UPDATE: TA is now accepting orders on these blocks

www.TAPerformance.com (http://www.TAPerformance.com) has had these in development for over a year. They've gotten their first experimental casting back from the foundry and they are now accepting deposits.

here are the casting photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wizkid45/sets/72157606528278536

here is the new page in the TA catalog:
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f125/bobkmando/Buick/455AluminumBlock.jpg

All blocks have:

Up to a 4.500” bore (starts at 4.310”)
6 bolt head pattern around the bores
Pickup tube has been relocated towards the front
Dry sump IN provisions at the front and rear
Priority oiling (mains get oiled first)
Valve train oil restriction provisions at the top rear
4 bolt mains, center studs are 9/16” dia and splayed studs are 1/2”dia
Dual bell housing bolt pattern to fit Chevrolet, B.O.P and newer GM type transmissions
Added Material for strength throughout the block
Extremely lightweight yet stronger compared to an iron block
Lifter bores can be remachined for key slot type lifters

Part Nos.
TA 4550 455 Buick Aluminum Cylinder Block, Standard Cam Height ............... $5,900.00
TA 4551 455 Buick Aluminum Cylinder Block, Raised Cam Height .................. $6,900.00
TA 4552 455 Buick Aluminum Cylinder Block, Raised Cam, Tall Deck .............. $7,500.00


the standard deck block has a height of 10.570" and can be cut down to 10.200". it has standard main bearings.

raised cams are lifted 1.035" to a total crank/cam spacing of 6.080"

the tall deck block has been raised to 11.700" and can be cut to 11.200". maximum displacement on the tall deck block will be a whopping 731.60 cubic inches. :clonk:


i see new head designs in our future.

Nice post, i'll show this to my father,, his into Buicks so much. thanks for this information.

______________
m3oo struts (http://www.racepages.com/parts/struts/m300.html) blogs & information.

good news.

TA will be getting their 5 prototype castings back from the machinist's within a couple of weeks.

some pics for you to drool over:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3607/3347316761_312318c8b2_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3592/3348153068_36c6201f35_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3546/3348152306_f62ebd6a7a_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3621/3347314533_170e089483_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3458/3347313761_3dabd10ab1_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3552/3348149804_a446290106_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3444/3347311913_c83aa8b4c2_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3347311203_5a6f02d3ed_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/3348147430_d7734e0238_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3602/3348146736_83800df939_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3643/3348146070_d34300fdd0_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3548/3347308511_152e0f0ca7_b.jpg



keep an eye open for the names Rod Hendrickson and Dave Mongeon at the strip and Boattail Bill on the Salt Flats this year.

TA is now accepting orders on this block.

Drool...

I wonder how much machining will be required to take the "bare" block and make it usable. I am guessing minimally:
- Bore cylinders to desired ID, hone
- Mill decks to desired height
- Maybe align-hone or align bore? (or is that done already)
- Maybe machine for cam bearings (or are those surfaces already machined)?

In other words, how much machine work is needed to swap this for my cast iron block? I seem to remember seeing an article about what machining was required on TA's 6-cyl block a few years back, but I can't seem to find that again. I seem to remember there was actually a LOT of machining required...

-Bob C.

wow. i just had a brain fart.

you know how the raised cam blocks can be ordered with 2.75" mains? you know what the standard main bearing size is on the forged factory AMC cranks? 2.747"

i've never compared the cranks side by side but the AMC has our 4.75" bore spacing. could the AMC guys be a cheap source for aftermarket cranks for us?

if we used the factory AMC stuff, all of their cranks would de-stroke our motors. but if you wanted rpm......:shifter: