Thinking maybe some minor performance mods instead of wheels for now

I’d like free up some HP on this 455 if possible without having to swap to aluminum heads just yet. Would like to have better starting and drivability with a Sniper EFI kit as well. Please chime in with opinions/recommendations.
-What exactly would I need to get along with the Sniper kit, from the tank to throttle body? My tank is a new stock replacement tank.
-What’s a good electric fan kit for these cars? Currently has a Flex-fan in the stock shroud.
-I’d like to go full 3” exhaust. Hopefully gain even a little bit and make it sound better. It’s currently a little quiet for me. Who makes a good fitting 3” X-pipe and exhaust/tail pipe kit? Stainless steel would be nice.
-Any underdrive pulley kits for the 455?

 

Spend your money on recurving the ignition advance and one of JW's trans convertors. There is no need for the electric fan or underdrive stuff.

 

x2. With a good exhaust and mild cam, any 455 in an A-body should be able to run in the 12's, or at least in the low 100's in the quarter. if yours isnt doing that, look hard at the basics before you spend money on anything, including aluminum heads. Cam timing, ignition timing, carb tuning, air/fuel, and existing heads. If you have a Q-Jet and have issues with starting and driveabiltiy, you need to have someone look at it. A good Q-Jet makes fuel injection irrelevant.

 

A good Q-Jet makes fuel injection irrelevant. X 2

 

Not to tear apart your ideas, but would you mind listing your:

engine combo
rear end
trans is a TKO 600?

For a fraction of the price, a well set up quadrajet will get you most if not all you need for the street.

To be blunt, the 3" exhaust is the only thing I'd recommend of the four things you mentioned.

 

I think Rhett is close to being right, very high 12s to low 13s and very low 100s should be possible with good gearing, torque converter, a well setup suspension and sticky tires, but the tune would need to be spot on with the mentioned exhaust with headers and mild cam.

The above is assuming the engine is at least 9:1 static compression with the dynamic close to 8:1. Not going to happen with a low/no compression smog 455 though, in this case it would be lucky to run 14s and be able to hit 95 mph!

 

Getting it hooked up is a big deal for running any decent number. This might include tires, suspension setup or work, some technique to launch it well.

I think converter technology has probably progressed a bunch since whatever the car has in it. That is the direction I would go.

Three inch exhaust is heavy and short of an all out effort just more than is needed.

I like fuel injection and it abilities as much as the next guy but unless one is stepping up to a port injected setup with a good(read expensive) stand alone with logging capability I think that qjet can be made to work just fine. And for a whole lot less coin and hassle.

 

Yep, unless it’s port injected, the aftermarket TBI systems has everyone excited for no reason

 

Currently has,
Engine:
-Holley Street Avenger Carb 770 CFM w/Electric Choke
-Edelbrock Performer 455 Intake
-‘70 455 Block .030 Over
-‘71 Heads w/Larger Valves/Hardened Seats
-TA 290-94H Camshaft
Exhaust:
-TA Stage 1 Shorty Headers 1-7/8”x3”
-2 1/2” H-Pipe
-2 1/2” Magnaflows and tails
Trans:
-American Powertrain TKO 600 kit
Rear:
-Rebuilt rear end with Posi and 3:42 gears

 

You will not get better driveability with FI than with a PROPERLY CALIBRATED and ADJUSTED Q-Jet. What you will get is "no need to pump the pedal before starting when cold", and "no empty float bowl" after two days when hot. An electric fuel pump takes care of the second one even with the Q-Jet.

Shitcan the flex-fan, get an OEM fan and fan clutch.

You could look through the catalogs from Pypes and similar companies. I wind up buying mandrel bends and making my own system. Yes, stainless pipe is wonderful. The last exhaust work I did--just a few days ago--involved taking a stainless muffler and tailpipe from a Treasure Yard '94 K1500 and grafting it onto my truck. Some idiot had scrapped the OEM stainless system for undersized, mild-steel junk, and it was falling apart by the time I bought the truck.

