[onewheelpeel]

I had a chev 454 in a Chevelle that spun a rod bearing, so I rebuilt it and it ran fine. One a trip to look at a Suzuki Katana 1000 my credit union had for sale, the engine started knocking again and I knew immediately what it was.

So I towed it 3 hours home and that was the end of the crotch rocket dream. I had had enough of this 454, so I bought a new crate LS-6 for $2800 as this was 1988. I then installed the new LS-6 and believe it or not, it had the same exact rod knocking sound. Somehow the old 454 had infected the new 454 and I still had the same problem.

Took the car to an old auto guy I used to work with. It was the alternator knocking, according to his stethoscope. So I had a $2,800 alternator plus sales tax, a long tow bill for a running car, and a long trip back to buy an engine I didn't need.

Ran the snot out of the 454 since then, and it now has a vortech supercharger on top of it and swoll to 496 - best was 10.40's during my drag racing career in full street trim, except for tires, cam, exhaust, and rollbar. Ran 15.2's totally stock and routine Colorado air density usually around 9000 ft.

It was probably best I didn't get the crotch rocket and maybe someone was trying to tell me something. I was not a crappy hamper.