Looking for suggestions and expert advice: Upgrading my 1970 455 engine to a modern 455 engine

Unfortunately, Northern Virginia isn't a huge manufacturing area, so finding cutter grinders is difficult to find. Where you live is a hub of lots of manufacturing. VET

 

You want modern??? Does modern mean Air bags Anti lock Brakes ETC ETC ?????

Carburetor and Points built America......

 

It is!
Keep the iron intake.
TA headers

 

If you read my post you would know what I mean by MODERN. VET (Navy)

 

Sorry, I'm not into computer plug & play. Not into fuel injection. Thanks anyway for the suggestion, I'm open to a lot of HP adders.

Just good flat-top pistons with valve reliefs, better cam than what I'm currently running, zero deck my block and obtain a good Squish band, increase torque, upgrade my current carburetor to at least an 800 CFM Qjet or an 850 CFM Holley.
Add a good aluminum double plane intake manifold, good set of tube headers. Add maybe a 3.42 diff to replace my current 2.93 posi diff.
I want to get to 450 HP, for a streetcar only build. Can't be that difficult to do with a big block. VET

 

If I were you, I would leave the rotating assy alone and maybe consider just sliding a slightly larger cam in there. Buick's can get stupid expensive when you start a full rebuild. There are many $10,000+ 455's out there.
Have you driven it in it's current condition? What is it doing that you want more?

 

I have done a lot of research on the Buick 1970 BB. I have yet to find a stock Stage 1 455 (1970) make 510 pounds of Torque at 2800 rpm on a Dyno.
I know, I have read the specs that says the 455 make this kind of torque right out of the factory.

I know I will get a lot of FLAK from my fellow Buick lovers (please no disrespect from me). Maybe I need to ask Jim W, what he has found dynoing stock 455 Stage 1 engines? This is one of the main reasons I bought a BBB.

Every Dyno I have found on YouTube has been less than 510 lbs. There have been Dyno tests that produce higher toque levels but all of these 455 engines were modified with all kinds of power adders. Just saying.

My 56 Belair ran an ET of 12.2 with 450HP, but it only weighted 3,170lbs.
My GS 455 weighs in at 3,800+lbs without me in it.
So, I believe it will take some doing to get my Buick to that ET level. It'll be fun to try. VET

 

Thanks for this info. This is the second time Every Day Performance has been recommended to me. Again, thank you for the help, I need it.
Like I said Buicks are NOT my forte. I'm willing to learn. VET (Navy)

 

This was with my cam that has lift of just about .500 intake and exhaust.
So that is why I think what you have just needs a bigger bump stick. Something with .500 to .550 lift.

 

Great question. My car has been in a shop for 2 years come this November. I started with a lot of upgrades to it, but unfortunately, I ran into a lot of engine mechanical issues.
Buying from a consignment Dealership turned out to be a huge lie. Yes sir, this find Buick is a Turnkey ready to drive car. NO IT's NOT....

This Buick has or had serious detonation issues, along with that came hot water temperatures. First order of business, find the problem and fix it.
The previous owner I assume was trying to make this Buick go faster but had no clue what he was doing.
Using a borescope through the spark plugs holes, we found Kenne Belle high compression pistons, identified by Larry71GS when I sent him the pictures. Next, we found the original points distributor had been toyed with. Total advance was @ 42* and the springs were very light and the advance at WOT came-in way to fast.

To help cure these problems, I had an MSD ignition installed with an MDS coil. We also added an adjustable vacuum advance canister.
We still had high water temperatures. Using Larry's recommendation, we installed a Griffin 2 core aluminum radiator.
I had the entire cooling system replaced. Installed TA's high volume water pump, installed a high-volume thermostat, new fan-clutch and added waterless Evans coolant. All this cured the problem.

