The Source.. I specifically questioned Dennis Manner on this very issue, since proper signage for the display we will build for this block is a big issue for me. His exact answer to "What was this Block called" was " Four Bolt Experimental 455 Block". He designed and built it, so I will not presume to argue with him. That will be how it is reffered to, in the display signage. You guys feel free to call it anything you like. There is no such thing as a STG 2 Block, or Stage 3 anything, as far as Buick was concerned, according to the head engineer, Dennis Manner. These names are something that the Adverstising department came up with.. for production or over the counter dealer pieces, and since tunnel port heads, and 4 bolt blocks never went over the parts counters, or had part numbers, they never would have advanced to the point where a name had to be given to them, although I could understand it if someone at some point decided to give it a name. But this block was strickly and engineering prototype piece, and whatever the head engineer calls it, in my book, is it's name. I don't doubt that someone may have reffered to a package that included the experimental block as a "Stage 3", but if you look at it that way, beyond the larger oil passaged '70 Stage 1, there never was such a thing as a Stage 1 block even. There was a Stage 1 engine package, but that had more to do with the cam and other components and calibrations than it did with the block. All '71 and later Stg 1 engines used the factory production block, same as in grandma's Electra. JW
Of course I agree with what Mr. Manner calls the block. Remember this is over 30 years of mystery just really starting to be solved here. Having the benefit of knowing it was originally a complete and running motor I would have probably been asking Dennis if they "nick named" the complete motor a "Stage III". I see your points on production and such though Jim. I guess you see mine also when the Buick men who delivered it to my source told him it was a Stage 3. They called it a " Stage 3 455 " consequently when I came along many years later and everything else had been stolen off the motor leaving the block, the racer called it a "Stage 3 455 4 bolt main block". So I guess even complete and running it was just named the Experimental 455 probably. I can see why they (Buick men who delivered it) nick named it a Stage III though. I'm sure other interesting information will be uncovered on the Experimental block as it makes the rounds at the shows. The block sat virtually unknown for so long, so we can only learn from it, here on out. Sounds like the Stage 3 title is the first mystery to be solved. I'm going to stick with their old nick name though even if it's not technically correct.ou: Nothing personal:grin: Fritz
John - If nothing else...Stage III has a nice 'ring' too it!!:TU: Maybe Jim Burek can slap that moniker on the new block!!:Brow:
Hi Scott, Yes it does have a nice ring to it:laugh: After calling it that for this long it's rough to give up. Yeh, Scott,..... JIM BUREKS NEW 455 STAGE 3! Can I call yours a Stage 3 Jim? Come on give an ole Buick collector a break (yeh, I know where do I want it. ou: "break") Jim Weise, thanks for clearing up that confusion. Best Regards, John
