Jack:
I saw your puller in HPP in '86 or '87 or something. Brought a big smile to my face.
Then, awhile ago, HPP did the in-depth story on it. Again, more big smiles.
Unbelievable.
But that article seemed to only scratch the surface with respect to making the hemi heads work.
Have you given some consideration to writing down EVERYTHING you've learned about making them functional and perhaps disseminating that information to those who would LOVE to know? I'm not sure if you're inclined to share all of that hard-gained knowledge with others, but some of us "younger" guys would be really grateful.
That fact that these heads, along with rare V stuff, just sit around and gather dust, is regrettable at best and wasteful at worst. I'm fortunate enough to have met Tom S. via the internet and to have been told tales about the old days in SoCal with Pontiacs. It's also great that Tom is at a point in his life to be able to actually build and enjoy this stuff, instead of just looking at other peoples' stashes, sitting on shelves doing nothing. I know these are projects that he's wanted to do since I was in diapers:
He has built (AND currently drives!):
A real 421 SD-powered '63 Tempest using REAL parts on a 24K original mile car.
An all-aluminum 1960-vintage motor, using all of the right parts.
A V motor or two and actually USES one in his '69 TA. Again, with all the right parts.
He just recently bought a '69 GTO that will get the "right" V treatment.
He just recently bought a '63 Tempest wagon, AND persistently tracked down a Powershift unit, in order to do a "right" 421 SD replica.
I'm sure there are others.
Steve Barcak:
Folks may throw sh!t at his doorstep for running mid 7s in a fuel powered modern FED that SHOULD run low sixes or high fives. However, the fact that he's DONE what he's done with his blocks, girdles, Wenzler heads, etc. is truly commendable. He'll get around to the dragster, eventually. Right now, he's got other "children" who also need attention. The guy just loves the Pontiac V8 and the cars that it came in. The fact that he's chased down and bought all that cool hemi stuff is also respectable. I think Steve would eat cold soup from a can for a year, in order to further his Pontiac projects, if he had to.
Jim Yanoski: The guy RAN an Algon-injected, V-powered '65 GTO convertible on the street. He told me about how he acquired that complete V engine years before and that he still had all of the manuals from Algon. I first met Jim at a Pontiac show at the Warminster Air Base in 1987 when he had that car on display. Jim definitely marched, and still marches, to his own drummer. He and Steve had the pleasure of meeting and spending some time together this summer, when Steve was out on the East Coast.
Dave Swimm: the man was running 8.40s with a factory block, crank, heads, distributor, a single 4150 Holley and a TH400, THIRTEEN years ago!
Scott Rex?
Bruce Maichle?
Rick Johnson?
You guys, all named above, are MY Pontiac heros.
Beswick? A wonderful gentleman, to be sure. But what's he done with Pontiacs in 35 years, besides match race a '64 Chevelle?
Fulper? Say what you will about that guy, but he truly loves the Pontiac V8 also. If he was not in the business of pissing people off, and instead was employed in another capacity, his reputation would be entirely different. He really is a Pontiac guy.