TA TOMAHAWK block

Discussion in 'Tomahawk Block Buildups' started by badbuik, Nov 27, 2010.

  1. badbuik

    badbuik Well-Known Member

    Tomahawk missile: designed by General Dynamics in 1970. Used by the U.S. Navy to accurately and effectively destroy a variety of surface targets. An all weather, medium to long range subsonic cruise missile. Launch vehicle of choice, Naval ships and subs.......

    And now introducing the 2010 TA Tomahawk; to replace the model "455stock" block which has been known to explode in the launch vehicle, after only seconds...... Mike T. of TA Performance, and his team of engineers, took a few years to design, develop, and produce the TA TOMAHAWK block, at a fraction of the cost compared to the Navys' Tomahawk. This version is for "public use" and the performance potential is incredible! Weighing in at 166lbs. extra webbing, improved oiling, oil restriction capabilities,and bosses for motor plates, are just a few of the high points, and overall a beautiful bad ass piece of work!
    Others have attempted to produce a new "weapon" for the Buick community,
    much "BULL" slinging was used to "DOG" investors, but turned into a painful "dud". Mike T. stepped up in a big way.

    Now available, the highly anticipated TA TOMAHAWK block, the "weapon of choice for the Buick community!"

    Navy Tomahawk
    nit cost $US 569,000[1]
    Specifications
    Weight 1,440 kilograms (3,200 lb)
    Length Without booster: 5.56 m
    With booster: 6.25 m
    Diameter 0.52 m

    TA TOMAHAWK
    cost Call TA
    Specifications
    Weight 166 lbs.
    Length About this long…
    About this wide…
    Diameter Ready to hone to 4.350, or bore it BIGGER!

    Gary Giessen says, " I'm going to blow the **** out of the competition with my TA TOMAHAWK!!!"
    All joking aside, this block is awesome! Thanks again Mike T. for going that extra mile delivering it to my house. That just shows the kind of man you are, and you can see your passion for the Buick community, in this block.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. badbuik

    badbuik Well-Known Member

    More pics.
     

    Attached Files:

  3. staged67gspwr

    staged67gspwr "The Black Widow"

    Looks killer i bet you`re stoked i know i`d be,lol is there a provision for a ball stud for stick cars on the block?can you snap a pic of the side rear drivers side of the block?


    Thanks
     
  4. badbuik

    badbuik Well-Known Member

    Yes it does, here's pics.
     

    Attached Files:

  5. staged67gspwr

    staged67gspwr "The Black Widow"

    Excellent!!thanks.
     
  6. Bruce Kent

    Bruce Kent Well-Known Member

    I was in the right place at the right time on Friday to go with Mike to deliver this block to Gary. Before leaving to Gary's Mike showed me the block and we looked at it from every angle. This is a very nicely done, well thought out, very well detailed block. First the little things like pry slots in the main caps to help lift out the main caps or better yet the threaded holes in the center of the caps for a slide hammer to pull the caps. Both are great ideas. While I'm on the caps, they aren't just a squared off hunk of steel. They are blanchard ground with a profiled top.

    The water jacket plugs and oil galley aren't pipe tapped, they use a straight thread with o-ringed cap. No galled or siezed threads. Oil restrictors use a holley jet to create a simple way to change orifice size to meter oil to the lifters and valve train.

    There are tapped provisions for dry sump feed lines, valley suction port at back of block for easy connection to dry sump pump, enlarged feed line at oil pressure sensor position for external oil pump connection although unless running a dry sump I don't see a need to run an external oil pump now that oiling has been greatly improved.

    Universal bellhousing bolt patterns. 9/16 & 1/2 main studs, extra head stud bosses.

    After seeing one I need to re-evaluate my 2011 plans and figure out how I can latch on to one of these so I can finally create a bullit proof short block. Yes it is a sizeable investment but I can see where the costs come from with all the features that are included in the block and I won't have to spend time doing.

    Good job Mike. I hope I didn't give away any secrets but I was really impressed.

    Bruce
     
  7. gymracer01

    gymracer01 Well-Known Member

    Are these blocks readly available or are they just coming through to fill orders with deposits? Only when I can go lay the cash down and drive away with a block will I be interested. Sure looks good.
    Jim Netherland
     
  8. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Jim,

    Last I heard, there were several that were not spoken for.. Call TA and talk to Mike about one on Monday.

    I have 3 coming for customers, and one for the shop, and Bruce did a good job of telling you all why. 1 is a naturally aspirated STG 2 bracket race motor, 2 will be centrifical supercharged/FI pieces. The other block is a developement piece, that I will be building and dyno testing. That one has all the Buick specs, and I will be building some street/strip combos with a stock crank, to show what the extra cubes can do for folks that just want a cool aluminum motor in their streeter, but don't need the $2800 forged or Billet crank.

    I have had several customers over the years who certainly didn't need any stronger block for their builds, but would have bought one, just for the cool factor.. price was no issue to these customers.

    I am not in the least bit surprised that they are a reality, and that they are feature packed and a quality casting.

    I have had as many TA parts pass thru my hands as anyone outside the building at TA, and the quality has always been consistantly good.

    Superior design and execution of the product is second to none, for parts of any make, by any vendor.

    Congrats to the whole staff at TA for making this a reality, and especially to Mike, as building this block has been a dream of his for a long time. I know for a fact that pursuing this project during this time of a down turn in the ecomony has been a major deal out there, but they saw it thru, and we now have the missing piece of the puzzle for a reliable, powerful BBB engine.

    Buy them up folks, as I would expect it will be a little while before the next production run is made, so if your going to need one in the near future, get it now.

