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

Why are you asking me? I'm NOT the one who is being a bully. Please read all of Quick Buick's posts, you will clearly see who's responsible.
I only asked him not to response to my thread because he adds nothing positive to this forum. I'm not the only one he is irritating.

Do you NOT want a positive friendly Forum for all to enjoy???

 

You cannot Run pump gas with 12.5:1 compression your car wouldn’t even make it down the end of the block.

 

Jon Baker's compression ratio is 9.97-1

JW

 

Please excuse me guys. I have no idea where I read 12.5:1 compression.
9.97:1 make a lot more of sense.
Looking at the Dyno specs, that's a very nice built BBB.

Thank you, Mr. Baker, for providing the Dyno videos. I appreciate you going out of your way to do that. VET (Navy)

 

Weight reduction is also something u can do but idk how stock it will look. I think I'm shaving a 100 lbs off my centurion with just aluminum intake and radiator.

 

Just wondering, does that intake manifold look like an aluminum? Or is it just unpainted?

I'm impressed, with the torque. Best I've seen out of an "almost stock" 455 Stage 1.
As for as the horsepower goes (400 HP), I remember Mr. Manners saying the best Buick got out of a Stage 1 was 376 HP.
It appears, the roller cam did add some HP.

This is interesting to me, because I'm trying to get to the 450 HP mark. I wonder how much additional HP headers would add and a performer intake. That just might get me to 450HP.....

Putting in a roller cam, tub headers and an intake wouldn't be that expensive. Plus, they made the HP at 5400 rpm, that's within the 1970 Buick safe rpm range. This looks to be very doable. To give me additional insurance, a nice port job would get me there, I think?
I wish I knew what roller cam they were using???
I've got a nice Comp cam I could do the Dyno tests and if I can't make the 450 mark, I could swap out the cam. Hum. What do you think??

 

That a good thought. I just installed a Aluminum radiator two weeks ago. If I add the aluminum Edelbrock Performer intake that will take some weight off, plus I could go on a diet. Gee, great idea. I like it. VET

 

Yikes lots of responses after I logged off

There is a thread here on what members do or did for work. Maby I can find it..
Basically started as a tool maker for big punch presses and strippet machines.
Tired of bashing my knuckles on those huge 400, 500 lbs steel plates that were needed so went to setting up old cam driven auto indexing turret screw machines and some Miyano 3 axis CNC machines,
Would need to grind some custom form tools for the side slide or on the turret at times..
Liked setting up these screw much more than the steel sheet metal punch presses. Except if you ran square or hex stock that rattled big time in the stock tube..

 

in the comments it said it was basically the stock stage 1 cam but a roller design so they didnt have to worry about a flat tappet. They also lowered there cr to 8.5 according to them so they lost some right there. That said ive seen two dynos read different with the same car so its just a average really. I think you are on the right track. Also like i said that 450hp buick is going to be a different animal. They are much more like a diesel engine.

 

Thanks, appreciate your reply. VET

 

While I was doing the tool work, most of my work was on 50, 100 ton presses but one day we got a monster 500 ton press that rattled the whole punch press section. That machine was
impressive.
VET

 

Dear VET and V-8 Buick fans of high-tech for old iron,

Well, I have worked as a software engineer, have a bachelor degree in physics and philosophy, and a PhD from U.C. Berkeley. Even with all that, I couldn't set the EFI tuning parameters correctly! I bought the FAST Sportsman from a fellow who was reasonably local and he came to me to do the tune. He had me drive the car while he monkeyed with the EFI parameters with a laptop in the passenger seat. I couldn't believe the improvement! It was expensive, but well worth it.

The one thing I wasn't overly happy about was the idle when cold. I decided that since I could monitor that from my driveway, I would make some tweaks and take a video of the engine idling with my smart phone. Even this was really difficult. I created a spreadsheet and kept copious notes. In the end I made the fuel mixture a little richer while warming up, but I ended up not departing too much from the professional tune. Still, I decided it was an improvement. The engine was rocking quite a bit on the professional tune. I think the fellow tried to keep it on the lean side because he knew I was trying to get as good fuel economy as possible. Nudging up the fuel mixture makes the engine more mellow as it warms up.

Of course my wagon's fuel economy is really lousy! If I ever manage to get a Airstream trailer, I am going to need to get a BIG custom gas tank!

Edouard

 

Ed, I know why you had this issue> The engine was rocking quite a bit on the professional tune. It's a BIG Cam you have in that Sleeper Buick of yours LoL.

If you have a worked as a Software engineer, and having problems tuning the EFI, I can't imagine what all problems I would have LoL.
Big gas tank! That's when you install a roof rack on your car and mount a 55 gallon oil tank and fill it full of fuel.

I hope your recovery is coming along fine. You sound good on your post. My prayers are with you and your family as always. Regards VET

 

It's still almost like that. Rte 89 passes by my town about two miles away, has an exit, but no sign that says the name of my town. We have staticky radio, limited cel service- (one or no bars), no one knows we are here. I kinda like that...

