Well, I've been anticipating the day I can actually make this post, and finally its here. Dut to some GOOD (for once) financial suprises, it looks like I'll be able to start the buildup on my new 455 sooner than I thought, so it's about time for me to start planning. I've only been involved with this board and the buick community in general for about a year and a half, and although I've learned a LOT, mostly I've learned that when it comes to Buicks, I'm mostly a babe in the woods. Any help or suggestions would be MORE than welcome, and feel free to correct anything I say that is mistaken or flat out wrong. I dont want to end up like my friend who has rebuilt his sbc 4 times in the last 8 months, I want to build this motor once and do it right, so all the help I can get is appreciated. First off, my goals. I have a 67 Special and a VP-400 tranny. My goal is to get my beast into the 12's, or even low 13's, and still keep its driveability. This is my only car (well, I can always borrow my parents junker truck, but essentially its my only car), so It's gotta be able to drive to work every day, and survive florida summer. It'll probably see the strip a few times a eyar, and the occaisional stoplight blast. Cost is also a major concernt, since I dont have a lot of it :ball: So if my goal of 12's or 13's isn;t possible for a couple-few grand, then I'll take what I can get. Now as for what I already have for this combo. The motor in my car is a stock 72 peice, with nothing but an edelbrock intake and carb. The old motor from the car was much nicer, and I still have all the peices from it. I burnt up pretty much every bearing in the thing, so there has been some damage, but for the sake of this discussion lets assume that everything I have is re-useable after machining. In my garage I have: -'72 455 block, looks in good shape, no obvious scoring of cylinder bores, main bearing areas look good, etc. --68 430 Big Port heads, stock valve size. Havent has em check for cracks, but visually they check out okay. looks like stock rocker assembly. So far as I know, these have had no porting work, etc. done to them. -455 Crank from the old block, I assume its a 72 peice as well. theres some scoring on the main and rod journals, but I think its within what a machine shop can safely clean up. -Stock (72 I assume) connecting rods -stock (72 I assume) pistons. -Crane cam (cant remember specs, was under .500 lift, nothing too wild, had a decent lope to it) I guess my question is what of these parts should I keep, and what are not going to be useable for my purpose? From what I have read, I guess the stock conn. rods are ok for under 450-500 horse, so I would assume they'd be allright. What about teh stock pistons and crank? And assuming I'll have to get an over bore to clean up the cylinders, what pistons would be the cheapest but still be safe with the power levels i'd be looking at? Also, would my stock big port heads be enough, or should i have them ported, or converted to stage one valves? and Lastly, what would you guys reccomend as a cam? I would guess the TA 413 cam, or would I need something a little wilder to get her down into the 12's? Lastly, if anyone knows of a good source to find tips on building performance buick engine (a book, etc.) with info like suggested clearances for all the different bearings, etc. a detiled list of the suggested oiling mods, anything like that, that would be awesome. I guess essentially I am desperate for any and all information that would give me better chances of pulling off my first buick engine build succesfully with results that I like. Feel free to comment on anything, and dont hesitate to correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks in advance to all who reply!!
Have ARP bolts put in the rods, cut the crank, get a set of forged or hyrerutechtic pistons, have it balanced. I would have the heads gone through and ported, Stage 1 valves if in the buget(they don't help that much). Get the block close to zero deck(want the compression around 10.0:1). I would say probly a TA413 or simular cam, decent intake and your good to go. Hope this helps
Use the TA groved cam bearing and don't use a high volume oil pump(just a stock kit and a booster plater, with TA adjustible regulator). I would use Cleveite main and rod bearings and inlarge the oil holes in the cover and block. You also can get a set of 430 rockers and TA adjustible hybrid pushrods for some more lift.
Poston has Steven Dove's book (written by our own Jim Burek - GO JIM!) all about building a 455. A couple of the things are dated (like cutting a groove in the front cam journal - our cam bearings do that for us now), but all in all it tells you everything! Lose the stock pistons. You want replacement cast 1970 pistons, or if you can afford it go with TA's forged. Talk with TA on a cam choice - and use their booster plate and adjustable regulator. I really suggest you send Jim Weise your timing cover and let him port it and install the pump, plate and regulator. You'll get all the oiling you'll need. Zero deck the block.
