1969 Buick Riviera 430 suggestions....

I have a 1969 buick riviera with a 430 and already started purchasing some things for motor as edelbrock performance intake manifold and was wondering what comp cams should I go with and size carburetor/brand? New to this 430 and I want to rebuild it right. Has anyone have any thoughts on thumpr cams? It will be a street car so not looking for anything to intense but just right. So any helpful ideas would be great.
Thanks,
Tony

 

Looking for some rebuild tips for my 69 riviera 430....

I just recently purchased a 1969 buick riviera and Im looking to change everything from intake manifold to carb to cams? It will be a street car so nothing to intense needed. Just purchased a edelbrock performer intake manifold and was curious on what cams to go with/carburetor? Any suggestions will be gladly appreciated, I want to make this car right from the start.
Thanks,
Tony

 

Re: Looking for some rebuild tips for my 69 riviera 430....

Use a mild cam like a TA 212 and the best flowing heads, preferably aluminum. The best quality are TA aluminum heads.

Have a Q jet rebuilt by a pro.

Use a machine shop that is the best you can find and make sure they follow the instructions you will find on this Board.

It will be a 5K-7K rebuild. The best option is to use a builder with a lot of experience with Buick engines. They are rare.

 

First thing that comes to mind is your selection of intake manifolds. Anything more than stock and your looking at a custom air cleaner or cutting your hood. I have a B4B on mine and Im thinking about porting my stock manifold to get the hood clearance.
I used the TA 290-08 cam. Ported my iron heads and went 030 over on the pistons. You can look up all my build specs and pics using my user name and "430 Build" in the search area This a vid of the car shortly after the engine was installed so you can hear how it sounds through shorty headers, flo masters and 2.5" pipes.

[video=youtube_share;OqhDdU_V6UQ]http://youtu.be/OqhDdU_V6UQ[/video]

 

Read completely thru this thread concerning the Thumpr cam.
http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.p...or-Comp-Mother-Thumper-(Stock-bore-Iron-heads)

The Thumpr cam is probably not what you want for a Riviera.
The TA212 would be a great choice.

If you absolutely have to use a Comp cam then it would be the High Energy PN 96-203-4.
Just know in advance that this cam has fast ramp style lobes that have a tendency to be noisy
and described by many as making the engine sound like a sewing machine.

Go with the TA212

Paul

 

x2 what Paul said on the TA 212 cam...and don't bother with an aftermarket intake.

TA 212 cam upgrade, double row timing chain, optimized ignition curve, Stage 1 fuel pump, optimized original Quadrajet carb and dual exhaust with an X pipe crossover will make for one fun ride.

Devon

 

Unfortunatly there is no way to use an X pipe on these cars. Exhaust runs on the outside of the frame rails. Same reason we cant use long tube headers.

 

ARG! The cursed X frame. I'd forgotten about this...

Devon

 

Thanks for the great thread.

I have thought about this from time to time for my Riv as well. The previous owner upgraded the exhaust with stainless steel 2.5 inch diameter pipes along with Cherry Bomb Glasspacks. The Glasspacks make a neat cracking noise with full power, but they also produce a perhaps annoying after a while droning sound with just normal driving and idling. You may want to install some TA shorty headers since this is a more or less upgrade to quasi stage one specs. I think that I may install them on my Riv some day since my passenger side OEM exhaust manifold leaks. My 10 year old son always says, "Dad, your car smells like oil."

As for the intake, our Rivs have very little hood clearance with the stock air cleaners. Look on the hood insulation and I bet you will see a nice little circle indentation from the air cleaner. I notice it on my Riv everytime I pop the hood. You could have Greg Gessler port the OEM intake for some 700 dollars.

I also think that for sh!ts and giggles that I would like to upgrade my OEM heads with stage one valves. Of course, then you get into valve shrouding issues as the cylinder bores are too narrow to take advantage of better head flows.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for all the tips, does anyplace sell the 212 comp cam kit or am I better buying things seperate as in lifters and timing chain?

---------- Post added at 08:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:30 PM ----------

I picked up a edelbrock performer intake on a great price so I will be working off that, so Im going with the 212 comp cams, any suggestion on a holley carb? Should I go with the holley 750 double pumper? I ask alot just because I want to do this car right, just getting my parts together before I start ordering things.
Thanks again,
Tony

 

Comp Cams does not sell the 212 cam being suggested, TA Performance does: www.taperformance.com and yes, you can purchase the parts as a kit to save some $.

Devon

 

What do you suggest for carb?

 

Your existing 750 cfm Quadrajet or a '71 & up 800 cfm Quadrajet from a Buick 455.

Devon

 

Right. I have an unused x pipe in case anyone wants to try.

 

Talked to taperformance to order my cam kit. I apreciate everyones help. Should I go with this carb Q-Jet, 750 cfm, Spread Bore, 4-Barrel, Electric Choke, Single Inlet, and if so I would be putting it on my edelbrock performer manifold, any tips or suggestions and will the air cleaner clear the hood. All this talk about cutting hood to fit aircleaner, all your guys tips are helpful for this newbie with his new toy.
Thanks

 

You probably wont be able to use a stock air cleaner. I used a b4b with a 1" spacer on my 67 riv. i had a common 14: chrome air cleaner with a 3 " k& n filter. I had to modify the base of the air cleaner a little bit though to get hood clearance. Fred Catlin is the man for getting your quadrajet rebuilt. if you want send me a pm and I'll give you his phone number.

 

I'm in the Q-Jet camp, I don't race and I've had bad experiences with Holly carbs. A properly rebuilt factory Q-Jet will deliver optimal street performance and the upgrades will give a great balance of performance and fuel economy. They can also be used in race applications with excellent results. I've rebuilt a bunch of them for my 430, and the one I've got on there now has got the engine purring like a kitten.

 

Anyone know anywhere where I can get a new qjet for a great price?

 

Don't buy a: "new," Q-Jet. The ones in stock at the parts stores are junk. If you have your original one, and it's not warped/leaking badly, it can be re-built and conditioned to work better than new.

Look up the codes for the correct Q-jet for your make/model/year (7029241), and snag a couple of cores for $40-$50 each. Get some quality parts from Gessler's Head Porting, and you can rebuild the carb yourself with excellent results. I've done that with my '67, and I've got the vehicle running great while learning a lot of valuable information.

Ebay has one which may be a NOS rebuild from long ago, which may be suitable. The carbs which are rebuilt and sold as new today have all of the factory calibrations ripped out of them, and are built to a: "ballpark," spec for as many as 500 different cars. This one may still have the factory specs intact:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/7029241-QUADRAJET-BUICK-1969-REBUILT-BY-AC-DELCO-350-430-455-/310395291583?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item48450047bf&vxp=mtr



Here's a couple more:


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-Buick-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item35c03d6e77&vxp=mtr


http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-1970-B...Parts_Accessories&hash=item4abab42670&vxp=mtr

 

Current carb on my 430 is a rochester 2 jet, came with car when puurchased. Car keeps shutting off due to carb. I will look on ebay for four barrel qjet.
Thanks for all the help, helps out alot when it comes to rebuilding.