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Messages - rmbuilder

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1
Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Engine photos
« on: March 30, 2020, 10:32:41 PM »
Flange

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Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Engine photos
« on: March 30, 2020, 10:31:41 PM »
MO,

The porting of the cylinder heads of that period (Lockerman, Valley Head Service, etc) utilized a large, round, exhaust exit which greatly reduced gasket area. That created a gasket/header flange durability issue particularly in the two adjoining center ports. The solution was adapter plates attached to the head flange. with a revised fastener pattern for the header flange.

3
General Discussion / Re: Original 302 TRW 11:1 Piston Dome CC's
« on: March 30, 2020, 09:01:49 PM »
Chuck,
We built a number of engines from 1968-1972 to both OEM/NHRA 11:1 CR (3946876) and Trans-Am (TRW L-2110A-020) spec. Initially we used the piston in the bore method and found it to be very time consuming with a significant potential for error. We found the solution via a friend of my machinist who made molds of the piston crown that accurately replicated the +/- volumes. We would then measure the crown volumes in the same method as the combustion chamber. This worked well as we always prepped the crowns by putting a radius on all fine edges of the dome and valve reliefs. As a result there was a slight reduction in dome material volume (compression ratio) which we could account for, and adjust, by flat milling the cylinder heads to compensate. In Trans –Am we did not have a spec combustion chamber volume, consequently those modifications were legal.
We did have the manufacturer’s spec, however in 1970 we moved to aftermarket pistons which required us to match the pistons and the chamber to meet the rules for TA, making spec volumes less relevant.


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Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Engine photos
« on: March 17, 2020, 05:11:30 PM »
From last week at Amelia Island.

Bob

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General Discussion / Re: Original 302 TRW 11:1 Piston Dome CC's
« on: March 12, 2020, 07:31:46 PM »
Chuck,

If you are referring to the original 4.00" bore,3.00" stroke, 11:1 CR engine, the dome volume on that is 10.84 cc If your heading toward 70 and only lost .84cc, you are doing fine.

Bob

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Trans-Am Camaros / Re: 1969 Penske Camaro Color
« on: November 06, 2017, 06:07:44 PM »
The interior, underside, sub frame and firewall paint were the same as the Traco Gray used on the engines. As of the 1968 season the color used was a 1966 GM truck gray. The (current??) color codes ar as follows;

Traco Gray
FAC Code 522
PPG 32374

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Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Penske Camaro replica
« on: November 06, 2017, 06:02:54 PM »
I hesitated in resurrecting a two year old thread, however in this case it seems the appropriate place to pass along this information. Ron Fournier passed away 9/17/2017. As with many of his generation, he will be missed. 

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A fantastic event! Kudos to the IMRRC team for bringing this incredible group of people together. It’s a rare opportunity to have that much history gathered together in one place at one time. A big shout out to Judy Stropus for doing an outstanding job moderating and making the most of this opportunity. The reception that followed provided all who attended with generous face time with all the presenters.

The YouTube video of the event is available at this link. The actual panel discussion begins about one hour and 17 minutes into the video. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k23dFHugrc


9
Unfortunately, it was likely the overzealous references to Traco Engineering that resulted in the cars no-sale in the first auction, and its depressed sale price in the second. The sales piece of this was written by someone whose primary interest was not based on a genuine historical representation of the car/engine.

Looking at the engine photos in the Hemming’s, it is an LS based platform 327 CID (not a Gen I SBC) with what appears to be a Borla, cross ram EFI system. This powertrain may have been developed during the Jim Jones or Larry Salisbury stewardship of the Traco name, however it is without doubt a stretch to infer there is any relationship to the original Traco Engineering.

Don’t get me wrong, the car certainly has potential to be a fun resto-mod driver or track day car. There is nothing wrong with building a tribute car, just represent it as such. The number 6 on the door and original Traco decals make it look more like an Elvis impersonator then a car with genuine historical significance.



Well this is vague, but is anyone familiar with this car? Obviously not a Trans-Am car, but said to be Traco built, FIA approved. Here is the auction guff that went with it:

Founded by Jim Travers and Frank Coon, Traco Engineering (an amalgam of the partners’s last names) built the engines that dominated a variety of racing series (including Can-Am and Trans Am) throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s. A 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 race car, said to have been prepared by Traco and fitted with a Traco-built 327-cu.in. V-8,
More info here: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2015/04/02/traco-built-fia-approved-1969-chevy-camaro-z28-race-car-sells-for-55000-in-florida/?refer=news



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Trans-Am Camaros / Re: New "Muscle Car" digital magazine available
« on: March 11, 2015, 07:35:49 PM »
Awesome job making that happen, Steve.  Kudos to you for a job well done.

Yes, that's Roger and there's also Jim "Crabby" Travers on the right with the tire/wheel and crew chief Roy Gane with the dark shirt and white pants.

That looks to be a very familiar Warren Agor on the fuel fill (white shirt, trackside)

Bob

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Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Power steering on TA Camaro
« on: February 03, 2015, 05:40:41 PM »
eb911,

We ran P/S on all of Warrens cars. This is Agor Racing car #001, post initial build, at the first firing of the engine in the car. I apologize for the poor photo quality. We have many photos through the build phase , however this most clearly displays the P/S. We substituted a deep groove pulley, with a belt change and that mitigated flipping or throwing of the belts.

Bob

12
Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Warren Agor
« on: November 05, 2014, 08:07:41 PM »
Thanks Jon.

I met Warren in the showroom at Hoselton Chevrolet sometime in 1968 after his stint with Penske racing. The car you see in the driveway was not a body in white, it was actually a showroom car right from the dealer. We completely stripped the car down to a unibody and subframe and constructed the racecar exactly to the same standards as Penske racing. I shudder to think about what the collectors would pay currently for the houndstooth interior, instrument cluster, smog equipment, in the remainder of the OEM equipment we sold off for pennies on the dollar. The team Warren put together, comprised basically of enthusiasts, turned out one amazing race car. That car was the 1st, and only, car constructed from the ground up by the team. Ultimately the car was totaled at Road Atlanta. The remains of the car were brought home, stripped of all usable components, and put out to pasture. At that point in time Hoselton Chevrolet was in the process of constructing a new service center behind the dealership. The body and subframe were placed on the construction area, covered with dirt and remains buried there to this day.

Cheers,
Bob


Attached is a photo of Warren and Ron Fournier at the Newtown Squre race shop.

13
Trans-Am Camaros / Re: Warren Agor
« on: November 03, 2014, 11:30:40 PM »
Some photos of the first, original Camaro, constructed by Agor Racing.

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