Needed: mild 455 cam, lifters and pushrods

Discussion in '"Pay It Forward"' started by Jim Blackwood, Feb 7, 2009.

  1. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    We need a mild 455 cam, lifters and tubular pushrods to fit the '71 455 engine we are using in the MGB-Roadmaster project. We have a stock (used) cam but it has a chipped tooth and is for a 430 which means we'd have to have special pushrods to use it. It doesn't have to be anything special, and can be stock used pieces in good condition.

    The "MGB-Roadmaster project" is a Non-profit group effort to build a vehicle to help promote awareness of the synergies between American and British industries, and in particular those between Little British Cars (LBC's) and big American V8 engines. Because the very first V8-MGB was built using the smallest production V8 engine ever built, which was the 1961-63 Buick all aluminum 215 cu.in. V8, we decided to go full circle and build this car with the largest production Buick engine, a 1971 455 cu.in V8. (Using aftermarket parts the Buick 455 can now be built as an all aluminum engine with displacemets up to over 730 cubic inches!) Now in the second year of the project, working entirely with donated components, parts, labor and funding, this grass roots project is nearing the point where the car will become driveable, possibly reaching that stage by late summer. Finished weight of the car is expected to be within 100 lbs of the stock 4 cylinder car, with no special "lightening" steps taken. Details of the project can be seen at: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=126109 and at the "BritishV8" website, "Web Forums" tab, "MG Sports Cars" drop down selection, and "MGB Roadmaster" sticky thread. To date on those and other websites we have dozens of pages of postings, tens of thousands of hits and have gained a large following. A formal non-profit organization oversees the project, the British American Deviant Automotive Sports-car Society, NLC and upon completion of the project the car will go on a rotation schedule and be placed in custody of the project's contributors, who will each drive the car and take it to local shows and meets in their part of the country. In this way we hope to meet the objectives of the group and also promote our sport.

    We still need a few parts to make the car driveable. By contributing you can become a member of this group and have your chance to drive the car and perhaps keep it for awhile as well. So while this is a bona-fide charity, we also aim to compensate you in some small way for your assistance. Help us promote the great name of BUICK, the definitive engine of choice for MGB engine conversions! Your donations are greatly appreciated.

    Jim Blackwood, Pres.
    B.A.D.A.S.S., NLC
     
  2. eganddg

    eganddg Well-Known Member

    I have a 455 camshaft that would probably be perfect for your application. It is stamped s586-I have been told it is a sealed power camshaft. It was in a 455 buick that was overhauled before I bought it. I was told it was never even fired and from the looks of it, I would beleive it. I would even throw in a steel timing set that looks like a stock style replacement-It appears to be new from the "unfired" 455 also. I would take $80.00 shipped in the US for the cam and gearset. Send me a PM if interested.
     
  3. 73riv455

    73riv455 73riv455

    I have a nos 455 cam. It is a factory replacement cam for a 71-72 455. Also have a set of pushrods. sorry, no lifters. 75$ shipped
     
  4. Coachk5978

    Coachk5978 Well-Known Member

    I have a mild Isky cam and lifters, stock pushrods, you can have if you pay shipping!
    PM me if interested.
    Coach
     
  5. 455 Powered

    455 Powered Well-Known Member

    I have a Crower 52241 cam and matching lifters-NEW,pushrods from a '73 455,a rebuildable Q-Jet from a 76 Riviera 455,and a points style distributor. With a little digging, I might be able to find an HEI. Let me know if I can help. Kurt
     
  6. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Thanks guys, that's a wealth of riches. Kurt, I sent you a PM, Coach I will do likewise and we'll see where that takes us.

    Like I mentioned, we have limited funds to work with and a lot of parts to get yet. Right off the top I may end up having to spend as much as half of our treasury funds on coil-over shocks because they are a special part. That drops us back to maybe 4-5 hundred in the kitty with a mini starter being next on the list so we can finalize the fit in the engine compartment. I don't know if Jamie or anyone else is in a position to help us on that but I have to know before I obligate the group for other purchases so I hope you will bear with me. I hope to hear from Jamie in a day or two and I'm going to try to take measurements and get the coil-overs ordered today or tomorrow. That should tell me how much there is left to work with, then I have to try to get as many of the remaining parts as I can. Basically the list also included valves, springs, keepers, retainers, flywheel, carb, distributor, 430 water pump and a few other parts. Obviously there isn't enough money to cover everything right now, and with our goal being to have the car running and possibly driveable in time for the June meet we have our work cut out for us. We may not make it, but I'll keep doing what I can to move things along.

    Jim
     
  7. RAMKAT2

    RAMKAT2 Randy

    Jim, Just an FYI. You could run the 430 cam (assuming it is in good enough shape) with the new style hollow pushrods if you use the 70-76 style lifters instead of the early 67-69 style. Later, Randy
     
  8. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Guys, I sure appreciate all the offers for help. Coach, I sent you a PM, if you'll let me know what you need for shipping I'd like to accept your offer if it isn't too late. Kurt, I hope my PM to you makes sense.

