Something that puzzles me is how after 73 the 455 lost its balls. I'm looking for a 455 and I would love one from 1970 for the performance. But what's say hypotheticaly all I can get my hands on was a 74 block. Can or how do you make these smoggers run like they used to in 1970. How can you wake them up? Is anything after the smog embargo Good? Thanks
From what I recall, most of the early smog era stuff really woke up when you dialed in the advance curve the factory all but disabled and used an appropriate vac advance can to match, along with some Qjet fiddling. I can't possibly remember all of the particular dist #'s and curves for every GM type but quite a few seemed to run almost no mechanical advance and made it up using heavy vacuum advance.
Most everything that killed performance is thrown in the scrap bin during an engine overhaul. As said, even a proper tune-up with distributor/carb recalibration goes a long way
Check out this thread: http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/what-year-big-block-buick-to-build.120037/
The compression drop was a big issue, along with the heads used in '75/'76 Lazy advance curves didn't help Leaner carb jetting Even if all you can get is a '75/76 455 ditch the heads and buy aluminums also get pistons that give more than the pathetic 7.6 to 1 comp ratio, the rest of the basic block is the same/ better than the earlier blocks
I cant afford the alloy heads, well at least now. Aren't they like 2000+ for the set. What's everyone's opinion on machining the iron heads for better flow and alluminon intake? What's everyone using for head gasketes and pistons. So can I get a 455 from let's say 1974 and swap out the pistons for high compression pistons and raise my compression , hp, and torque?
ANY 455 can be made to run well, biggest thing is having the cubes, which your going to have with a 455, a great foundation for big power
