Emergency TA Order Over the Holidays?

Discussion in 'TA Performance' started by brianfxt, Dec 24, 2018.

  1. brianfxt

    brianfxt Active Member

    I'm looking to get in contact for anyone that works for TA Performance. The rod bearings in my 430 are getting worse by the day so I planned to build up my 455 I have on the stand over these 3 weeks I have off for winter break (I'm a college student). That way I can road trip the car back with a fresh engine in it. I have a list of $5500 in parts I need to order from TA. I would've ordered them sooner but I needed to finish the machine work on the block so I knew for sure what overbore we were going to be able to get away with. Anyway, I sent an email this morning and tried calling. I didn't expect them to be in on Christmas eve, Christmas day, or even the day after that but I was hoping to get someone by Thursday or Friday so I could order these parts and get them here ASAP. However, when listening to their automated voice message today it said they weren't going to be back until January 7th which is an entire two weeks from today! That would leave me with around 5 days to order the parts, get them shipped to me, and assemble my engine (accounting for 2 days to travel). There is simply no way it can get done in that short of a time. I'm praying I can get someone that works there to make a special exception and process the order for me. If I don't get the engine done over this break I don't even know when else I'm going to have enough time to complete this motor and I'll have to park the car for the foreseeable future. I was already crunching the timing by assuming I could assemble the entire engine in 3 weeks but having the biggest BBB vendor close for 2 weeks straight is turning the project from difficult to physically impossible!
     
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  2. johnriv67

    johnriv67 Well-Known Member

    Last edited: Dec 24, 2018
    BuickBullet likes this.
  3. Julian

    Julian Well-Known Member

    They're on Christmas break... Back in January
     
  4. brianfxt

    brianfxt Active Member

    I am fully aware - I was posting here in the longshot hope that someone from TA will see it and possibly be able to process an order a little bit sooner than the 7th. I definitely didn't anticipate not being able to order anything from them for a full 16 days - it really stinks. Definitely poor planning on my part but I figured most people only take a week off - if that. I mean.... my machinist is in the shop today hahaha.
     
  5. brianfxt

    brianfxt Active Member

    This is a really good idea - I'm going to post my full parts list shortly and maybe I can come up with alternatives from people selling on the forums or through other vendors. Hydraulic roller cam is going to be a tough one though...
     
  6. sriley531

    sriley531 Excommunicado

    Contact Jim Weise. If anybody might have some on the shelf to sell ya, he'd be my best guess. (Fwiw, I don't know he stocks them or if he'd have the size you need, but it's worth a shot)
     
  7. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    I'd move on to plan B because if you need that many parts there's no way you'll get all that rounded up , would have better luck buying a used engine getting that in there and try again later,....rushing stuff never works
     
  8. pbr400

    pbr400 68GS400

    I really like supporting Buick people, and would second the idea of posting needs on the board. Failing that, Summit, Jegs, the machine shop or local parts store can get everything you need other than the cam. You can probably source it on here or buy a compromise from the parts supplier.
    Patrick
     
  9. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    If they are like me, they turn off their phone and only give the secret code to specific individuals. It better be the second coming of Christ if I get disturbed on vacation.

    I vote for moving on to other possibilities and pray those come through.
     
    THOMAS QUIGG and johnriv67 like this.
  10. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    Where are you located?
     
  11. bignastyGS

    bignastyGS Maggot pilot


    I bet Scott White has your number now....hahahahahaha.. Merry Christmas my friend!
     
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  12. Brad Conley

    Brad Conley RIP Staff Member

    And Merry Christmas to you and yours too Pat!!

    No, only specific people have my cell with secret passcode. My immediate family are the ones. No one else (well, maybe Duane, he's the same as family after all...:)).
     
    bignastyGS likes this.
  13. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    I would have to see the list to see if I could be of any help. I am a TA dealer, so I do have some things on hand.

    Yes the yearly 2 week shut down caught me off guard one year, when I was not aware of it.. but they have done it for as many years as I can remember.

    Post your list, we will see if we can help you out. And you have posted this in TA's forum, I imagine someone from the company will be wandering by here at some point, maybe you will get an email, since it's a big order..

    Never hurts to ask..

    JW
     
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2018
  14. brianfxt

    brianfxt Active Member

    North/Central New Jersey
     
  15. brianfxt

    brianfxt Active Member

    I appreciate this so much, thank you! I will get on my computer later tonight after all the family time quiets down and post up my full list of parts I was planning on ordering for my build. The support from everyone here has been awesome! Merry Christmas to you all.
     
  16. Briz

    Briz Founders Club Member

    To far for me to be of any help. I do have a couple of complete running engines you could use as a loner.
     
  17. brianfxt

    brianfxt Active Member

    Ok, so I heavily revised my list and changed a bunch of things around due to cost and availability. The only things I am having trouble finding comparable alternative to are:

    TA Thermostatic Choke Coil (for aftermarket intakes)
    TA Billet Double Roller Timing Set
    TA Hardened Dual Groove Dual Feed Cam Bearings
    TA Thermostat Housing (The cheap Chinese ones on summit seem disappointing)

    The other things I need to obtain but believe I can get fairly easily from other retailers:
    Edelbrock Dual Plane Intake
    Valve Cover Gaskets
    Oil Pan Gasket
    Intake Gasket
    Fuel Pump Gasket
    Head Gaskets
    Head Studs
    Main Studs
    Intake Bolts
    Oil Pan Bolts
    Thermostat
    Edelbrock Heads
    Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cam
    Lifters
    Pushrods
    Poly Locks
    Roller Tip Rockers
    Forged Pistons
    Forged Rods
     
  18. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    If your wanting to do rods and pistons, your talking months and months to get that together, machine work, balancing, head inspection, etc etc.

    Thermostat housing you can get billet from Rob at precision billet or the other fella here that made one from billet,..or just stock

    Roll master timing set, you can get from any Rollmaster vendor, but a 3 key edelbrock, or cloyes is just fine from summit.

    Cam bearings you can get from any Durabond dealer TA may be having the Teflon done by a third party or by Durabond not sure

    The little thermostatic choke is a pain in the ass imo, youd be better off with an electric choke conversion or an electric choke new carb
     
  19. hugger

    hugger Well-Known Member

    Gregg Gessler had a pair of edelbrock heads for sale few months ago.

    Dont waste your money on head or main studs stock stuff is fine

    Pistons are going to be a couple options, wiesco which sit low in the bore, Diamonds from JW if he has any which would be the 470 piston and rod assembly which requires cutting the crank. Or Speed pros which won't have notches and be heavy as hell.

    Like I said you try to rush thru this you going to have a mess on your hands and wasted money, you need to plan more
     
  20. brianfxt

    brianfxt Active Member

    Do you have any recommendations for electric conversion? I was considering it in the back of my head but didn't know what was used commonly. As for pistons and rods, my machinist is a dealer for most of the big manufacturers and is getting Eagle to send us some rods and Mahle to send us some pistons. Once Mahle sends us the pistons and gives us the dome spec we're going to adjust our deck height, head gasket, etc to get our compression ratio where we want it. Someone else just sent me the roll master, I didn't know it even existed so thank you both for that!
     

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