View Single Post
  #1  
Old 11-04-2019, 07:18 PM
dwallace's Avatar
dwallace dwallace is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Tavares, FL.
Posts: 66
Default Want to trade for a Pontiac Cruiser

Sorry...I wasn't sure where this post should be.

KRE MR-1 Engine for trade for a Pontiac Cruiser
I apologize in advance for the long post….and a long story.
KRE MR-1, 445CI, 4.35 Bore, 3.75 Stroke, HP Heads. Less than 20 runs. I built this engine to go into my dragster for the ’09 Norwalk Pontiac Race and then ultimately the plan was to add an 871 Blower once we had it lined out. Unfortunately, at 2AM in the morning of leaving for Norwalk, we realized that none of the existing brackets would work or line up with the block and HP Heads, so, we threw a stock block in it and went racing. This was also the year that my wife and I drove from Norwalk down to Florida to look for a house to move to, so, my brother John (johnta1), brought my dragster back to Illinois with him.
We found a house in Central Florida and moved, but, there was no room for the Dragster, enclosed trailer, race equipment or new engine. I sold the dragster and most of the other Pontiac engines and parts, but kept the race engine. The next year, John put the MR-1 in his dragster and got it ready in time for Norwalk ’10. We met him there. The first time down the track it sounded healthy, great burnout, but, had an RPM issue, as if it was on the 2 step. We made 4 or 5 runs that weekend, trying to correct the problem before each run. We changed the 3 step, Distributor, Torque Converter, timing, fuel pump, toilet bowl, pills, nozzles, etc. if it could affect the rpm, we looked at it, but we still did not find the culprit.
The next year John and Julie, moved to Florida and we were not able to make it to Norwalk, so, we were not able to try to line out the engine until Norwalk the following year where we encountered the same issues. It was at that point that I had decided that we had a gremlin in the wiring. Later the next year, I rewired the whole car, started it a number of times, and though it sounded “Fantastic”, (it always did), we never got it to a track to try it out…..
This last summer, my son bought a dragster off of a racer friend, and while spending most of the summer in Illinois building a house, I decided to tear the MR-1 down, since it has sat far too long and it would probably end up in his dragster at some point. Once I got into it, I saw that there had been a roller lifter failure. I don’t know if this was the initial problem, I still firmly believe that it was an electrical problem. But, nevertheless, there was a failure at some point.
99% of this engine build originally was with “new” parts, but, yeah, you guessed it, I used some roller lifters that I had, instead of buying new. Those learning experiences are always costly… luckily, it only took out the cam, so, it now has “new” roller lifters, (and all of the rebuild components, bearings, etc.) and a replaced cam bought from Jeff Kauffman, it should be ready to race.
Here’s my dilemma. My wife and I have been talking about getting an early-mid sixties Bonneville, Catalina, Gran Prix, etc.,(ideally a 1963 Bonneville, would be my choice – childhood memory of one of our family Pontiacs), to cruise around in, a daily driver, and something to take to car shows, but, doesn’t have to be pristine by any measure. We figure that we would be investing about the same amount of money in a Cruiser, that we have in the MR-1 currently.
So, if there is anyone out there that would like to trade a nice Pontiac Cruiser for an all out stroker Race Engine, let’s talk. The engine is sitting in Illinois ready to assemble, all parts are there. I didn’t assemble it before coming back to Florida because I knew that anyone that would be interested in this type of an engine, would most likely want to assemble it themselves or take it to their engine builder. I have pictures of most everything. Following is a breakdown of the components:
Component Manufacturer Part Number Cost
Block KRE MR-1 $3,195.00
Main Caps-Splayed KRE $305.00
Main Caps-Front KRE $95.00
Main Caps-Rear KRE $325.00
Aluminum Rods Bill Miller Racing 455000 $1600.00
Forged Crankshaft Ohio Crankshaft 400 $725.00
Forged Pistons Ross Racing Pistons 120935 $699.95
Forged Wrist Pins Ferrea P70028 $89.95
Piston Rings Total Seal CT6490 35 $99.95
Rocker Arms Scorpion Racing Prod. SCP1053BL $279.99
Cam Shaft Comp Cams used (KRE) $200.00
Push Rods Comp Cams 8713-16 $155.00
Roller Lifters Crower 66260-16 $435.00
HP Aluminum Heads KRE HP $2,945.00
Head Gaskets Cometic 4.360-.040 $190.00
Head Stud Kit ARP $185.00
Lash Caps Comp Cams 621-16 $37.00
Stud Girdles KRE HP $170.00
Stud Girdle Polylocks PRW 1200217 $45.00
Cam Bearings Dura-Bond PP-4 $42.00
Main Bearings Sealed Power 4040 M 10 $90.00
Rod Bearings Sealed Power 1555CPA10 $75.00
Aluminum Timing Cover KRE SBC $200.00
Aluminum Valley Cover KRE $45.00
Water Pump Meziere SBC $130.00
Timing Chain Rollmaster CS7050 $125.00
Oil Pan – Wet Sump Moroso 20500 $280.00
Oil Pump Melling M54F $68.00
Oil Pump Drive Rod $12.00
Oil Pump Pickup Moroso 24482 $42.00
Damper ATI – Super Damper $289.00
Flex Plate ATI $165.00
Flex Plate Bolts ARP 200-2904 $38.95
3” Viton Rear Seal Tin Indian Performance $39.95
Xtra Tall Valve Cover Gaskets Tin Indian Performance $24.00
Distributor Mallory Comp9000-Unilite $325.00
Spark Plug Wires Mallory Mallory Pro $63.00
Spark Plugs NGK R5671A-9 $16.00
Gasket Set $75.00
Billet Fuel Plate KRE Indian Head $20.00
Billet Distributor Hold Down KRE $35.00
Billet Remote Oil Filter KRE $35.00
Freeze Plug Set $12.00
Lakewood Dowel Pins Lakewood $12.00
Crank Key & Cam Key $3.00

Total $14,038.74
=========