Helpful Links: 455 swap How To article Bucket seat conversion Frame braces 12" brakes on the Regal Manual Steering Wiring Diagrams (Malibu but they're pretty close) ...any questions just let me know, I've been through all of these swapouts and done lots of ou: Local discussions: Levelling and Centering the 455 in a Regal frame Parts list for swap Front tie braces The crossmember debate Swapping body panels 350 swap Header clearance Overheating Regal Manual Steering
455 Identification methods? Sorry if I'm piggybacking this thread, but I figured I'd ask it here that way someone else won't have to ask it. Ok, my 231 blew in my Regal and I have a guy w/an Olds sayin that his son put a Buick 455 in it( dunno outta what). How can I tell if this is REALLY a 455? What are the procedures/methods for determining this?
455 Id the 455 is 3 inches bigger than 350 (26"bell to fan base) the 455 is 29.5" bell to fan base, the 455 is also cast in the rear bell area at top of motor "455" in galley before the trans bell seam. the width is real close to each other in the valve cover outside to outside. Look for the 455 in rear galley easiest. all 455 have this.
Buick 350 now in 86' Regal I'm getting excited to do a little more then trolley around the neighborhood in my Regal. But first I still have tuning and some issues, Anyone, Bueller ?? :laugh: Unfortunately I had to put the old points distributor back in as the HEI I had on the shelf I got off Ebay a year previously in planning for this project ended up being bad, has a broken magnetic pickup ring inside. So anyway, yes I've been tuning it running without the voltage reducing resistor and I know the points aren't going to last very long. I've rebuilt the 86's alternator with the internal voltage regulator and it mounted nicely and easily right onto the 71' engine's brackets, I just turned the cases so the Batt. terminal was up since it now mounts on the passenger side. My last couple issues are: #1 the fuel lines, there's 2 in the Regal and the 71's pump only takes one 3/8ths line, I'm not sure what to do with the smaller 5/16th line, shall I "Tee" it in with the larger one "fuel line?" , block it off, or hook to vacuum to pull tank fumes out? This goes along with my running issue that I know I'm not pulling the tank fumes as well as it should, if I secure the gas cap, the engine starts faultering after running about a minute, if I leave the cap off, it runs ok. I connected the cars tank vent can line for the tank, in line with the block vent then to the PCV on the side of the carb's 3/8ths vacuum line. I thought this would vent the tank good enough, but I'm thinking the second 5/16th line next to the fuel line coming out the frame rail going to the fuel pump is going to also need to pull vacuum to vent the tank suffient, is this correct ? #2 Back to the timing setup, having to mess with dwell setting again is a pain in the Arse, Especially with my knuckles risking a shaving by the FAN. (one thing I hate about the Buick) I have a Chevy HEI in my garage I am going to need in the future, but for now I think I'll steel the parts out of the head and fix the HEI I have for the Buick engine and put it in, as I can't seem to get it running really great with the old points dist. The old dist. had been what's been running in it before the new cam, manifold and timing chain went in and the dwell was set at this 45 or so then to have it run good, but before the cam I could set the timing mark to the plate. The motor has TA's Stage 1's intake manifold, TA's 212 Cam now, and it really seems to need timing well above the stock marker plate. The highest mark is 12 degree's and it stumbles badly unless at more like 16 degree's, has anyone tuned for this CAM? and can varify this is about right, also it won't take the stock setting of dwell from between 28-32 it needs about 45-49 to run good. If there's anyone else out there that's been through this hopefully can shed the light and lesson my time, I'd appreciate it. The car is sluggish, one time I got it close, and it seemed to have very nice power going around the neighborhood, but it wouldn't idle, since I doubled the carb gasket it helped and I may still have a vacuum leak somewhere, but in tuning all this I lost that tuneup that was OK. My old dwell gauge from Sears has crapped, so now my tuning /timing is only with a timing light /vacuum gauge and my ear and that's why I'm going to do what I have to to get the HEI working, so I don't have to worry about the dwell issue.
The one line you need is the main feed. The others are the return and the vent. You don't need the return, matter-of-fact, some folks block it on purpose for more fuel presure. You must vent though. You can cheat and vent it by leaving the return line open, or plugging it and drilling four 1/8 holes in the gas cap. The Chevy magnetic pick up will work in the Buick dist. They don't line up great, so you'll have to check for free rotation as you tighten it. ou: To optimize, you want a good total timing number. do a search in the engines forum on were to put a 30 degree mark on you balancer. This way you can count up the scale 30+. Your probably gonna want 34ish for a total. Theres lotsa ways to get a good idle. You can have manifold vacuum keeping the timing up through the vacuum advance, or depending on your weights and springs, you may need none at all. Good Luck :TU:
im building my own version of a grand national regal.im using a narrowed ford rearend. im also using a mid seventies engine and transmission. where can i find performance parts for the engine and trans:3gears:
I got an 87 regal limited what you guys think would be the best all around motor for a daily driver. considering cost and gas is almost 3.50 a gallon in miami.
Hello everyone. Kind of doing this backwards but... finally found a '76 Regal with Hurst Hatches ( wanted this car since my buddy had one in the 80's !! ) and the sport interior. Added an indy pace car spoiler to the original color Midnight Blue metallic repaint, new white interior and now am looking to drop a '76 455 out of an Electra in it. Have the 455 and getting ready to "build it" but cannot for the life of me find any info on this swap. Help, comments advice please???
Its about the same but if you have a choice go for the 87 Regal as body parts are easier to find. The only reason the 79 might be easier is if it was a non-air car but they are hard to find if not impossible.
I have found a 82 with a 267 v8 in it but I want to put a 3.8 back in it will this require frame pad change? Does any one know what the rear end would be?
the motor mounts to cradle should be ok as 4.1 is buick, and should be ok with swap to 3.8 , why not just 350, fits easy no motor mount changing. use the 3.8 mounts on motor on a 350 you can put in the car easy fit. now rear end most likely 3.23 or 3.42 with small buick motors, easy check , chalk the drive shaved and spin rear end one turn drive shaft now count revs on rims 3.5 spins around to one drive shaft is 3.42 3.23 is about 3.25 spins of tires. chalk tires easy clocking . Keep 4bbl intake off 4.1 and put on 3.8 if you do keep to v6.
Id be willing to bet the rear is a 7.5 with an open 2.73 or 3.08 but the previous poster has given the procedure to getting close without actually checking the ring and pinion gear.
Re: 455 Identification methods? Easiest way to tell the 400/430/455 from a 350 is to simply look at the water pump. If the lower radiator hose port is built onto the water pump, it's a 350 (which fits all the SBB and v6's). If the lower radiator hose port is built into the timing cover, it's a big block.
If you don't want too much more power, keep the v6 in it and do a few upgrades to that. TA has some nice stuff for N/A v6's. Otherwise, go with a (Buick) 350. You're going to get good mileage with it as long as you don't go too radical. You could also put a big block in it as long as it was stock or close to stock with low comp pistons. Won't get the mileage a 350 will, but you'll have more low end umpfh. 350 is probably your best all-around performer for street use that won't make you cringe every time you have to fill it up.
Hi .I'm to see if someone can post and picture of the engine mount to frame of a 455 swap in to 80 g body regal
