As some of you already know, we will be taking the club's 4 bolt main block out to Casey Marks Pure Stock Shindig this weekend. So if your in the area, stop by, and have a peek at this piece of Buick History. Contact info for Casey and the times for the Party are in the Pure stock forum. See 'ya there!
Dr Weise : While you are at the Marks party would you invite Denny Manner to Norwalk or Bristol. I for one would be thrilled to meet the father of the 455. I suspect many others on this Board would likewise love to meet him. I doubt he knows the extent of his fan club. Jim Lore
BUICK 455 4-Bolt Experimental Block as shown with Dennis Manner, Jim Weise and Joe Taubitz at the 2002 Pure Stock Winter Shin-Dig :grin:
Let us not forget you Scott the benefactor for the project without which this would not have been possible. And John too who I am going to guess is your twin brother. Is this correct? Jim Lore
I'm more worried about that cruise missle container behind them. That ought to keep the neighbors outta yur face!:blast:
Doug.. that's an extra sticker, stuck on a cabinet, for his Tomahawk hoist.. But I would not doubt Casey has a missle around.. Lord knows he has everything else..:laugh: Scott: I am glad we could do this project together, and look forward to building it's display stand this winter.. I now have the info as to the origin and purpose of the block.. strickly a developmental piece.. the "first step" to an eventual much stronger design, if the project had made it that far. John Fritz.. if you see this.. did you pick that up from an ex-pro stock racer.. Denny said they shipped one to NC for a pro stock team.. this may be that block. The lifter bore chamfer was done to the block after it left the Factory, as were the main bearing pins.. Denny said they did not do those things to the block. When he looked at it, he at first said .. "Wow.. looks like it was never run!.." Looks like the machining and clean up work we did on it payed off. It was a great showing, and even the non-Buick guys were impressed. JH.. that was a Super Duty Pontiac cross ram manifold.. there were a few SD pieces there... aluminum core support, alum rear '62 Catalina bumper, Nascar Pontiac Con rod.. to go along with Dan Jensen's complete Aluminum 455 Olds motor.. It was all pretty cool. JW
Hi Jim, I just saw your post on the X block. Boy o boy that was just too cool. Dennis Manner was there too?:jd: What an honor that must have been. One more time I've got to tell you.That job you did of cleaning the block up is drop dead gorgeous. Mr. Manner may be correct in the fact that the block looks as if it had hardly been run. I did not get it from a Pro-Stock team but an individual. I have heard of the Pro-stock team you are referring to but this wasn't this one. I wish I had seen the post about the first showing.ou: :ball: I'll have to get a scheudle from you so I can possibly meet up with all of you. Glad your first outting went so well and I'm very happy to hear Mr. Manners positive comments about the minimal wear. I didn't think it was used much by my source, but you never know on these things. Here's a picture of Mr. Manner "Back in the Day". I recognize that haircut anywhere. One of Mr. Manners friends was the one to put us in contact to identify the block many years ago and I remember him saying "Yeh, and Dennis still has that astronaut haircut too" Works for me because he sure built us all some true road rockets. Thanks Mr. Manner :TU: Best Regards to all, and Thanks again to Mr. Scott Miller for allowing this all to happen. Seeing Mr. Manner standing next to that block truly made my day. Sincerely, John Fritz
Wow This is so cool! Could someone write this up for an article in the BCA Bugle? I'm sure there are lots of folks out there in Buick land that would love to read about it! Also, any plans to take it to Flint in July for the Buick 100th? Thanks to everyone for saving and promoting this Buick history!!! :TU: - Bill
Techinically.. 4 bolt experimental... But what's in a name.. Mmmmnnn... how about some type of graphic with a picture of the 4 main bearing bolts.. or the "4 bolt" name.. Nice work Mike. JW
Sorry about calling the Stage 3 block a Stage 3. I only had the original owners information to go from. It was delivered to him from Buick engineers in 1970 (ready to RUN)and they identified it as a "STAGE III", and I quote "It had Stage 3 heads, Stage 3 cam, pistons, intake , Gilmore oiling system etc etc etc.. Maybe you have different information though.....Roberta Thanks, Fritz
Mike, Nice picture. I hate to tell ya but the title isn't correct ("Stage II"). The man I got this block from received it as a COMPLETE and running Experimental "Stage III" motor (even had the OIL in it). Maybe thats what the men from Buick who delivered it just liked to call it, but one things for sure....this drag racer had lots of "Stage 2" parts even when I visited him, and he definitely knew the differance between this, and Stage 2 parts. Plus that is what THEY told him it was. Of course as we all know Buick never made Stage II Four bolt's anyway. This was to be our next Stage. I made the same comment as Roberta about there not being a Stage III and the previous owner almost hung up on me. The intake was different, the compression, cam, mains, cylinder heads, Gilmore oiling system all of it was different. Maybe "Experimental" is a better term but if isn't a Stage III it sure isn't a Stage II either. I'll agree we disagree to anyone who calls it less. FRITZ
gotta love the drama:grin: I've always heard of the block as a Stage III. Time to edit that picture once again;-) Adam
