Strange engine in a GMC motorhome?

[thomas g. warner]

Hello Dave. A couple of months ago I told you about a one off GMC that I
found in Canton NY and owned by Frank Mace. I remembered that it had a 403
engine. During subsequent discussions about how to tell the difference
between the 403 and the 455, I posted (from seeing the 403 engine istalled
in that coach) that the distributer is installed at the rear of the block on
a 403 not the front. Well as we all learned afterwards, the distributer is
installed at the rear of both 403 and 455 oldsmobile engines.

Today I visited Canton again and the coach was still there, so just had to
stop a see if my eyes had been playing tricks on me. NOPE! They had
replaced the engine in the coach in the meantime (something was wrong with
the original) and the old one and tranny was sitting beside it. Distributer
was mounted at the REAR! It appears to be a 403 BUICK engine, factory
painted olds blue, and tranny painted same color. They appear to have been
factory painted. The exhaust manifolds (A3 numbers signifying a small block
head) have 8 bolts in a straight line across the manifold. STRANGE!

Do you have any record of GM installing anything other than olds engines in
the transmodes? Maybe you should start adding this information to your list.



>
> Larry
>>Nelson,
>>PB 75 Springfield, MO (but heading to Cancun manana for three days
>>where it's
>>hotter than Florida!)
>
>Larry,
>
>Hotter than Florida, Hotter than Hades, but Hotter than Springfield,
>MO???>
>
> David Lee Greenberg
>GMC Motorhome Registry
> 200 MacFarlane Drive
>Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[david l greenberg]

On Fri, 27 Nov 1998 09:37:34 -0500 (EST) "Thomas G. Warner"

>Hello Dave. A couple of months ago I told you about a one off GMC that
>I
>found in Canton NY and owned by Frank Mace. I remembered that it had
>a 403
>engine. During subsequent discussions about how to tell the
>difference
>between the 403 and the 455, I posted (from seeing the 403 engine
>istalled
>in that coach) that the distributer is installed at the rear of the
>block on
>a 403 not the front. Well as we all learned afterwards, the
>distributer is
>installed at the rear of both 403 and 455 oldsmobile engines.
>
>Today I visited Canton again and the coach was still there, so just
>had to
>stop a see if my eyes had been playing tricks on me. NOPE! They had
>replaced the engine in the coach in the meantime (something was wrong
>with
>the original) and the old one and tranny was sitting beside it.
>Distributer
>was mounted at the REAR! It appears to be a 403 BUICK engine, factory
>painted olds blue, and tranny painted same color. They appear to have
>been
>factory painted. The exhaust manifolds (A3 numbers signifying a small
>block
>head) have 8 bolts in a straight line across the manifold. STRANGE!
>
>Do you have any record of GM installing anything other than olds
>engines in
>the transmodes? Maybe you should start adding this information to your
>list.
>
>
>
Tom, I suspect someone has made a modification here. I don't know very
much about GM's application of engines across their line. Is it possibly
Olds and Buick used the same basic 403ci block with different tarnny hook
ups?

In any event, I do note the obvious in the registry, such as diesel
applications or caddy 500 plus cubes installations cause they may be more
common and therefore more likely to interest the owner. If this coach has
a unique engine I will add it to the record but I need the TZE number to
initiate a record. If you eventually unravel the engine mystery pls let
me know.

I wrote Frank mace after ou told me about his coach but haven't rec'vd
any reply. You didn't happen to snag the TZE number off the strange coach
by any chance, did you?

David Lee Greenberg
GMC Motorhome Registry
200 MacFarlane Drive
Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829

 

[david sandford]

What you are describing is more than a bit strange, I'll agree. Just to
satisfy your curiosity, see if you can get a hold of the casting numbers on
the Block, and Heads. Then compare those numbers to the information found
at the following site.

http://www.en.com/users/thall/olds/oldsfaq.htm

This site has some rather detailed info on Oldsmobile engines.

Interesting mystery

Good Luck

Dave
(A different "Dave")

- -----Original Message-----
From: Thomas G. Warner
To: gmcmotorhome
Date: Friday, November 27, 1998 6:28 AM
Subject: Re: GMC: Strange engine in a GMC motorhome?