To be on the safe side because I didn't want to do a rebuild, this engine only has 3,600 miles on it last rebuild. We did a compression check and was surprised to find all the cylinders were at an average of 180 psi.
A lead down test was conducted and it too was almost perfect. I saw NO reason to dig deeper into the engine.

I have the opportunity to drive my Buick one time when we thought we had all our ducks in a row. I was not impressed with the performance.
After the engine mechanic and the shop owner rechecked the tune, they found the Holley Carb had a casting flaw that created a vacuum leak.
I also had the mechanic use Larry's recommended tune specs.

My car should be ready for another drive test next week. To answer your quest, I do NOT know how the performance will be on this test drive.

When I got this car off the trailer 2 years ago and did some hard runs on it (I wasn't aware at the time of all these engine issue) I could only get about a 2-car length burnout. So, I knew there was some sort of engine problem because I know that will all the high torque that Buicks produce,
It should have continued to burn a lot longer than 2-car lengths.

That's when I contacted ProSpeed to investigate this Buick. Like Paul Harvey says, NOW you know the whole story.

Maybe when I get to finally drive it, it will be a barn stormer. Time will tell. VET (Navy)

 

OK, I'll check out your videos and you just might be right on.
If you're right, a cam swap with be very cost effective. Thanks VET

 

Im saying once you add a 100 hp to a 455 its going to be alot more potent than a sbc making that power. Even if you are making less than 510 stock you still are making alot more than a small block usually will. That said its a heavier car so you do have that to battle. What torque did you 56 make just curious?

 

So for example this guy got 506 tq on a stock 70 stage 1. Its not 510 but still close enough. They did swap to a roller cam but a stock size and lowered the cr. So any gain from the cam prob was cancelled by going to the low comp pistons. Ive always been taught with buicks you worry about the torque more than hp for that reason. They arent high rev engines like a chevy. Not saying you arent on the right track just saying with 450 plus hp you are talking alot more powerful engine wise than what you think.

 

The factory #'s are inflated. Simple as that!

 

Yeah, but the 70 Stage 1 still runs like it’s tied to a tree ! LOL

 

I bet you're right. Maybe I'm thinking it's too easy to get 450 HP out of a 455, Hum. I'll have to ponder that one and do some more research. Thanks VET

 

Tied to a tree???
One of my buddies had a 1970 396 Carmaro, a lighter car than a Skylark and he couldn't get out of the 14 ET bracket.
That was in 1970, The Stage 1 with a 13.38 ET would have spanked him badly. Lol

 

You might just to right. VET

 

Somehow
I managed to delete mt post to you, so here goes again.
My Comp cam has lift of .496 - Exh and .478 - Int. Not too far off your .500 lift.

I tried to slow down and stop your videos to see your engine Dyno specs, this is the best I can do.
Torque - 533.6 lbs @ 3221 rpms.
HP - 456.4 @ 5129 rpms.
CR - 12.5: 1
Questions: I assume you are running Race gas?
I built a 12.1 CR chevy in 1970 and to make it run on the street, I had to run race gas and also retard the timing.
I can't see from your videos, are you running a Holly carb and what CFM is it?
What brand Cam are you using?
I assume this a Drage Race engine you have built. Not an engine for the street?

Thank you for your input, appreciate you taking time to respond to my post. VET (Navy)

 

Dear VET, Hounddogforever, and fans of assertive V-8 Buick engines,

I'll be the first to admit that's a huge step away from originality, but I really like having electronic fuel injection on my trusty wagon's engine. I upgraded from the original EZ-EFI to a FAST Sportman throttlebody and had the engine professionally tuned. You just can't beat the convenience of any engine that starts up and is immediately ready to go. The engine is much quieter now and more responsive. If you want more a more civilized drive, switching to EFI is one giant leap in that direction.

The other thing that I did for my trusty wagon that makes her much more fun to drive was to switch 200-4R overdrive transmission. That also makes my wagon behave much more like a modern car. Alas, that's an involved upgrade to do.

Edouard