My Velasco was made with the extra counterweight,and all the other options available. It was about $3k for that crank. I know prices have gone up the last few years,so it will be a little more,but still worth it to me.
Yeah that sounds similarly priced compared to my King billet... And they had to use a stock crank to design mine so it was a lot of work to create.
It's not about "if" a 45 year old block will break its "when". The name of the game is keep the rpms below max 6500 and it will live. I too agree a more affordable stock spec iron block would be more popular than the aluminum. Not saying the price is not warranted between all the r&d time and material and foundry costs that has gone into it but it's out of reach for alot of people.
In TA's defense, they already had the aluminum connection from having the heads cast so they went with what they knew and could count on. On the other hand, they're in Arizona and Mexico IS RIGHT THERE!! Where the Mr. Goodwrench blocks are cast so there should be a foundry they could find there to do an inexpensive cast block? The problem with doing that would be that it would get harder to sell one of those aluminum blocks so they would be cutting their own throats if they came out with a cast iron block. Another problem with a cast iron block, is that correcting the "light casting" weakness is going to add a but load of weight on an aftermarket block which TA did an outstanding job making the al. blocks weigh the same as the light factory block while correcting all of the weak points. Even the BBC aftermarket cast iron blocks are heavier than the factory BBC blocks. But if TA is interested in having a cast iron block made and they want it made in the USA, Dart Machinery is about 8 miles from my house and I have George Delorean's Phone number there at Dart.(if he still works there though, haven't talked to him in a couple years and yes he is the brother of the late John Delorean) Maybe Dart can cast a BBB block for TA if they're interested? The Mexico idea would of been good before Trump got into office and wants to tax the flock out of imports now, like those countries tax the flock out of the stuff we send to them! :grin: Derek
The extra weight added to the block would probably be made up by swapping to an alum intake and heads. Plus, in all honesty, an extra 100lbs for the strength and peace of mind would be well worth it in my mind. But, i fully acknowledge your others points and completely understand from a business model why TA went with aluminum.
I never hear any mention of the Bulldog Buick block. Did any ever make it into circulation? I know they produced a few sets of heads for Olds before for a big debacle occurred.
Actually,I looked at a boosted 350 car,in Arizona. I'm not against it,but this project had a certain theme to it.
Not sure if mentioned in this thread yet but an 8 counterweight crank would raise the abuse level the stock block could take. I don't think that one has caught on much with the Buick crowd yet.
Crower forged and custom Billet are the available options as of now, ID love to see some more budget friendly options from Scat , Lunati , Callies or even Eagle, would fill a void in the market. Stock cranks have been proven to hold a good bit of power, but "junky" Eagle cranks have been in some FAST stuff
Yea,we've talked about the added counterweight. My billets have them. Once you're into that much coin for a crank,get the best you can. Now that I've gone that route,I just don't feel the desire to use a factory crank in much on anything anymore.
I found a forged buick 455 crower crank from tick performance but though it was a misprint since I could not find it anywhere else. That is good to know. A crower forged is about as good as it gets for me. I have ran callies magnum xl's with good success for chevys. Those are still 2500.00.
Yea crower= $$ but their products are without a doubt some of the best, I'm saving for an "Enduramax" for my Tomahawk myself
Derek, I called Dart about six months ago on possible making a SHP Buick block. The quote was ridiculous. Very close to one million they told me. They would need a core block to start with and they digitize it and use the computer from there. That there was 60k to 80k just in that. No sand core yet, not even a plastic stereolithograh would be make. Once that was completed they said. The would run off a stereo lithograph piece. 10-20k again. They would mess with that unit they think its right. 10k to play around with it. Then they actually make a core box mold or what ever anyone wants to call it, that cost big money, 100+k no problem. They run off a few blocks to see how everything looks. That poured iron was 5k. Now they cut up two of the blocks to see if any coreshift, thin spots bore it hone it drill and tap everything necessary. Do it all over again on the second block. That's another 10k, if those pass? If those blocks don't pass? They gotta modify the core box,mold or what ever and start the process all over again until it Dart approved. Once its been approved? You need a minimum order now. I was damn near crying at this point. I told them, I understand and thank you for your time. I hung up then. This was talking with the lead engineer at Dart. My question is, how hard would it be to convert the current mold to cast iron runs?
There are a few Olds guys that messed with cams that had a 4-7 swap,but there wasn't any real proof that it was better,and that fad never really took off. Not saying you couldn't gain something with Buick,or other brands though.