{SNIP}
>Today I visited Canton again and the coach was still there, so just had to
>stop a see if my eyes had been playing tricks on me. NOPE! They had
>replaced the engine in the coach in the meantime (something was wrong with
>the original) and the old one and tranny was sitting beside it.
Distributer
>was mounted at the REAR! It appears to be a 403 BUICK engine, factory
>painted olds blue, and tranny painted same color. They appear to have been
>factory painted. The exhaust manifolds (A3 numbers signifying a small block
>head) have 8 bolts in a straight line across the manifold. STRANGE!
>
>Do you have any record of GM installing anything other than olds engines in
>the transmodes? Maybe you should start adding this information to your
list.
>
>
>
{Snip}

 

[chuck will]

OK! Now like Paul harvey would say, Let's have the other side of this strange
story of an engine in the GMC. The net is good only it is sometimes one way and
that reminds me of never talking and only hearing in on a one sidded telephone
conversation. Chuck

> What you are describing is more than a bit strange, I'll agree. Just to
> satisfy your curiosity, see if you can get a hold of the casting numbers on
> the Block, and Heads. Then compare those numbers to the information found
> at the following site.
>
> http://www.en.com/users/thall/olds/oldsfaq.htm
>
> This site has some rather detailed info on Oldsmobile engines.
>
> Interesting mystery
>
> Good Luck
>
> Dave
> (A different "Dave")
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Thomas G. Warner
> To: gmcmotorhome
> Date: Friday, November 27, 1998 6:28 AM
> Subject: Re: GMC: Strange engine in a GMC motorhome?
>
> {SNIP}
> >Today I visited Canton again and the coach was still there, so just had to
> >stop a see if my eyes had been playing tricks on me. NOPE! They had
> >replaced the engine in the coach in the meantime (something was wrong with
> >the original) and the old one and tranny was sitting beside it.
> Distributer
> >was mounted at the REAR! It appears to be a 403 BUICK engine, factory
> >painted olds blue, and tranny painted same color. They appear to have been
> >factory painted. The exhaust manifolds (A3 numbers signifying a small block
> >head) have 8 bolts in a straight line across the manifold. STRANGE!
> >
> >Do you have any record of GM installing anything other than olds engines in
> >the transmodes? Maybe you should start adding this information to your
> list.
> >
> >
> >
> {Snip}

 

[thomas g. warner]

I have all of the information from the site you referenced and a lot more,
but the information is worthless since this is not, repeat not an olds
engine. . Have the casting numbers on the exhaust manifolds, 1486442. The
distributer is in the front not the back. In addition the exhaust manifolds
are very different having 8 bolts in a straight line across the manifold,
with individual ports. I believe it is a 403 buick engine, but have not had
the time to check further.

>What you are describing is more than a bit strange, I'll agree. Just to
>satisfy your curiosity, see if you can get a hold of the casting numbers on
>the Block, and Heads. Then compare those numbers to the information found
>at the following site.
>
>http://www.en.com/users/thall/olds/oldsfaq.htm
>
>This site has some rather detailed info on Oldsmobile engines.
>
>Interesting mystery
>
>Good Luck
>
>Dave
>(A different "Dave")
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Thomas G. Warner
>To: gmcmotorhome
>Date: Friday, November 27, 1998 6:28 AM
>Subject: Re: GMC: Strange engine in a GMC motorhome?
>
>
>{SNIP}
>>Today I visited Canton again and the coach was still there, so just had to
>>stop a see if my eyes had been playing tricks on me. NOPE! They had
>>replaced the engine in the coach in the meantime (something was wrong with
>>the original) and the old one and tranny was sitting beside it.
>Distributer
>>was mounted at the REAR! It appears to be a 403 BUICK engine, factory
>>painted olds blue, and tranny painted same color. They appear to have been
>>factory painted. The exhaust manifolds (A3 numbers signifying a small block
>>head) have 8 bolts in a straight line across the manifold. STRANGE!
>>
>>Do you have any record of GM installing anything other than olds engines in
>>the transmodes? Maybe you should start adding this information to your
>list.
>>
>>
>>
>{Snip}
>
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach

 

[chuck will]

Could it be an early 442? They mount the same. So do the Pontiac.

