I started a thread the other day asking for input on rebuilding my numbers match engine in my car. Along with some very good advice (thanks), a number of people responded that they would take the numbers match motor out, mothball it, and build a non-match motor to assure the match block doesn't go bye-bye if something should go wrong. I'm really up in the air on this as I'd love to have the match motor in there, but shiver at the thought of losing it. The build I'm planning is relatively mild (see thread here )and I'm definitely trying to work on building in longevity and reliability, but.... So, what would you do? o No:
I voted to crate the factory engine and build yourself a bad ass engine with another 455. No sense in possibly destroying the numbers matching engine when there are still plenty of 455 cores floating around for cheap. :Smarty:
I have to respectfully disagree with the majority... Keep the numbers matching drivetrain in it. You're not building a 9 or 10 second car thats going to see 7,000+ RPM's on a regular basis. Build it right and you shouldn't have to worry about "hurting" it. I see alot of cars for sale with a "non-numbers" engine in the car, but with the "numbers matching" block that comes with it. I don't personally find that very attractive. That would mean I'd have alot of work to do if I wanted the car to be correct. Also... chances are, that whoever would buy your car in the future might not even want the "numbers" engine with it, (if it wasn't in the car already). It'll end up laying around for years, possibly to end up rusted out, forgotten, or "lost in the shuffle" someday. Besides, do you really want to trip over that numbers matching block for the next 10 years laying on your garage floor? :gt: BUT.... If you want to build an engine NOW, while you're enjoying driving your car all the time, then that would be a good reason to keep the original engine intact and build a whole new engine for the car. Then you can make the quick swap in one weekend when you're ready, instead of having the car "down" for at leats a couple weeks, if not a couple months. Just my 2 (or 3) cents. :beer
Ken If you ever sold that car I'd personally drive to CT (I know the way!) and kick your butt from Fairfield to Milford. You've been warned...:af: :beer
I second what Rick said. Getting ready to build another 350 so when the time comes, I'll just pull the orignal and drop in a real motor with some guts... I'm estimating one weekend to do the job but if I get into some major detailing of the engine bay, I can count on being at least two weekends...
I would store the numbers matching engine in a safe place and find another one to rebuild. There are plenty of core blocks around as well as complete engines to rebuild and get more horsepower while you are at it. You could also take as long as you want to do a factory rebuild on your matching engine and still drive your car in the meantime. For example,I sold a real nice 72 GS 455 to a friend two years ago. It had a NOS 1974 block with 70 stage one heads, cam etc. Ran really nice, good power and idled like a dream. Last month he was cruising home on the highway 70 mph with 3:08 rear gears and :stmad: one of the connecting rods broke in half and tore a hole through the block!!!!! We all do our best with the rebuild of our buick motors, but sometimes they just blow up on there ownou: As far as the value of your car somewhere down the road, that #"s matching motor could be worth 10 to 20 thousand on a 1971 GSX 455 four speed car. You never know if you may need the money someday and god forbid have to sell your car:ball: You could find yourself a good block and with all the members on this board I bet the parts you need wont break the bank. Lets see with 3,000 members we all could send you one part for the rebuild or $2 each would = $6,000. Just a thought:beer To take it a step further, How about a rebuild club? Pull one members name a month from a submitted list and the $2 fee and Buicks will be running wild!!!!:beer
Ken....you got my opinion in the other thread and I voted the same here.....'Play" motor all the way But we were talking about performance there and the possible breakage from higher HP / more abuse.....this scenario above is also an EXCELLENT reason to go with "Play" I will say though, that with more power the other driveline pieces south of the flexplate need attention too.....more so than with a "stockish" rebuild. BTW....have you been in a low 12 second BB Buick singing at full song ?? If not, remind me to take you for a spin next time we're together. That should seal the Deal :TU:
NO question for me on this one.....Yank the original and store it. I have blown up enough motors because of "little" things to make me sick. If your ride was mine, and I had to decide, I wouldn't have to decide. Build a new motor, and build it the way you want it. Even if its just another pump gas motor to drive around. Those matching numbers are just gonna keep getting rare, and harder to find. Thus in 10 years, when you have rebuilt the original in your spare time, when you slide it back in........you have a super nice, and super rare car...............Good luck. later.......................
