455 part list

Discussion in 'V-8 Buick Powered Regals' started by Nothingface5384, Nov 3, 2004.

  1. Nothingface5384

    Nothingface5384 Detail To Oil - Car Care

    hi all just wanted to get a better part list / price estimate on doing a 455 swap into my 79 buick regal...it has a 3.8 v6(only 60k :p) and it has no pbrakes nor an ac unit and i already have the 3.8 turbo hood..

    i just need listing of parts that are required to make this swap work...so far i go this.. also i'll be buying a 74 duece and a quarter for 300..wich is where the engine is comming from....what parts from the electra can i use for the regal if any?

    455 of course (100k) comes with $300 74 electra
    86 GN rearend complete drum to drum with 3.42 posi $750
    frame pads 60$
    motor mounts 40$
    76 valve covers $10-$30
    modified heater box $10-$50
    electrical supplies $10-$20
    rear cross member $125-$150
    front springs?
    radiator $25-$160
    fan shoud?
    Exhaust
    Fuel lines
    Power steering lines.
    Drive shaft.
    Random Fastners

    thanks in advance
     
    Last edited: Nov 4, 2004
  2. regal455

    regal455 www.regal455.com

    Exhaust
    Fuel lines
    Power steering lines.
    Drive shaft.
    Cross member... about 125-150
    Random Fastners

    You can keep the front suspension stock if you stock exhaust manifolds.

    Radiator is a must have. 4 core or a nice aluminum one... you can get a copper one for cheap.. got mine for 25 bucks of ebay, summit sells a 2 core alum for around 160.
     
  3. Nothingface5384

    Nothingface5384 Detail To Oil - Car Care

    i already have power steering...so i should be fine on that huh
     
  4. Leviathan

    Leviathan Inmate of the Month

    Fan shroud, get a spare one since you may not correctly modify the first one.

    Since your current engine is a 3.8, you will definitley want new springs up front.
     
  5. Nothingface5384

    Nothingface5384 Detail To Oil - Car Care

    just out of curiousity...if i were to just go with a buick 350, out of that 455 list what would i still need?
     
  6. Joe Kelsch

    Joe Kelsch Eat Mo' Rats

    A 350 should be easier. You can use just about everything from the v6. All the accesories will bolt right up. You'll need to use the motor mounts from the v6 on the 350. You'll probably still want to change the front springs (I don't plan to for my conversion,though). You'll still need to modify the crossmember for dual exhaust. You'll need to upgrade the rad too. You can use the original fan shroud, but it will need shortened.

    Where abouts in the 'burgh are you?
     
  7. Nothingface5384

    Nothingface5384 Detail To Oil - Car Care

    mt. washington area...

    my buddy has a 67 buick special 4d too 300ci 2 barrel
     
  8. Joe Kelsch

    Joe Kelsch Eat Mo' Rats

    I live in Shaler. The 67 in my sig was a 300 2bbl until it developed a rod knock. It now has a 68 350 4bbl. A huge improvement indeed, especially since the 350 had about 43,000 at the time of the transplant. Between my brother and me I think 9,000 miles was put on the "new" motor. Two years ago the windshield wipers quit working and the master cylinder went bad. It's been sitting ever since. I was thinking of putting a 455 in it and taking it to Keystone.
     
  9. CHRIS LARRICK

    CHRIS LARRICK Well-Known Member

    you could always buy my 79 Regal with a 455 all ready installed and save ya some time and cash I will take $2000. for it and I am only 20 minutes from you by the way your car wouldnt happen to be white would it? I also have some parts for the 78-80 body if you ever need anything
     
  10. Nothingface5384

    Nothingface5384 Detail To Oil - Car Care

    yep my car is white....red interior...60k miles

    how many miles are on the 455?
     
  11. CHRIS LARRICK

    CHRIS LARRICK Well-Known Member

    I have about 60K on the driveline the Regal you have I think you bought it off of a friend of mine I sold him the hood give me a call if you would like to know more 724-770-0788
     
  12. Nothingface5384

    Nothingface5384 Detail To Oil - Car Care

    your friend named Eric...drives around in a truck...and has a grand national and i think an impala?

    btw u dont happen to be Chris that formaly worked upat HVL 3rd shift?
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2004
  13. CHRIS LARRICK

    CHRIS LARRICK Well-Known Member

    same Eric different Chris. there are some pics of my car in cars for sale if you want to see what it looks like and what was done to it
     
  14. buickapollo455

    buickapollo455 Well-Known Member

    350 in place of 3.8 exhaust one sided

    well here is another try, I ran the drivers exhaust like a crossover and ran the two pipes welded side by side to the back seat, then over axle sent it back to the drivers rear bumper, worked good, no spring change up front gave me a little rake, still drove good. used a 28 inch 69 z28 radiator 4 core fits perfect. Now have just bought another regal, and may do a 455, Just dropped in a 455 in a Apollo, now that was the biggest and tightest challenge I did with a 455, craig
     
  15. fastest430

    fastest430 Well-Known Member

    Big engine's in little cars

    Craig ,I like the Apollo good job!! :)
    If it was easy-everyone would be doing it :TU:
     
  16. diver

    diver Well-Known Member

    Fan shroud

    I think I used a shroud from a Olds in my V6 to 350 sbb. Nice fit looks like factory, a friend came over today an was impressed with the fit.
    Diver
     
  17. Gary Farmer

    Gary Farmer "The Paradigm Shifter"

    What about the water pump and radiator hoses? Long or short pump, and which hoses will fit? Also, TA says their competition headers won't fit in the 350 Regal transplant due to frame clearance issues. Is this a minor modification or a major reroute to get a set of those to fit?

