I was driving today and in traffic saw a late seventies 2 door LeMans, and was thinking what a sleeper that would make with a Pontiac 455 or a ram air 400 (I personally like Pontiacs w/Pontiac motors, Olds w/Olds motors, and most importantly Buicks w/Buick motors, but Chebbys and the rest I don't really mind with just about any motor) not to mention with a set of cragars and white letter tire it would actually look pretty handsome. I'm just curious if any of you guys have ever owned any sleepers, cars with interesting motors in them, (like a dodge engine in a camaro, i've heard a friend talking about that he saw it, just really made him scratch his head on that one) or just a car that you know was just simply not stock (like a 455 powered late seventies TA). Just dreamin' up stuff right now about a Nailhead powered Studebaker Hawk or a Hemi or 440 powered eighties Diplomat. Just something crazy that makes you say "Holy Schmit" or simply "Cool". Patrick
My dad is a crazy old guy-he put a 2001 Z06 Corvette engine into his '78 Malibu Classic ..........4-door! His prior history includes a (then new) DeSoto Hemi engine with a Packard trannie+ overdrive in his (then) Brand New 53 Corvette. He took the radio out because it weighed too much, then threw the radio in the trash. (oops) Then he had a hemi powered 53 Studebaker-that one had a hole in the hood for the carb-not a sleeper cause flames would shoot out when it backfired! He worked in Detroit as an engineer in the 50's and 60's.
Yes, but it weighs more! That project has been a pain, for a while he wished he just used an aluminum Ch**y small block to replace the 400 had in it. Now its running and he's all happy with it. But I like that thinking! I should have talked him into that!
I'd like to see a TurboBuick powered Prowler Aswome looking cars.....but no grunt to back up the looks
I think I saw that car at a car wash outside of the golden carrol in eastgate... it was just before the milford car show... NICE looking car and well done.
Another car I saw that would be a cool swap was a 455 into a 78 LeSabre 2 door. It was cherry red w/ a white landau roof and round gauges. I think it would actually look pretty cool. Patrick
I'd just love to see one of those hang the front wheels launching down the quarter mile. :3gears: Better yet, I'd love to see people's faces when they saw one do just that. Oh, and an aluminum headed 455 is lighter than the 3.5L six that came in those things from the factory. :TU: - Freed
Well, its not deadly quick, but it occasionally catchs some folks off guard. Former 4.1 V6 car with 7.5 inch 2.93 open rear. Now its got a 55K mile 1970 350 4V (9-1 motor) with a pair of blocked heat crossovers and a recurved distributor, TH 350 with slight mods, turbo muffler and high-flow (Real High flow) cat, 8.5 inch 3.42 posi rear out of a cop car. Driven daily with ice cold A/C.
I've been thinking about and toying with the idea of seeing if a 455 would fit into a Lamborghini Countach kit car. Ever since I saw that Jag XJS with the 455, I've been dreaming of a European exotic with a BBB sporting about 500 HP and a 5-speed tranny. At only about 3,000 lbs or so, it would really scoot.
Hi, It was not a sleeper but many years ago I had a 65 GTO [a real one to] with a 396 chevy motor and a muncie 4 speed. Didn't make the Pontiac guys to happy at the drag races when they looked under the hood. I was a big block chevy nut way back in the late 70s. Never really impressed me like my 455 Buick does though. I had a 68 Camaro with a 427 and the bigport closed chamber heads and a 4speed, never had anywhere near the torque of the 455, or ran near as fast as my Buick does but back then I didn't know a heck of alot about tuning. sorry for drifting off subject. Tom
What I would love to do. It has nothing to do with Buicks though. I want to put a 2004 Cadillac DTS engine into a 88 Fleetwood Brougham Cadillac, that would be sweet/a great sleeper!
I've been toying with the idea of putting a GM transaxle assy and 3800 supercharged engine in the rear of a geo metro hatchback. crazy... yes..... and yes i'd gut the whole rear of the car and widen it about 10 inches.
They may not be the fastest, or the nicest, but sleepers are (arguably) the most fun! Nothing like stomping a $80000 car with a kiddie seat and groceries in your rusty old station wagon.
have seen a vid of a guy running a twin turbocharged Z06 engine in a datsun 280z. every time the guy went WOT (even on the highway) he broke the tires loose....it was crazy. vid of twin engine 1G eagle talon. both engines turbocharged. one in front, one in back. a whole new meaning to AWD. dad's boss owns lingenfelter corvette...the silver one they pitted against an F-18 Hornet in an edition of motor trend mag about a year or so ago. no indication that the thing has over 1000HP to the rear wheels
There's a video of a twin v8 audi somewhere, I had it once and I might still have it somewhere. v8 For the front wheels, v8 for the rear wheels. Did 0-60 in less than 3 seconds if I remember and they took it up to really high speeds, I really should watch it again. There was another car on "Rides" that was an all-wheel drive roadster with a small block chevy that did 0-60 in around 2 and half seconds and they said that if you weren't careful, you'd black out.
I can't believe no one here has dropped a 455 in a Reatta If I had the cash, I would definately try it! :Brow:
