Never Knew.......

[92 Sunbird LE]

"There were only 13 factory built between '61-'62 and only 7 were installed in cars. There were others sold with cars but there's no number given that I can find. The parts came in the trunk of the cars and you had to put them together. There's one left that still drag races. And one which was a 421 put into a Grand Prix and given to the engines' designer Malcom “Mac” McKellar. He made up a few different designs of OHC engines for Pontiac."

Doug in P.R.

 

[melsg5]

That's quite an engine, way ahead of it's time.

 

[cammerjeff]

Yeah that is the SOHC 421 that GM rebuilt and installed in Mac's GP as a retirement gift. Years later he was taken advantage of by a local repair shop that he had trusted for years. They Storedthe car for him in the winter and performed oil changes and yearly maintenance. Then after 3 or so years of doing that the claimed the engine needed to be "overhauled" and replaced it with a traditional 421 V8. Then claimed they did no such thing and Mac's memory was going and he had asked them to replace the engine. In truth his memory was in decline, but if he did agree to the swap they took advantage of an Old man!
Lawsuits were filed, but the case was eventually dropped by his estate after he passed a few years later. Great engine that I had a chance to ride in the GP on Woodward one year befor the dream Cruise. Mac was a great guy to talk to, and he still knew how to drive a performance car well into his 80's. I am still hoping Karma catches up to the low life that swindled that engine from him. It should be returned to its proper place in his old GP!