> I have all of the information from the site you referenced and a lot more,
> but the information is worthless since this is not, repeat not an olds
> engine. . Have the casting numbers on the exhaust manifolds, 1486442. The
> distributer is in the front not the back. In addition the exhaust manifolds
> are very different having 8 bolts in a straight line across the manifold,
> with individual ports. I believe it is a 403 buick engine, but have not had
> the time to check further.
>

> >What you are describing is more than a bit strange, I'll agree. Just to
> >satisfy your curiosity, see if you can get a hold of the casting numbers on
> >the Block, and Heads. Then compare those numbers to the information found
> >at the following site.
> >
> >http://www.en.com/users/thall/olds/oldsfaq.htm
> >
> >This site has some rather detailed info on Oldsmobile engines.
> >
> >Interesting mystery
> >
> >Good Luck
> >
> >Dave
> >(A different "Dave")
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Thomas G. Warner
> >To: gmcmotorhome
> >Date: Friday, November 27, 1998 6:28 AM
> >Subject: Re: GMC: Strange engine in a GMC motorhome?
> >
> >
> >{SNIP}
> >>Today I visited Canton again and the coach was still there, so just had to
> >>stop a see if my eyes had been playing tricks on me. NOPE! They had
> >>replaced the engine in the coach in the meantime (something was wrong with
> >>the original) and the old one and tranny was sitting beside it.
> >Distributer
> >>was mounted at the REAR! It appears to be a 403 BUICK engine, factory
> >>painted olds blue, and tranny painted same color. They appear to have been
> >>factory painted. The exhaust manifolds (A3 numbers signifying a small block
> >>head) have 8 bolts in a straight line across the manifold. STRANGE!
> >>
> >>Do you have any record of GM installing anything other than olds engines in
> >>the transmodes? Maybe you should start adding this information to your
> >list.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >{Snip}
> >
> >
> >
> Tom & Marg Warner
> Vernon Center NY
> 1976 palmbeach

 

[thomas g. warner]

Yup and I sent both TZEs to you early in the year. I talked to Frank just
yesterday as I was still curious about the engine laying beside the
transmode. Well Frank wasn't sure what it was but says that it did not come
out of the transmode?????? Strange a olds TH425 tranny and engine laying
next to it and now he says it was not removed from the transmode. What can I
say?

Egg on my face again. Guess we can't assume anything today. facts, facts,
facts.

>
>
>On Fri, 27 Nov 1998 09:37:34 -0500 (EST) "Thomas G. Warner"

>>Hello Dave. A couple of months ago I told you about a one off GMC that
>>I
>>found in Canton NY and owned by Frank Mace. I remembered that it had
>>a 403
>>engine. During subsequent discussions about how to tell the
>>difference
>>between the 403 and the 455, I posted (from seeing the 403 engine
>>istalled
>>in that coach) that the distributer is installed at the rear of the
>>block on
>>a 403 not the front. Well as we all learned afterwards, the
>>distributer is
>>installed at the rear of both 403 and 455 oldsmobile engines.
>>
>>Today I visited Canton again and the coach was still there, so just
>>had to
>>stop a see if my eyes had been playing tricks on me. NOPE! They had
>>replaced the engine in the coach in the meantime (something was wrong
>>with
>>the original) and the old one and tranny was sitting beside it.
>>Distributer
>>was mounted at the REAR! It appears to be a 403 BUICK engine, factory
>>painted olds blue, and tranny painted same color. They appear to have
>>been
>>factory painted. The exhaust manifolds (A3 numbers signifying a small
>>block
>>head) have 8 bolts in a straight line across the manifold. STRANGE!
>>
>>Do you have any record of GM installing anything other than olds
>>engines in
>>the transmodes? Maybe you should start adding this information to your
>>list.
>>
>>
>>
>Tom, I suspect someone has made a modification here. I don't know very
>much about GM's application of engines across their line. Is it possibly
>Olds and Buick used the same basic 403ci block with different tarnny hook
>ups?
>
>In any event, I do note the obvious in the registry, such as diesel
>applications or caddy 500 plus cubes installations cause they may be more
>common and therefore more likely to interest the owner. If this coach has
>a unique engine I will add it to the record but I need the TZE number to
>initiate a record. If you eventually unravel the engine mystery pls let
>me know.
>
>I wrote Frank mace after ou told me about his coach but haven't rec'vd
>any reply. You didn't happen to snag the TZE number off the strange coach
>by any chance, did you?
>
> David Lee Greenberg
>GMC Motorhome Registry
> 200 MacFarlane Drive
>Delray Beach, FL 33483-6829
>
>
Tom & Marg Warner
Vernon Center NY
1976 palmbeach