Update 2: The seller has added this to his eBay ad:  I am replying to this message publicly so all interested potential buyers can read it. There have been a few people that have questioned the authenticity of my engine, and this is what I can tell everyone. I acquired this engine while working part time at a vintage Pontiac parts supplier (CPR) years ago. While re arranging a section of their warehouse I literally stumbled across this engine sitting on a stand, covered with a plastic bag and boxes over it. The engine was NOT being advertised and was simply one of many automotive parts. When I inquired about the engine, the owners responded with “Its an old race engine that came out of that 4 engined car , from the famous race car driver” . They couldn’t remember Mickey Thompson’s name, but when I asked if it was indeed M/T they replied with “Yes, that’s him, and it has something stamped in front of the block” . I walked back to the engine, pulled it away from the wall, and discovered the stampings that read “LEFT FRONT REVERSE ROTATION – ENGINE #3” . At that time I was very intrigued because I am a big fan of M/T and knew that the Challenger 1 was restored. My next thought was that one of the restored Challenger 1 engines wasn’t original. That soon turned out to be false when I contacted Danny Thompson who advised that a couple other (1 reverse – 1 normal rotation) engines were also built. M/T’s dream was to become the fastest land speed racer in the world, and if something was to go mechanically wrong during this time at Bonneville, they could swap engines. After that conversation, long time Hot Rodder & racer Jim Travis (who restored the Challenger 1) saw my engine. Also, M/T’s chief mechanic Fritz Voight looked at the engine, and both couldn’t believe it was still around. Any type of paper work doesn’t exist but I will go to my grave knowing this is M/T’s Challenger 1 engine. I encourage anyone to view this in person or call me any time. Thanks, Alex (909)-437-2068.

UPDATE: Danny Thompson has posted on his Facebook page that he has never spoken to the seller and that no one should “waste their money” on the engine in question. There has been no changes in the ad by the seller yet. It seems possible that this could have potentially been a marine engine or some other reverse rotation application. We’re going to beat the bushes and see if we can get to the bottom of this!

Of all the stuff we have seen come to the surface on eBay over the years, this 1959 Pontiac 389 (which now displaces 415ci) may be the coolest. Why? This is the spare engine from Mickey Thompson’s Challenger 1 land speed race car, which used four of these bastards. You’ll remember that Challenger 1 was the machine that propelled Thompson to the (one way) speed of 406.6 mph, making him the first American over 400mph on land and technically the fastest man in the world, although he did not received an official record due to a mechanical failure on the return run.

So as we stated, this was a spare engine that the team had. It has been converted to run in a reverse rotation configuration and the cylinder is stamped accordingly. Why? The front two engines faced Thompson and their output drove the front axle of the car. In order to couple things together and make it all work, the front two mills spun in a reverse rotation to the others which were facing the “right way” at Thompson’s feet. We’re guessing that they had a pair of backup engines. One as a reverse rotation and one as a standard rotation model. We’re assuming here, but it only makes sense.

In stories we have read, the Pontiac engines sent to Thompson were not exactly race ready units when they arrived at Mickey’s race shop. If the stories are true, these were dyno mule engines that have been run half to death in load cell dynos to test durability, economy, etc. That was really no bother to Thompson as he quickly stripped them down to the blocks and set about boring and stroking them. Now measuring out to 415ci, the engine is topped with a Don Hampton built blower. Pay no mind to the intake above the blower. That is not a correct piece and may just be laying on there. The engine wears Super Duty heads and when Thompson stroked the engine he had to cut the skirts off of the pistons and notch the block for clearance. Dig the unobtanium timing cover and valve covers with the cast in “Thompson” on them. Hell, those alone are worth thousands of dollars even if they were plunked on a 389 in a ’67 GTO! This engine will bring some astronomical coin from a collector or museum somewhere and rightfully so.

We’ve always thought it was cool that Thompson busted into the 400mph zone with Pontiac power. Something about that seems cosmically correct. The fact that he did slammed that relatively crude (by today’s standards) car into the four century speed bracket and guys at Bonneville with 3,000hp streamliners couldn’t do it this year speaks to how awesome the car was, how much steam these Pontiacs were making, how large Thompson’s manhood was, and how the racing surface can turn any fast car into an also ran. All of the factors came together for Thompson (almost) in 1960. The only thing he didn’t leave with was a piece of paper certifying his record. Everyone acknowledges that he clipped 400 though and that’s what counts in our eyes.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE ENGINE AND THEN HIT THE LINK TO SEE EVEN MORE PHOTOS AND THE EBAY AD FOR WHAT MAY BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT HISTORIC PONTIAC RACING ENGINE IN THE WORLD!

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE EBAY AD FOR THIS AMAZING HISTORICAL ENGINE – MIND BLOWING HERITAGE!