I remember faint memories from my childhood of smoke billowing into the passenger compartment of my father's 76 Camaro at red-light in Fort Worth, TX. The sound of Led Zeppelin on the radio was masked only by the sound of tires and honking horns. And there I was at the age of about 3, smiling in the back seat. This car was what my father described as dangerous, and by his definition of the word, it must've been. He wasn't what you called a 'defensive' driver and any chance to prove that the 455 was a force to reckon with, he took. Unfortunately, he had a dream one night that he was racing it on the street somewhere and lost control and wrecked. He said the entire episode seemed so real he immediately drove it to his parents house and dismantled it; very reminiscent of a certain mad scientist and his DeLorean. Next in line are memories of the (blue/grey) 77 Cutlass. This car that my father had put together may have not looked like much at first but, with drive, passion and determination, he was able to get it as close to perfect as he wanted. By the opinion of your average resto-guy, this thing might as well have been day 2-3 of a month long restoration, but to my father it was perfect. This car was taken from us in 96, after an unfortunate night of gallivanting so, lets move on. </SPAN> The 1969-70 Buick Estate Wagon (claimed to be the original owner by my Pops) was a resident of a salvage yard that he was working at in the early 80s. He came across the motor, pulled it and sent it to the machine shop. After the normal checks and a clean bill of health, he threw her in his first 77 cutlass (Maroon). I dont remember why he then put it in the Camaro, but I think I remember him telling me of a story of running from the police or something and taking a corner a little too fast...history. </SPAN> Following the unforeseen demise of 77 #2, the motor was taken back to the machine shop, stop two in this series of memorable, and yet sometimes, unfortunate events. </SPAN> In 97, at the ripe age of 12, I finally got my hands into the motor after she was thankfully discharged from Petes Machine Shop in Haltom City, TX. </SPAN> And my involvement in the motor began...</SPAN> We rebuilt the motor in 00 I believe, and she sat in a crate for a few months while we allocated a car. After several trips to the salvage yards, we gave up on anything that wouldnt need extensive work i.e. $$$. As a last ditch effort, I perused the back-lot of a used car/auto repair shop my father was employed at and stumbled onto a tired looking 79 Cutlass Supreme. I asked the owner what he wanted for the car and he told me if I pulled the engine and transmission; I could have it for two bills. SOLD! </SPAN> We got the car out of the clutches of the over-grown lot, the colony of rats, and the almost absolute destiny of the scrap yard, and threw the 455 in it with its BOP TH-350 counterpart. </SPAN> Enter my first car...</SPAN> The motor was bored .030 over and the deck and heads were milled a few thousandths. He had put an Eaton cam, forged pistons/rods and an HEI Distributor in it. Other than the spread-bore Holley, none of the other main components had been replaced or altered up to that point. </SPAN> Needless to say, I had an equally heavy foot having had the apple not fall to far from the tree. The set-up was plenty for a young man in High School racing at the 8[SUP]th[/SUP] mile track in Kennedale. After I tore out the third rear-end, we finally found a suitable replacement from a 77 Monte Carlo, cut and swapped the Control Arms, and put a positration differential with the stock ring and pinion. </SPAN> Money was always and issue when it came to hopes and dreams, and coupled with the upkeep and maintenance, upgrades were always on the back-burner. Wants were always out-weighed by the needs...</SPAN> I finally ran the motor far past the point where it shouldve been disassembled and rebuilt and ended up melting some pistons just to highlight. During its stay in the machine shop I found myself back in the salvage yard looking for a viable replacement. After a few hours of searching, we found another gem in a 72 Buick Electra. Upon disassembly, we found out that the internals looked immaculate and it had been bored .060 over. We reassembled it and threw it in the car. After a mere two weeks however, I began to detect a faint rattle in the bottom end. We pulled the oil pan and discovered that the main and rod bearings had expired. R&R again...The motor was taken to the shop and they determined that it had twisted and needed to be line-bored to alleviate the issue. Finding that this was too costly, I opted to pull the motors out and buy a crank set and Sealed Power pistons for the .030 over motor. We assembled it and there it stayed until 08. </SPAN> The only issue I found with it was that the rings would let a small amount of oil by which I noticed, on Highway 1 in Monterey CA, at wide-open throttle. That year, I finally purchased a new vehicle and sent the 79 back to my fathers house in TX for diagnosis and rebuild. I moved on to Omaha NE and started building a game-plan for the motor. We sent it back to the machine-shop and it was determined that the cylinder walls had in fact, reached the point that the rings could no longer seal against the cylinder walls. </SPAN> Rebuild #3</SPAN> Convinced that the motor needed to be bored and a set of .040 or bigger pistons needed to be purchased, I started research on what options I had to get it back on the street. And thats where we are today.</SPAN> I have since purchased another 79 Cutlass and gave the original to my father. He threw a Chevy 350, for gas-mileage ONLY, in it mated with a 700R-4 that someone had done a ridiculous amount work on. (When it shifts, it feels like youre getting kicked in the rear) </SPAN> I currently have this motor in the machine shop as of 2/14/2013 and have a million and one ideas of what I want to do and this time, I want to do them right. I have allocated an SP1 intake, replacement oil pan, Timing and Valve Covers from TA. </SPAN> The block still needs to be bored, if its the best decision, and then move on from there. Im definitely looking to do the Stage II Heads but dont know what the best course of action is from there. Cams, Rods, Lifters, Rockers, Headers, etc. all need to be ventured. I would like to build a set up that would have no problem taking out a BBC .030 over, notched pistons, heavy cam, and aluminum intake which just happens to be destined for our original 79 Cutlass. </SPAN> Gearing, both differential and transmission, needs to be explored. And anything else one could bring to my attention as a viable option without going too crazy and hemorrhaging $$$. </SPAN> I have a 95mm Garrett Turbo Charger but that, in itself, is a pipe-dream I reckon.</SPAN> Any information or insight into a course of action would be greatly appreciated. And following suit with this semi-biography in the life of a 455, budget is always a consideration. I've had sinfull thoughts of a SBC/BBC's, but abstained and remain loyal to the motor that is so far embedded in my life, I could see no other viable alternative. Thanks for everything folks, -Mark
