I'm trying to track down some info on the engine in my 'uncles' car. I'd like to find out more info on the build spec., short of taking it apart on my own. He told me Pappy Hough (Gasoline Alley) balance/blueprinted/built the Olds 394 engine back in the 70s. My family is from Wallington/Patterson NJ area. The engine was first fired ~ 1990. The car finished its resto in mid 2000s. Total mileage on the motor? <100 miles. It has an Offy dual quad with Holley 600s, custom 1 off, headers w/2" primarys (made on Long Island in the late 1970s. - - Motion Performance, Inc) Any chance of tracking down any old records from his shop? I was also told J&J Bolanders(?) (or is it Balancers)....did machine work on it. Pappy was getting up in age, and I think his son was working with him at the time. I don't know...lots of blanks that I'd like to fill in. My uncle p***ed away a few years back, so I'm limited there. thanks
I'd be interested in any replies, Pappy Hough was quite a guy, this could be a really neat thread....Try looking up the "Alternate", a good source of that type of info, Doris Schindler used to write a column for them, she would know for sure...I'll try to find a copy tonite.
It turns out the Motion Performance Inc, is now Motion Models, specializing in Aircraft / Naval models. They do a side business authenticating "Baldwin-Motion" cars. It would be neat to authenticate the headers!
It was J&J balancing and Bohlander and Shaw, they were across from Pappy at gasoline alley from what I remember as a kid. I never met Pappy but I know quite a few guys that did and they all have great stories about him.
as far as tracking down any records from pappy's shop that ain't gonna happen. all pappy's records were in his head. that shop was as bear bones as they come but he could do anything. the place was usually a mess but he new exactly where everything was. and you couldn't beat his prices.
Pappy,John Bolander, Jim Shaw all great guys RIP,, The only other guy that is still around that I know of form the "Alley" is Andy Boye...and he is a wealth of information,,,,,,
I got the impression that the motor was "race built" and done correctly by the "right" man. I have most of the reciept for the car over the past 30 yrs., but no receipts for the engine build or headers. There probably weren't any receipts made either. A local exhaust guy finished the exhaust work. This engine has 2" long tube primarys into 4" collectors. Then the "guy" reduced it down into 2" through restrictive, quiet mufflers. At a min., I'm going up to 2.5", if I can, I'd like to get 3" through the X frame. Then through a set of 2 chamber flowmasters. That should liven things up..
Again recalling my past and thinking about J&J. Had all my motors balanced by them and they always ran great. I know I'm very late to reply, but at 77 I find myself thinking about the street cars of the 60s. in Bklyn.
another old timer thinking about the past years who is the same age as you. i was one of the lucky who worked part time for pappy and learned a lot, sadly we lost pappy in 1996 J&J is long gone as is sominak . we even lost bruce of bruces speed shop in rockaway nj last year, just 1 day after his 65th birthday. need engine work now, living in nw nj i only know of LRB in hardyston with larry talking about retiring.ARC race engines in rockaway and tester motorsports in oakridge there's to much lost , english town gone. atco gone, TG island dragway still stands and runs but for how much longer can they even stay around
northern/bergen county nj guys, we lost another old time hot rodder/body man on april 19th 2024 Carl Borntrager from maywood. owner of rochelle park auto body .
The Jalopy Journal