    I told Mike over and over during the process that "if he made it, they would come".. and I do believe that has been true so far.

    JW
     
  9. ken betts

    ken betts Well-Known Member

    Mike delivered the first production block to me on thanksgiving day. Its a solid block for supercharged racing 2000 -3000HP. The blocks with water jackets are also available right now. My plan is to pick up another block soon with the water jackets. With that said there are a few blocks available right now not yet paid for or no deposit have been made on them, but only a hand full. Most blocks in the first production run have been spoken for , so if you are real serious plop down the money to TA NOW and pick it up NOW. Thanks to all who's interest has made this possible. Now go beg Mike for a killer head, we need that now also. Thanks kenny betts
     
  10. nitrousfish

    nitrousfish Dave Fisher

    That great news Gary..I always heard Rick talking about your car..can't wait to see your new bullet...Fish
     
  11. gymracer01

    gymracer01 Well-Known Member

    Thanks Jim Weise for the info. I'm not looking to turn the earth, but want to run 9.50 any where I race. In good air at the end of this season I was going 10.15-.20 and that was with an engine that has been raced hard for 5+ years. It would be easy to get it in the 9's now but I know what the result would be since I'm using stock crank and rods. I feel that by going to the aluminum block and good rods and maybe a good crank and switching to a roller cam so I don't have to worry with lobe wipe out (even though I have NEVER lost a cam) I would have a package that I could lean on and still last like I expect my engines to do. Will be studying everything to accomplish what I want to do.
    Jim N.
     
  12. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    I talked to Mike today, there are still about 8 blocks available.

    I also learned today that he will be able to produce these blocks in runs of 5, once the original production of 30 are sold out.

    He will need 5 orders of the same block... ie.. 3" mains and ford cam tunnel, or 3.25" mains and buick cam tunnel, or 2.75" mains and ford cam tunnel.. or whatever combo 5 customers decided they want.

    So they should be avalable without years of waiting time, which was a concern for me as I had a couple customers of mine who potentially would want that block in the future, but don't need it now. I was worried he would have to have 20 orders or something like that, which might take a while. But with a threshold of 5, it should be much easier.

    JW
     
  13. offbrand Racing

    offbrand Racing Platinum Level Contributor

    JW,

    That is great news to hear about the available blocks and knowing that Mike can do short runs to help w/ the lead time on these blocks. Still it is pretty tempting to pick one up before they are gone.

    Are all of the remaining blocks 3" mains and Ford cam tunnel?

    A big thanks to TA for stepping up and bringing these to market:TU:
     
  14. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Yes, I believe they are all 3" mains and Ford size cam tunnels Jim.

    You could call TA and ask Mike to be certain.

    And yes, if your S/C motor hurts the block, and all the first production run is sold out, down time is a certainty, just how long is the question.

    You would want to buy a block first, and then later on get a forged crank, an then "put them in stock", because those are the long lead time items. Pistons and rods can be had in a week or so.. or you could even re-use your current stuff, assuming it doesn't end up in the oil pan.. :shock:

    I probably would do this, before bolting the smaller pulley back on at the track.. that will be a lot easier to do, knowing you have a backup plan.

    With the bigger pulley, and keeping the rpm around 6000, the current stock block based motor should live a decently long life. That 1000 HP pulley and 6300+ rpm will shorten that life dramatically.

    JW
     
  15. staged67gspwr

    staged67gspwr "The Black Widow"


    Jim,with all these options ford cam tunnels,big mains small mains,whats best to pick?what are pros and cons?
     
  16. Rob Ross

    Rob Ross Well-Known Member

    What about the 6 bolt cylinder heads, are those available yet?
     
  17. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    George,

    It really depends on what your going to do with the motor..

    If your getting one for your street car, mainly just for the light weight and "coolness" factor (off the chart.. :TU: ) then getting a block that will hold your current components will save you big money. So a standard deck height, Buick main and cam block would be the way to go.

    If your building say a 1000+ HP forced induction setup, then you want to go with a smaller main and the forged crank, and the larger cam brearings are nice for more agressive roller camshafts. But the price of the build just went up dramatically.

    Then if your going to scream the thing to 7500+ with a head that will be available in the future, and are maxing everything out, you problably want small mains, a tall deck, big cam bearings ect..

    Really depends on what your doing, and what your willing to spend. A forged crank, alum rod 555 shortblock is about 15K.. where you could probably get into an alum block motor, with your current stuff, for maybe just a bit more than half that..

    As far as having to buy a $2800 crank.. I strongly feel that a properly prepped stock 455 crank, in this block will be reliable to 800 Hp and 6500 rpm.

    I just had one at 1000+ HP and 6300rpm, and I pulled that motor apart and checked it, it survived just fine. My worries about stuff like that has more to do with the block flexing, than it does breaking the crank. That Buick crank is a pretty tough piece.

    To prove that out, I special ordered a block with the Buick mains in it, out of the first production run, and I plan on building several combos for R&D in the next year or so, and then it will end up in a local guy's car, with a 750 HP build, for long term testing.

    JW
     
  18. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Nope, that will be in the next series of heads, but currently you can upgrade the current series of heads to accept the extra bolt.

    JW
     
  19. jimhirt

    jimhirt 1970 Stage 1 19A, 1970 GS

    Good Read, I see the attendance of GS Nationals going up and all Buick events. Looking forward to seeing these Buick cars run on a Tomahawk.:3gears:

    Psst, where are the Tomahawk T-Shirts
     
  20. staged67gspwr

    staged67gspwr "The Black Widow"



    Lets say i want to build a 604ci what options would you go with?or what are most sensible to go with?

    Thanks
     

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