 

I agree with you, no one knows you're there. Be blessed because this is a very screwed up world.
Wait, NO bars. This is just like my buddy's place in VT.
When I was up there one time, he says, you want to go to a dance and pick up some girls, SURE!
As we are driving down this dirt road, I could hear the music and then I thought, this is strange music, DO - SI - DO.
Bob! What! Is that square dancing music I'm hearing??? YA, O'boy I haven't square danced since the 5th grade.
O' I'll come back to you. Dude, you don't live in Vermont, you live in West Virginia. LOL.

We did have a lot of fun, running the back roads with a case of beer in the back of his jeep. I miss it. VET

 

Yup those big ones would shake the whole shop
The Strippet machines that had the big table that allowed the metal sheets to move around that were held by clamps while the round indexing turret that held I think at the time 12?? different separate easy to swap punches was another one that banged!! away while the turret switched to the needed punch while the sheet stock moved to position. They also were fast!
I drive by this old old closed down factory at times and get caught at a light across the street from it and I can hear that distinctive sound of one of them running. It's only in a small section of this huge building that someone has rented. I keep thinking of going in and checking it out but its been a couple years and I haven't.

I worked a very short time at a plant that huge what they called a Acme multi spindle screw machine. I didn't work on them but 6 spindle tubes that indexed on the next operation setup tooling station They were made for longer running orders of maby 50,000 to 500,000 + piece orders. One piece finished with every stock tube index. They didn't work to well with a fancy needed screw or fastener I think.
Long story short when you have like 8 of these machines close to your station and alot of them running again big hex stock, they are loud!!

 

I’m not bashing EFI, or anyone that installs aftermarket EFI on there carbureted engine, but the thing I can’t wrap my head around is a carburetor is so simple in its operation of supplying fuel to the engine when it needs it and how much.
You replace that simple mechanical device with SIMPLE aftermarket electronics and yah have issues, cold start, idle, too rich, to lean, hunting idle, etc.
I just don’t understand why people like these, it’s well known they have issues.
It’s bad enough to have your late model DD with a check engine light on, let alone your hobby car having “mysterious” issues.

 

Well, PGSS, the Company, called Farrington Business Machines is the first Tool & Die company I worked for in 1972 after I got out of the Navy.
I loved this company. Had a great Tool shop with old guys that worked in the Washington DC shipyard during WWII.
They knew their trade and did a great job of mentoring me, I was by far the youngest @ 23 years old (Gee, that was a long time ago).
We got bought out by a company based in Boston MA (Litton Industries, Inc.) Farrington designed and manufactured Impress Credit card machines.
The kind of credit machines that were used at Gas stations and other retail stores. Litton offered to move workers to Boston, but the hourly wage was very low. I was the only one in the shop who had worked in Boston, and I told all the shop workers they couldn't live in Boston with such a low wage. the only people that moved to Boston were the engineers.
Sometimes I drive by the old factory (been closed for over 49 years now) and miss all the people and the fine precision work we did.
I would have never left there. But it turned out to be NOT the only shop that closed down during my working profession.
Wow makes me sad just writing this to you. Eventually, I got a great Federal job with a great pension and health plan that took care of me and my family. VET (Navy)

 

Mark, I've been in manufacturing all my working life (40+ years). Also, a machine shop Instructor. What I have learned is the new generation of young folks are brought-up with computer technology. They have never been taught how to tune a carb, they don't really understand the process or design function of a carb.
When it comes to programming anything with a computer and software, they are a lot more comfortable and good at it.
Unfortunately, because they were not taught the basics of automotive work, like HOW does a carb function and seeing that all modern cars are EFT, its just natural, they gravitate towards things like Holley EFI"s

I've had my 70 GS in a Classic car shop for 2 years now (be out hopefully next week). The shop splits their work force into Mechanics and Techs.
I asked the head Mechanic what a Tech does. He says they ONLY understand how to wire electronics and program anything that uses a computer.

He told me if you are classified as a Mechanic, you are responsible to work on the car's drivetrain, suspension, engine, brakes, cooling system differential. Install carbs and tune them. He told me it's very difficult to find and hire an expert mechanic.
This classic car shop has at any one time, 70 cars they work on and NOT enough qualified mechanics or Techs.

As a machine shop instructor, I had no problem finding young folks to program our CNC machines. But they didn't understand how to hold parts in place (a ridged solid setup or making jigs), didn't understand what types of machine tools (cutting tools) to use in the manufacturing process.
If they were assigned as a Mechanical engineer, they were not taught what types of materials were satisfactory to use in a product, I had to tell them what types of materials to use (I'm not an engineer).

It's just a very different world we live in now. Remember, the U.S. spent years sending our manufacturing products to be machined, build and assembled overseas. A huge loss of Americal talent. Now we are playing catch-up.........VET (Navy)


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