for '73 & part of '74 i raced using my factory stock ra3 motor--then pulled it out of the goat & put it into a '68 bird 2 get TJ started racin(don't think i posted those pics--will do so)used a longtail th400 w/stock convertor & 3.23 posi rear. best et 13.73. the only work ever done on it was 2 replace timing set when nylon teeth sheared off stock gear. & i didn't even know how 2 do that--hired a schoolmate gearhead neighbor(mopar street guy) 2 do the job for me--including replacing a couple of bent pushrods. this happened at about the 40k mile mark. then over the winter, after the 74 season i had a machine shop 2 build 2 400's--both 2 nhra stock elim specs. the 1st 1 which i put in the bird lasted a few races(won most) then busted a napa piston i'd used because gm was out. the 2nd motor was built for the 69 goat with gm pistons--just as i'd got it runnin good--i had 2 pull it out 2 put in the bird 2 finish the 75 season. i rehearsed these facts 2 say this--thru '75 i had not built a motor of any kind. for '76 i spent all the $ i had on 2 machine shop motors, which failed imediately. so at that point my racin operation was "dead in the water".