    Thanks!
     
  18. gs_jimmy

    gs_jimmy Well-Known Member

    WOW, old thread.

    The entire front of the 231/3.8 interchanges with the 350/5.7 Buick. Timing cover is available new from T/A and would eliminate any "issues" that crop up with 40 year old parts. The long and short water pumps bolt right up (did it) to the 350 & 231 engines. As for the hoses, you can get away with simply shortening the existing hoses. Get a set of new power steering hoses for a 305 equiped Regal or Monte. Remember that the v8 is about 4 inches longer than a v6.

    Cheap way to do a cross member is too get a 68-72 A-Body and trim it to fit (25-50 bucks), or after market for $300. Don't use the 64-67 as it will need to be widened (did it both ways).

    BTW - the stock rear is a 7.5 26 spline unit. not real strong, but should hold up until you can get a 8.5 or a Ford 9 inch. Mosure (sp) Engineering make a set of big bearing end caps that you can weld up yourself to get the right width. If you go with the 9", pull one from a late 70's 3/4 ton truck. Should have either 3.91's or 3.55's in it stock. Core rearends are running about 200-300 bucks. Also check evil-bay for 3rd members, you can score NASCAR set-ups fairly cheap with different ratios and still have the 31 spline axles. Axles can be cut down on a chop saw (remember to clean it up well).

    Be sure to run new u-joints in this beast!

    Jim
    '69 GS California
    '82 Turbo Regal - was running a Turbo 4.1, 4.3, 350 chevy, 454 and finally a 455 Stage 1
    '76 Tube frame Vega - getting a 350 Buick, just because.
    '64 Nova 400 - 454, TH400, Ford 9" (For Sale) nearly done!
     
  19. Gary Farmer

    Gary Farmer "The Paradigm Shifter"

    Thanks!

    Question 1: Will you have to move the frame mounting pads for the Buick 350 when a 231 came out? I know the motor mounts are the same.

    Question 2: Will the 7.5 rear end be strong enough to hold up against a mild 350 with 375-400 ft. lbs. as long as it's not a posi? I'm thinking yes, but you never know.

    Question 3: How about the front springs? Do they need to be the v8 springs or can the ones from the v6 be enough?

    If what I remember is correct, an st300 will bolt right in using the existing crossmember, and dual exhaust can be run out the right, side by side, as long as the pipes aren't more than 2". Otherwise, go with the setup you described above, point being is that the th350 and st300 are supposed to be the same length, and anything the th350 fits the st300 will also.

    With the 350 being 4 inches longer than the v6, will you need the long or short water pump? And which one to use with the shroud? I'm assuming the shroud will have to be cut back to fit the extra 4 inches, and will need to get a v8 radiator, right? Not sure which one was used in the v6 setup.

    One last thing--wiring. As long as an HEI distributor is used, everything should just swap right on over and plug right in, correct?
     
  20. bufords

    bufords Member

    Hi all! This is an old thread alright, but just like a library... The books don't get old, the building does... Back to the story. I've pm'ed several people on this site and have received info(Sean, Flyn, JW and others), parts (thanks George N). What I wanted to add is this: was over at my brother's dropping a 430 into my '83 t-type, and the easiest mounts he and I devised were '69 riviera pads(zipdisked) from donor, and fit to some 3" x1/4" flatbar, with a chevy three hole frame pad pattern drilled into them(7/16" for fitting ease), then placed the engine in the bay with bolts loose, then centered the engine in the cradle, bolted to original 200-4r trans, tacked the pads to flatbar(s) , jacked up again, removed and finish welded. The passenger side engine mount remained in original riviera location, but the driver's side was moved rearward one spot. As we were relatively busy with things(him work, myself the swap) it was all said and done in a few days. There will be the little parts as in all swaps, previously mentioned, and with Geoge N's help from the 3.8's bracketing, the power steering pump aligned well for clearance. The hydra-boost braking system will remain, and the next trip home I will grab the remaing brackets to mount a/c and alternator. What's there now works... But the factory a/c pump will necessitate using the '76 HEI I have from a leftover broken 455 crank from another build. The turbo motor is going to find a new home in a cherokee. He wants the BOP bellhousing I found in a 442 at the boneyard, but I will likely use it on a 5 speed, operated with the clutch pedals I have from an iraqi taxi. Just a long winded small contribution. Hi Elagache. My previous 455 regal (done by John C) used a lesabre water pump, and was tight with a custom fit aluminum rad, and big car p/s bracketing. This time, I dropped in a caprice classic rad to stock holes in the rad support. To clear the HVAC box, I'll shim the passenger side frame pad. The t-type snorkel'ish air inlet fits the car well, and the 83 alternator fits the riv mount with a massage from a sawzall. Hope this helps others. This job was a bit of a quick 'n dirty dry build, there will be pictures later!I will likely have two 1969 points dizzy's in the future, but I may use one of them for a sneaky pertronix/MSD swap I want to try. If the riv hasn't made its way to the crusher yet, there is a lot of trim on that thing and only one set of GS fender emblems
     

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