just instantly blown the tires off upon release by shocking the tires loose. With hydroboost, I could at least develop enough brake line pressure to the rear brakes to footbrake hold approximately 60% maybe 65% throttle without breaking the tires loose. This allowed me to preload the chassis pretty good (car jacked the rear end right up and was twisted up under load), side stepping the brake pedal and mashing the throttle. This still resulted in this "big little small block" doing its scream straight for redline, but at least with some correlating forward momentum now with the fresh larger tires. I would've done much better had I installed some dedicated drag radials or slicks, but this is a ProTouring build so it's not set up for drag racing. The brand new Cooper Cobra tires were VERY greasy during the first few 100' burnouts breaking them in enough to at least even up the tread contact patch. The Bowler torque converter is definitely multiplying torque at quite a brisk rate, so I'm curious to see what it does the next time I have the car out locking up the converter (in all forward gears past 1st), as it has a triple disc TCC that can easily handle this little 403. As mentioned, I REALLY need to invest into a GoPro camera, or at minimum grab a couple of my guys to shoot some video from both inside and outside the car. The 120 MPH speedo was pegged right against the trip odometer reset peg on this run, which I have found to be about the 140 MPH mark as compared to the GPS Speedo App on my cell phone.



This correlates with the data on the GtechPro rather closely.

Since this car is just never going to hook properly the way the suspension is currently set up, taking it to the dragstrip is still going to provide too many variables even if I grab a set of drag radials or slicks. I know the ET and MPH aren't properly correlating in the readings taken yesterday. That being the case, I believe a chassis dyno session is going to be the best way to really accurately document what this engine is doing.

Keep busting my chops - I can take it

Paul...

Clark455

BTW - My car is definitely NOT your father's Oldsmobile:


REAR VIEW from underneath. I have put enough heat through the exhaust system with foot to the floor high speed runs to almost turn the tailpipes color now (like the headpipes have). Once the 540 goes in, the pipes will definitely be darkened all the way throughout, that's for sure. I have purposely kept the top side of the car looking as stock as possible

FRONT VIEW from underneath. The 8 quart oil pan only hangs down below the chassis just under an inch. Still have to be mindful of anything in the road of course, but nowhere near enough to worry about bouncing over any speed bumps or having to panic nearing any railroad tracks. Currently running ported Thornton Junior W31 type exhaust manifolds, which seem to be flowing exceptionally well.

Twin engine oil filters with a large oil cooler + 8 quart oil pan = 11 quart oil change (!) The third filter is an additional transmission filter, plumbed into an auxiliary liquid to air cooler after the fluid leaves the initial cooler in the radiator.


Nothing going on here, just a stock(ish) Olds, right? 69k original miles

"Stock" interior too, no?

Most have no idea what hit them until I hit the electric exhaust dumps and lay it on 'em

DR_DAN

I’m not trying to bust your chops at all. I’m just trying to tell you that you need actual time slips not g force stuff. Will the car do 140? Sure it will, just not in a 1/4 mile.

Clark455

ADDITIONAL COOL NOTE: I have three more brand new HOT 455 Olds Big Block builds that I am also going to be successively installing into my 442, road testing for 500 miles to fully break them in just right, then selling. Below is a short run clip of one of them - this is the next one going into the 442 after the 403 finds its new home. *If you are interested in any one of these big block builds, do please feel free to contact me* Two of them are 455's, and one of them is a stompin' 488 running the Eagle Stroker Kit. All of them have the looooong list of features just like the 403 in this listing - Speedmaster cylinder heads, full roller cam valvetrains, 8 quart oiling systems with windage trays, forged pistons, H beam rods, all ARP fasteners, and of course my new camshaft thrust plate designs, as that is what all of these engines were built for (to prove out the new specialized camshaft thrust plate designs):

Howards 4-7 Swap Roller Cam Test Run - YouTube


Thank you for viewing - please feel free with any questions that may come to mind.

Your friendly Ukrainian mad scientist -

Paul

Clark455

403 with Speedmaster heads blows the tires away well into second gear

403 with Speedmaster heads fighting for traction

403 with Speedmaster heads hits 140 MPH in seconds flat

403 with Speedmaster heads lays down a 100+ feet of rubber

403 with Speedmaster heads startles my passenger

This thing gets up into the 6 grand range and just pulls like a bull moose - turned out to be quite the "big little small block" rev monster

Your Ukrainian mad scientist at work -

Paul

QS442

Looks like fun going through those gears with the lightning rods and feeling that power in a g-body!

CANADIANOLDS

That car needs some real tires on it. you’re not fooling anyone spinning those things on the street.

65B01Delta

G Body on Steroids......

DR_DAN

:d

Clark455

** PRICE REDUCED $1000 ** From $12,500 now down to $11,500 ** I have now put 500 perfect miles of road testing onto this 403 camshaft thrust plate prototype engine, and it is time to pull it out of the car and install the next thrust plate test engine for 500 miles. This engine must find its new home now under your hood!

*DIRECT BOLT IN UPGRADE FOR YOUR OLDSMOBILE 260, 307, 330 or 350* This 403 will directly bolt in to provide a big shot of steroids into your car. Everything that currently fits your existing small block Olds will also be a direct fit to this engine - no hassles or fighting modifications to make parts fit. As a matter of fact, you can't even tell the difference between the other small block Olds engines and this engine except for the casting numbers. Of course, there is ALWAYS a catch, right? This engine is not set up for manual trans use (without modification as it has an auto trans crank in it - can be done though), and it must be set up with true dual exhaust (no exhaust crossover pipe under the oil pan).

SHIPPING: I have been approached about shipping this engine, as I previously had it set up for local pick up only. Now that I have thoroughly researched the shipping, it will consist of bolting the engine to a steel dolly / short stand that has large 6" locking casters. The casters will be removed from the steel dolly, packed inside of the shipping crate. The shipping crate will be a heavy duty Scribner Plastics 5108 V-8 Small Block Engine Shipping Container. The steel dolly that the engine will be bolted to will also be bolted to the bottom of the shipping container and through the pallet, then strapped down to the pallet with multiple STRONG straps. I take immense pride in my engines as they are handcrafted works of my art and passion for Oldsmobiles, and would not even want to hear of a dented or dinged valve cover or oil pan in transit, so I will pack the fire out of it using multiple heavy duty U-Haul blue shipping blankets, high density foam, and so on to make sure that it arrives to you without a single scratch in perfect condition ready to bolt into your car and run. So long as a forklift driver doesn't literally spear through the STRONG Scribner engine shipping container or downright drop the pallet, this engine will make it through the shipping process perfectly. This packaging will be of immense care and thought, as I would pack it as if I was to be receiving it, knowing what a killjoy it is to receive something damaged in shipping. I will provide multiple pictures of the engine being removed from my 442, being hand rubbed perfectly clean, bolted down to the steel stand, and finally being packaged up inside of the shipping container. If you are interested, please contact me through the Ebay message center with your desired ship to address so that I can calculate the exact shipping costs despite what may end up showing up in the shipping / freight shown at the top of this listing. This IS a very personal experience for me, wanting to make sure that my engine goes to a proper home and will be taken care of properly as the special engine that it truly is! Shipping costs will have to be calculated based upon your location. Overall, it looks like freight shipping will be in the area of $600, which includes the reusable engine shipping container and the rolling steel engine dolly / stand that you can use on your old engine that you have removed from your ride to store it properly in your garage / shop.
** FREE LOCAL PICK UP**

Thank you for viewing! Let me know if you have any questions.

Your friendly Ukrainian mad scientist,

Paul