The improvement from mandrel-bent 2 1/2" to 3" is likely to be little-to-none on the street, except it gives you a chance to make more noise.

Waste of time, money, effort, and enthusiasm. Often actually counter-productive. Great way to under-cool the engine, and make life tougher on the alternator, while reducing the effectiveness of the A/C.

 

X2, the factory style clutch fan will give you power back that the flex fan is robbing

 

Sounds like a nice set up, but they make sound easy, bolt it on hook up a few wires and go.
Carburetors when tuned properly, not worn, or jetted wrong run as good and respond better than fuel injection.
Mechanical anything is faster than electronics.
With anything electronic, you have to wait until all the info is processed so it can figure out what to do.
Im not bashing fuel injection, the reason why the OEM's went that way was for drivability and emissions.

 

Ok so it seems everyone is against the Holley EFI stuff and pulleys. I really like everything EFI has to offer, but I’ll wait on more info on it. I guess it’s still very new and not common on our Buick’s... I did test drive a ‘67 Firebird previously that had the Sniper EFI system with an aluminum headed 383 stroker and it felt really nice!
For now can y’all recommend a good electric electric fan set up? I’d like to buy new, not taking a chance on used or searching through the junk yards. Also, I will also look into the Pypes exhaust kit. Would be nice to have a louder, all stainless 3” mandrel bent system.

 

My son and I put a Holley Sniper system on his 79 Regal that we put a Buick 350 in and he loves it. It was pretty easy to install. We started the conversion in the morning and had it running that day. It's hard to tell if the mileage is any better because he has a pretty heavy foot. Hopefully we will get it to the track in the next few weeks and see how it does.

Ken

 

You sound like you have some money to spend but not sure what to spend it on. Most of the goodies you listed will not make the car any faster.

Under drive pulleys at your power level will be more likely to give you higher idle temps, and crappy power steering assist at low speeds than any noticable power increase.

A correct fan shroud with proper fan and clutch will cool better than almost any electric fan setup and be cheaper and easier to work with. If you have your heart set on an electric fan because it looks cool, or whatever, then do your research and be prepared to spend some serious money then add another chunk of money for an alternator that will keep up with the 30-45 amps the fan(s) are likely to consume. Don't skimp here as a lot of the fans won't really pull the CFM they say they will so if you cheap out you will just end up buying twice.

A bit of searching here will show you that unless you are pumping BIG horsepower the 3in exhaust won't find you any power but it will weigh more and sound louder.

Regardless of what some may say the throttle body EFI system is nice. I've had a John Osborne built and tuned Q-jet and later AMP worked a Holley 950HP over on their dyno for me and I'll take my Fitech over them both, at least for the street driving I do. Carbs never started like the EFI does and the EFI runs and starts as good on a 95deg 95% humidity day as it does on a 50deg 50% humidity day, the carbs won't do that. HOWEVER The carbs will run and get you where you want to go and be way more forgiving of electrical noise or exhaust leaks or vacuum leaks though. Again a bit of searching on here and you will find PLENTY of people with EFI (it's not new) on their Buicks but as with many of these old cars its rarely as easy or trouble free as the box makes it sound.

For return on investment a properly curved distributor and healthy ignition setup will, give you HP and better drivability. Do it yourself with Larry's sticky post or find someone to do it for you. Same with an intake and properly setup carb. If you add heads or cam later these items will all carry forward and won't roast your bank account.

I'm curious to see what you end up doing though. Be sure to keep us appraised.

 

With what your car has it should run mid 12s.
Is the suspension rebuilt.
Mainly stock will get you there as long as it’s in good shape.
Maybe an air bag kit in rear to help keep car square on launch.
That’s about it.
And a nice set of tires. 28x10 slicks on a dedicated set of wheels and a pair of narrow fronts like a 28x4.5 on 15x5 dedicated wheels

 

And on q jets
Who can I speak with. Anyone here on thread?
Had a couple built. And disappointed.

Leave your 2 1/2” exhaust. It’s more than adequate.