Hot Rods NOS SBC Mickey Thompson aluminum block

Awesome!

 

And how!!!!!

 

All of this is exceptionally cool!
On the belt-driven OHC heads, I think I would like to see more idlers put in to wrap the belts around the intake cam sprockets more. Seems like the belt might jump a tooth or two in this configuration.
Looking forward to progress!

 

Wow!

 

54popular: Are you still stockpiling goody’s? Would love to see more...

 

Yep! Same here!

 

Ditto

 

Recently purchased one of Mickey Thompson's old off road cars. It has the original engine and trans still in it. Last time it was ran was probably 1980 then parked. I checked for markings and it has the "MTD-14" on the rear of the block (drivers side). The "M/Thompson" is blocked by the brake reservoirs so i can't see it but I'm sure it's there. Wonder what a complete MT aluminum engine, built and raced by MT, in one of his own race cars might be worth? Just curious, we are not selling, want to clean it up and get it museum ready. What do you guys think?









Here's a picture of Challenger III (left) and Challenger IV sitting together in 1978, MT is 3rd from the left. I now own both of these cars!

 

Not to waylay this thread but back in the 50-60’s when Mick was having a lot cast I remember Harvey Aluminum in Torrance Ca. did much of it. The Ferguson’s foundry is in Wilmington Ca. concentrated on more industrial at the time. Don is now the go to guy for a lot of the patterns for 50-60’s style Flathead, GMC, and other brands. Their injector castings are fantastic pieces of work and out perform the early equipment by a large margin.

 

I have from what I can tell a M/T block

 

Fastest car to checkpoint #1

Loved the Man, but , the only Desert race he ever won was in a borrowed single seat buggy with a Volkswagen engine and transmission. His cars were over the top complicated and hard to work on

 

True, and like they said, “Fastest guy to checkpoint 1”! I can tell you the technology used in his race cars was well before it’s time in desert racing. Mickey had many oars in the water at one time and I personally think that if he would have concentrated on one thing (race car) he would have been much more competitive. With that being said then he wouldn’t have been Mickey Thompson.

Here’s a picture of the stamp on the motor...



A shot of the motor out of the car...



Mickey Thompson in #ChallengerIII at the 1980 SCORE Off road world Championships at Riverside International Raceway.


: Gary Fries.

Anyone have an idea what this motor is worth in its current condition? Hasn’t been run since it was parked after a race in 1980, ran when it was parked. Motor rotates with no issues. Looking to ask the experts in this forum, thanks in advance.
Lots of great info in this thread, thanks to all who have contributed.

 

Tech is great except when everything is built around the simple part that breaks and cant get to it. For the engine, its not the "Holy Grail", just an engine with some unique history

 

I was at that race!!!!

 

Nice block, I'd be concerned about its face getting scraped up on the concrete.

 

Dreracecar, thanks for the input. I don’t know much about these motors or their worth. I agree with you, definitely NOT the Holy Grail of motors, with that being said, any ideas what it might be worth in its current condition?

I started to clean up the motor so we can put it back into the car. Just wanted to knock all the grease off the motor and the dirt from “Riverside International Raceway” from 1980 or 1981.....pretty sure that was its last race and then parked.

Before....



After...



The only thing I have done besides draining the oil was pulling the valve covers to see the condition of the rocker arms. Got to say everything looks pretty good for being 40 years old...



Even the oil sitting on top of the Brownfield aluminum heads looked as though it was brand new...



Hope to be finished up with it next week so it can go back into the car. It’s Museum bound so that is the reason for us NOT tearing it down and going through it...



The motor is not totally cleaned up just yet, I still need to scrub in the nooks and crannies so the engine LOOKS fresh.

 

Most shops that build engines will stick some 3/8 bolts in the bellhousing holes and let those scrape the floor instead of the machined aluminum

 

for insurance purposes, $30g, open market with unknown internals- maybe half

 

Fair enough, I appreciate your input and feel like that is a good assessment.

 

Little update on the Challenger III project. The car was stripped down to the frame, cleaned up and put back together. We have found the majority of parts to put it back to how she was back in 1978, although I am still searching for some Airheart/Hurst calipers, rotors and hats for the front Halibrand hubs. I appreciate the info on the MT Aluminum block, it turned out to be very helpful. Here's a few shots of BOTH Mickey Thompson Challenger racers from a recent photo shoot.

Challenger III (short course racer)...


Challenger IV (Desert racer)...


Together again...