Early 1973 Pontiac Super Duty TA 455 NOS still in crate short block whats it worth??
 

]I have a new old stock 455 pontiac short block still in the crate any idea what its worth? Its for a Early 1973 Pontiac Trans Am Super Duty ..Any and all help will be appreciated thanks!!

Looks like an awesome piece for the right person. Not disputing that it may be NOS but I have a few observations. Have never seen brass expansion plugs that were factory installed. Is there some type of balancing work that has been performed on the crankshaft (rear counterweight)? Most NOS and many original SD/RA engines have pink/magenta paint splotches on the main caps.


Great find regardless though. Good luck with the sale.

Welcome to PY !

:)

Is there any stampings on the front face of the block?
Passenger side.

L203 is a common later cast date for SD blocks.

:)

Screw in oil galley plugs in front and plug by distributor is hex head, which is suspect.

A total of one post in the wrong section. Everybody be careful. It is terrible to suspect every post about rare parts these days, but that is the world we live in now. Personally, I think this is a bogus post, but I will be VERY happy to be wrong. An NOS SD short-block would be cool to find.

The Original Poster also posted in the All Other Pontiacs FOR SALE thread. I know this site has been hit hard by scammers lately, but I am inclined to believe this is legit. Hope the OP updates us soon.

Unless the SD was an exception, Pontiac didn't sell short blocks, they sold fitted blocks. A fitted block was 8 pistons and rings in a new block. You then bought 8 rods, and a crankshaft, and all the other attendant pieces to make a short block, the labor to assemble it was your responsibility.

In the early 70s, I worked in a Pontiac dealership, and was good friends with the parts manager. As far as I knew there was no short blocks available from Pontiac in the parts channel. I suppose the SD could have been an exception since it was assembled by hand, rather than on the regular engine assembly line. I no longer have my parts books, so someone with access to them could easily look up the availability of a short block assembly.

I also noticed that the engine has a flex plate on it, doubtful it came with a flex plate on it????....:noidea:

:2cents:

You guys are on it. Same deal for me with the fitted block. I also never seen a crate like that.

Replicator
 

Finds as this cry out for a star trek style replicator.

Way too much has so far been lost to history.

I too would like to know what stampings are on the front face of the block.

I’ve seen this poster with the same name on FB market place. He is located in Indiana and from his listings appears to deal primarily in muscle car parts--- “Lots of other parts available for a multitude of muscle cars message for price and availability…” If I’m reading it correctly he has a 5 star seller rating.

Those pics look familiar and I believe he may have also posted this on one of the FB Pontiac groups asking for a valuation. I’m not sure he exactly knows what he has.

Please post a pic of the piston crown.....should be a flat top, single valve trough with STD stamped on it.

Jeff,you can see it in one of the pics of the block,looks like flat tops.Tom

Ooooooops.....thanks Tom, I must have missed it!

It is an SD block with the lifter bore ribs and big distributor hole , and probably is/was NOS ,
and then someone started building it up.
True they were only fitted blocks over the counter, but not everything always came from over the counter.
Some came through various doors at PMD. ;)

I'm not sure about those connecting rods being SD , or even forged.
The cobwebs in my head thinks they had 12 point nuts on SD rods.
We need some better/clearer pictures and some more input from Chevy Kenny

Pictures of the block face would be very helpful , any stampings you find there , and any evidence or lack of evidence of a timing cover gasket ghost trail.

It doesn't have to be un-run , but that would be a little higher value and more true to NOS.

Surprising that some of us even found this with it being in the 1977 - 1981 section.
It barely caught the corner of my eye

It will service any 73 or 74 SD Formula or TA

His other add under Other Pontiacs for sale. 1977 Pontiac Can Am Parts Parts Parts...Whole cars with drivetrain and titles $2500 I am located in Lowell Indiana can call or text if interested in anything 219-386-0463

He has cars on pontiac pickers