Topic: 1978 W72 auto i'm impressed !

[cmk-2]

So this is my 3rd T/A my first W72. As some of you might remember my last '78 Trans Am was totaled by out of state stop sign running jerk. I was able to find an 18,000 mile original. The only thing that the original owner had done was to remove the cat and replaced it with a "test Pipe" as far as the owner's son knows.  I have put about 1,300 miles on her since I get her last August. I will say that she feels really good on throttle response  compared to my other 1978 L78 non W72 and even feels good compared to my 1987 5.7 iroc. Today was the first time I hooked up my Vericom VC 2000 to the W72... 1/4 mile 15.15@92.6 mph. Not at all bad. Now the outside temp was 64 degrees and 50% humidity and I had a 1/4 tank of 93 octane fuel. Time for a rear wheel dyno run. Then the mods begin......

[72blackbird]

The W72 platform is more than capable of going from 220 hp to 440-500 hp, even without a stroker kit- the stock iron 6x-4s can be ported to 250+ cfm, surface milled to reduce chamber size and increase SCR, better pistons and rods added to support the increased output. The cost of this is similar to building a 400/461 stroker, but the end result appears to look the same as a stock W72 and the element of surprise is excellent.

I used to think these engines were hard to find, but in the last year or so I've bought two of them, so they are out there if you look hard enough. One of them is a runner, and that is going into my 76 TA- I cannot bear the thought of using any 500557 400, so a W72 is the perfect substitute IMO. The other shortblock is patiently waiting for a home- that one may get the "stealth stroker" treatment- I want to see how stock 6x-4's work with a stroker.crank.

Geno