Yo Jeff! No problems! The next time that car is sold it will be my kids doing the selling and I'll be driving a concours version in Buick heaven anyway.
I'm in! I can swing two bucks a month. Gosh, how cool would that be? Even a couple hundred received from members would be rightious!
After reading some more replies.... I remembered just how rare a car you have Ken. (71 GSX 4 Spd) I change my mind! Maybe that "numbers" engine DOES belong in a plastic bag somewhere safe until you're ready to make it a "trailer queen" (or something close to it). There aren't many cars that I would feel that way about, but I think yours definately falls into that category. :TU:
Hi Ken - If given a choice, and I had the means, I would store my #'s matching motor (and trans) and have some fun with a different core :Brow:
I'm gonna go the opposite way, I agree with your earlier comment that a numbers matching block is no good sitting in the garage (except maybe to increase the value of your garage:grin: ) Based on what you said about about this car being a weekend fun car and seeing little if any strip time your probably planning to use the car as it has been used for the past 30 plus years, it hasn't exploded yet, no reason to believe that if you stay on top of the maintenance that it ever will. My cars not as rare as yours, but I'm using my original block. And about the pistons, based on what I've read (haven't used them) the block would have to be decked to get to anything in the 10 to 1 range, best to call one of the builders to get specifics.
box it up Hi: are you really going to feel comfortable wailing on that matching motor when your done I think it would bother me every time. matching only happens once. Sincerely John :beer
Ken I wouldn't even deck the original block. Moth ball it AND the trans. My car didn't have the original motor in it but did have the original 4 spd. It's now in the attic. To me it's simple arithmatic. Hundreds and hundreds of cores out there, but only one with your VIN# on it!
"Mothball" it? WHY would you do such a thing?! If you have an engine IN the car, then USE IT! Take it OUT, REBUILD IT, and PUT IT BACK IN THE CAR! If you can't build it yourself, then take it to Jim W. or someone who KNOWS Buick engines to build it for you (believe me, I don't trust just "anybody" to work on MY BUICK, either. Only a SELECT few!:Smarty: )! There are a LOT of factors to consider! BEFORE YOU "MOTHBALL" the engine, SERIOUSLY ASK YOURSELF: "WHERE am I going to let an engine SIT on the floor IN MY GARAGE, INDEFINITELY?" Take that from a guy who can't put ONE CAR in a 3 CAR GARAGE (because of all the (10) Engines, (14) Transmissions, (100'so No:ou: ) Interior parts, (7) Hoods, etc.), that I wanted to "SAVE" all of those parts!ou: It STARTS with the FIRST thing you don't want to use, but don't want to get rid of, and then it goes from there!:laugh: The "numbers matching" will not affect how it RUNS! Here's a scenario: You put the "numbers" engine in storage. You build another engine for the car. After you get the car running, you're on your way to a car show/grocery store/wherever. You're the 2nd car back, sitting at a Stoplight. The car behind you HITS you, because the driver was distracted and didn't have enough time to stop. Now your car in "totalled" (1/4s, Bumper, Gas tank, Frame, Trunk, Taillights, ALL needs to be repaired. To find BUICK parts, YOU do the math! The car is now "JUNK"! Numbers Matching or Not, it's not worth ANYTHING at THAT point!). So, What good is that "numbers matching" engine that's SITTING IN YOUR GARAGE? What are you going to do with it NOW (after the CAR'S been WRECKED? Do you think that engine is going to be worth MORE, BY ITSELF?)? That's the CHANCE you take, and we ALL do it! If you're "worried" about it, go buy another SKYLARK, and rebuild ANOTHER ENGINE for THAT one, and let the car, that you "worry" about, SIT in the garage, and it will be "worth more" if you never drive it, and it will never be in an accident, either!:Smarty::moonu: BUILD IT! USE IT! Enjoy the car, WITH the "ORIGINAL" engine!:TU:
Numbers schmumbers, Its your car and you only live once. If you get another 455 cheap, then go for it. If you don't, redo the original engine. Do not deny yourself any driving time if you can help it.
