Anyone know if the Pontiac 455 blocks had the motor mount holes in the same location and configuration as the Buick 455. The reason I ask, chiefmanyhorses.com has conversion mounts for a Pontiac 455 to bolt in a Camaro. As a side note, I am starting this thread to detail my 455 swap as it happens and to ask questions pertaining to the swap, so that it serves as a guide to later swappers.
This is the mount, I am aware its for second gens, but I have been told it works just as well for third gens.
I know I can use Buick GS mounts, but I have to drill holes in my crossmember. Thats really not terrible, but I would like my engine to be perfectly centered and not subject to human error. These are my current plans, Buick 455 out of a 74 estate wagon Built TH350 tranny with full manual valve body and 2400+ Stall converter or T10 manual. Ford 9 inch rear when I win the lotto (expensive for fbody due to the torque arm mount.) Fiberglass dash with aftermarket gauges and Vintage Air heater. Six point roll cage and SFC for the chasis. I would like 450hp and 500lbs of torque out of the engine, but right now I would settle for the 350hp/500lbs of the 70 455. I have heard the 74 wagon 455 only produces 170 hp, I have a hard time beliving the drop in compression cause that. Whats it going to take to bring it back to normal levels? This is what its going into... Click here if photo does not show
I'm pretty sure they don't use the same mount locations as a pontiac. My 83 Regal had mount holes for pretty much everything and I still had to drill holes for the 455.
rh455, seen the pic before thanks though. http://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/showthread.php?s=&threadid=220988 for a higher res version of it. Just haven't read the article. 84ZZ4, thanks for the heads up.
I Swapped a BBB In my 84 T/A. I made my own mounts, and got the motor in pretty much dead on. TAs headers are for a 70-81 f-bodys, and will not work. headers didn't really lok like an option, but maybe some shortys would work. THe stock manifolds will not fit with out some serious firewall massaging. What ever you do, connect the sub-frames. mine didn't last that long with out them...
Yeah, I was going for shorty headers. I heard you could grind off some of the stock manifolds and have them fit, but I would try headers first. Thanks for the info.
It wasn't really a grinding issue, more like moving the firewall back 3 inches sorta thing. But they fit allright...
- http://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/showthread.php?s=&threadid=220988 I hope my car is more like his, rather than yours.
I squeezed a 430 into an 83 Camaro. I didn't have to grind anything down but it was VERY close. I used TA Performance mounts and pads and drilled the crossmember for them. I also made my own trans crossmember since I didn't want to shell out the money for the sphon crossmember and torque arm. It was spring break and I had a free week and wanted the swap done by the end so I made my own. Anyone know of a less expensive option? I'm not satisfied with my homemade torque arm mount solution. I wouldn't want to travel too fast on it...
For about 80 bucks you can get a B&M or Hurst TH350 adapter from Jegs or Summit. Not sure if you can run it on a TH400. You will need a TH700R4 Stock crossmember I belive. Check www.thirdgen.org for more info on that. On a side note, where did you get the remote oil filter?
I've seen that B&M peice but didn't think it'd work since it was for the th-350. I got the remote oil filter mount from my local speedshop but it's a permacool unit and both jegs and summit carries it. It's about $30 from them.
Not sure on the B&M piece working with a TH400, but the Hurst piece is made for it. Its 125 bucks from Jegs. Part number 530-550-0002. Was the permacool adapter Buick specific or was it generic GM?
Hmm...looking at the design of that hurst piece gives me an idea on how to modify my mount to work better. It looks like that big plate bolts to the tail housing bolts and then that slot at the bottom is for the outside half of the stock camaro torque arm mount to slip into and then it bolts at the top. And the permacool was a universal one for about just any car. It comes with a series of bushings with different inside threads to mate to different oil filter sizes. Here's the part number from jegs: 771-10695 http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=1786&prmenbr=361 That single mount kit comes with everything you see on mine...except the filter of course.
Thanks. BTW. The 455 is sitting in the engine bay. I don't have mounts for it yet though. I emailed Taperformance about them and they never got back to me.
