Tomahawk for Street Driving? Yes or No?

Discussion in 'Tomahawk Block Buildups' started by drspencer, Sep 23, 2016.

  1. Dan Gerber

    Dan Gerber Founders Club Member

    I don't know, Larry. I remember the Northeast GSCA Chapter being pretty much legendary for their "extra curricular" activities in Bowling Green. I think Tom and I have a lot of catching up to do to get into that league.

    Besides, Tom really deserves all of the credit. I just the "straight man" of this team. He has real talent. For example, think along the lines of great entertainment acts like... Abbot (me) and Costello (Tom), Rowen (me) and Martin (Tom) or, from modern times: Jeff Dunham (me) and his "friends" (Guess who). :):):D:D;);)
     
  2. pbr400

    pbr400 68GS400

    I agree with the ‘too much is never enough’ sentiment. A friend of mine drives this thing everywhere, whenever he takes a notion, John Kaase built the engine in the photo and the bigger one it has now. I like the way he thinks.
    Patrick
     

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  3. pbr400

    pbr400 68GS400

    This is ‘now’...
     

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  4. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Gotta love the Boss heads....If I didn't build my own stuff and had the money, Kasse would be who I'd have build my engines for sure (in my Fords)....as is, I'll have to deal with "just" a standard headed 552" in the Moostang.....Been in there for over 7 years and 20,000 trouble free miles, and I drive it everywhere to the tune of 6 mpg highway, about 2 or 3 mpg in town.
     
  5. slimfromnz

    slimfromnz Kiwi Abroad

    I run mine on the street, just got back now from a cruise out for lunch in nice 28'C weather
     
  6. gymracer01

    gymracer01 Well-Known Member

    I'm NOT interested in these ideas of building big torque and hp for the street. My youngest son had that idea, but didn't just talk about it but did it. Now before he started I told him he was crazy. Also told him and the guy building it that I would out run it with my NA Buick with 100s less HP. After 10s of thousands of dollars, it was finished and on a chassis dyno made 1103 HP and 1000+ torque. After 3 different kinds of tires on custom wheels it has yet to out run my poor old stock block and crank 67. Yes he sets around in parking lots and shows off his intercooled twin turbo beast. But tire smoke and no et is what he has. What do I know, just an old man that likes to run in the 9s in grandma's Buick.
     
    Last edited: May 30, 2018
  7. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    It's, well..... it's just fun.... If I have to explain why it's fun, I guess it's something you won't understand. My car runs high 10s with slicks, which is plenty fast for most. But I can drive it all day, every day, and down the highway no problem. It goes on 500 mile trips regularly. I never worry about it because it just lugs along not even noticing it's doing any work. It's a well designed, naturally aspirated, low rpm engine with hydraulic flat tappets that never need adjusting and will probably never wear out. It's all done by 5500 rpm, so there's no need to rev it. It's docile until you crack the throttle. A perfect street engine, in other words. Would it be faster with more cam, more carb, and a Mafia intake? Sure. But it's better 99 out of 100 days the way it is. I could probably make the car run 9s, but the chassis is set up more as a pro-touring deal: lowered, tubular control arms, custom springs, big sway bars, 4 wheel discs, yadayada. An all around car.

    (My block is stock, too, by the way. No clearancing or strengthening needed whatsoever for 4.5" stroke)
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2018
  8. 1972Mach1

    1972Mach1 Just some M.M.O.G. guy.....

    Oh, and mine is nowhere near 1100 hp and 1000 ft-lbs. hahaha....but I wish it was. That thing has to be nuts. Impressive.

    I guess I'd put it this way: I'd rather have a lazy, huge cube, overkill durability built 600/700 engine, then a fairly strung out, most likely quicker/faster, high rpm smaller cube engine with 700/600. I like a high revving drag engine as much as the next guy, but for street, I like big cubes and really, really low end torque.
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2018
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  9. Freakazoid

    Freakazoid Gold Level Contributor

    Pulled the trigger last year myself.
    STREET / STRIP..
    Can't get Blocks easy locally.
    Or just forget getting a crank ground right.
    I did what JW said years ago.
    Purchased. A 4 pice mic set. Dial indicator and Dial bore Guage.
    Ask a machinest here for .0024 on mains and get back .0039. REALLY.

    So bit the bullet. Tomahawk block. Molnar crank.
    Then let TA make the clearances right
    Be in AZ in 2 or 3 weeks. With Mike's permission I hope to be able to pick it up?
     
  10. Guy Parquette

    Guy Parquette Platinum Level Contributor

    yes Jim, you are 100% correct with him grinding on the block in order to fit the manifolds. Happy to hear you still have that block in your hands. We need to connect sometime in the near future to get the ball rolling again . Getting closer for that time. Now that I’m heathy and staying healthy now.
     
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