not many reads on the 455 in the Apollo, keeping to all Buick 455. I bought my car in a salvage yard of Montana no longer there now. It was S&S auto, since cleaned out and gone. Anyway, was a 350 4bbl, but motor was fried. I had intent to put in a 455. when the work began I was put to the test. As a Rear steer car made the exhaust the most frustrating part. I used a 69z28 4 core radiator, and a mid 70s 455. I started with empty block, and used empty heads as a dumby set up. exhaust hit, tried headers no way. Finally used a set of 73 exhaust manifolds from Electra. the cast concave was perfect fit around gear box, IFFF you moved the motor forward 2 inches . So then it hit me,... water pump!! , the center shaft hit radiator. So cut off to 1/8" nub, just using a flex fan bent back about 1/2" to keep away from radiator. Ac was hard, the pipes on the xbody, car, hit the motor going in. Once in the valve cover is about 1/2" from AC and Brake booster. Stock style air box used with ram air air flex hose to front bumper. The drive shaft was redone with an Electra with 455, to hold torque. The inside was black , so used Skylark 76 buckets, and had all recovered in black vinyl to stock GM. Console is a Park Avenue 75 with the shifter from SKylark 76 in the console. I have a set of GS hood scoops for hood, and NEW tach for hood. The hatch back has the GSX tail, "real GSX" , yes cut it down 5 inch to fit x-body car. I have in the garage the rare of rare, slide back suncoupe roof for x-body. to go in with new headliner. Car is now and was blue, but will soon be SATURN YELLOW, and stripes of GSX used in part with 74GSX Apollo package. All GSX decals for 74 have been done and ready, sneeky 350 on fenders, yet in grill is a 455. Car has had couple trannys as the car pulls so hard. couple pics.
My car came out of S&S auto parts, old man that had car finally allowed me in requests to sell , that was 2002 fall , they are crush out too,
I have photos of all the decals, here, will try tomorrow eve to send out to to you, you have red or white car? Send me your email, PM. So go direct .
Thanks for sharing this, I'm about to do the same thing in my Apollo. I'm thinking that if I make some custom engine stands/mounts that might help with the steering rack clearance.
I have a NOS decal for The 74 GSX .Brand new in the envelope . My sister-in-law bought a white one last year. If you need a picture and measurements I can get a picture.
Awesome car... I have a 74 buick 350 .. Started life off with a 2bbl..and single exhaust .. black vinyl top.. and red... .. I had a lot of fun with that car..Grandma gave it to me when I was 16... Fast forward... over 20 yrs... I want to give it some new life.. the 350 has been rebuilt a few times.. its been sitting for the better part of 20 yrs... I have always wanted to drop a 455 in .....If you had it to do all over.. would you? or would you have stayed with the 350? Were the motor mounts and pads all parts you can just buy or did you fab any of them? Thanks! John
I have put 455's in two apollos. Took out the 350 frame mounts and welded in steel 455 towers, not the cast towers. Not sure which car I took them out of but maybe someone else can chime in. The second car I used a 3/8" passenger side plate and 5/8" steel plate on driver side to level the motor, and bolted the 70 cast towers through that. The plates were not bolted independently from the towers. Make sure the car is level before you level the motor. Bolt everything on a dummy block fan and pan included with a radiator to make sure you have clearances. I also bolted a TH 400 case to the motor for clearances with tail shaft housing. There is a crossmember available for that trans. I had to drill new holes in the frame for the crossmember. You will probably have to use a longer throttle cable depending on carb and intake used. Don't forget to bolt exhaust manifolds to the heads also. I have one with S@ headers and one with exhaust manifolds.
I had a 73 Apollo with a 350 years ago fun car . Just saw a blue one with black stripes near me the other day. I will try and get some pics of it