    I wanted to let you guys know how the situation stands as of today. I have to prioritize purchases based on our completion schedule and that means that the two top priorities are the starter (so that Dave can start on the headers) and the shocks (so that the IRS can be completed and wheelwell flares begun). Obviously those two things have to happen before the car can go anywhere, but I will admit to having moved the shocks up in the order a bit more than absolutely necessary. This was for other reasons that make good sense but basically because it is more efficient to do two of something at once than to do it once two times, if that makes any sense.

    So here's where we are. The shocks and starter are going to eat up all the money we got from the sale of the heads and then some, leaving maybe $150 or so in the treasury from donations. Coach, for good free parts that we need, I can almost always find a way to justify paying for shipping, and I have a fiduciary responsibility to the organization to take advantage of offers such as yours. It is most generous of you and will help us out quite a bit. But that means I can't also take advantage of other offers that were made, generous though they were, and greatly appreciated. Maybe we can work out something with Kurt on the valves or possibly some other parts, at least it is worth talking about. And Randy, thanks for the suggestion but the 430 cam has a chipped tooth so I think we're better off to replace it.

    So that's where we are at this point. Based on past history I know that we can expect to generate some funds at the meet in June. We may have a contribution or two in the meantime or we may not, but clearly without a flywheel the car will not run. I think that with the cam, lifters, and pushrods we can manage everything else at least well enough to fire it up with the exception of the heads. Dale is going to help with those, but the parts are going to be another matter. As you can see it'll be touch and go and our odds aren't too good for ignition by June. But we'll do what we can, and if we make it that will be a wonderful thing. If we do not, then we just drop back and try again for the next meet. That may be the best approach anyway since by then we may be able to get some decent valve covers and do a little bodywork.

    But again, thanks for the help.

    Jim
     
  9. Coachk5978

    Coachk5978 Well-Known Member

    I understand a little more now. I will pick up the shipping as well. Do you need anything else?
    Coach :beer
     
  10. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Thank you Coach, that's very generous. The address is:

    MGB-Roadmaster Project
    Blackwood Labs
    9406 Gunpowder Rd.
    Florence, KY 41042

    And just so you know, with your donation you become one of the named contributors to the project which means if you like we will include your name on the listing of contributors that will be on the car, you will have the chance to drive the car if you can come to one of the places it will be, and if you desire to you will get the chance to participate in the rotation schedule after the car is completed. We want everyone who contributes to get a chance to join in the fun.

    As to what other parts we need, well the short list starts with all the parts needed to complete a set of TA bare stage 2 heads.

    Valves
    springs
    retainers
    keepers
    seals

    Then we need a manual transmission flywheel
    clutch
    pressure plate
    and most likely a hydraulic throwout bearing.
    plus a short (430) water pump

    We have an old QJ carb that may be rebuildable, but it may have some damage, I'll have to look. Dave Van Wert, the guy who is making our headers said he has some carbs also. We have an old points type distributor that is probably reusable (and there probably isn't clearance for an HEI plus we also have an MSD 6)

    One other thing that we really do have to have is a 215 style oil pump housing cover, the type where the filter shoots straight out instead of coming off at an angle. For some reason that has been very hard to find.

    There are other small items of course, but I probably have most of the other odds and ends. That much of it should get us fired up and perhaps even mobile.

    Jim
     
  11. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Guys, I just got some great news! Jamie McClinton http://www.v8buick.com/member.php?u=226 has just informed me that he will donate a mini starter to our project! (In fact he will probably get it shipped out today.)

    That means we have a bit more money to work with. I've just been tallying up the numbers and it looks like we have about $250 max that we can work with and still keep 20 or so in the bank. It's not enough to buy a new flywheel but it'll pay for a new set of valves if we go that way. I see where TA lists the same part number for stage 1 and 2 valves so Kurt, it looks like your valves should work if they're in good shape. Of course we still will need springs, keepers and retainers. Dale will probably give us the seals.

    This is GREAT! We might even make it by June! Uh, that is, if we can come up with a flywheel.

    Jim
     
  12. izanurse

    izanurse Platinum Level Contributor

    Jim,

    I have a 455 flywheel that would need to be surfaced. I would have to ship it from Kansas. It might be more cost effective for me to just buy one from TA and have it shipped to the car. I will do some research, but either way, count me in for the flywheel.

    Allen Mandeen
     
  13. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Thanks Allen, that's really great. Shipping shouldn't be much more than about $20 I'd think, so that would be the clear choice. That's another big hurdle just knocked down. We're really getting close now. It probably makes the most sense to pick up a clutch and pressure plate locally and I'll try to tap the BritishV8 guys for contributions to buy a hydraulic throwout bearing and some help putting it together. Looks to me like we're just about ready to kick it into high gear.

    Jim
     
  14. izanurse

    izanurse Platinum Level Contributor

    Jim

    You are correct. I can ship it pretty cheap. I will get it surfaced and then ship it.

    Allen
     
  15. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    That sounds really good.

    In case some of you guys don't remember, Allen was the guy who gave us a '70 455 to use in the car back when we were just getting the project off the ground. He's done a lot to help make this happen.

    Now I need to give you guys a shipping address:

    MGB-Roadmaster Project
    Blackwood Labs, LLC
    9406 Gunpowder Rd.
    Florence, KY 41042

    Jim
     
  16. izanurse

    izanurse Platinum Level Contributor

    Jim,
    I will let you know when it ships.
    Allen
     
  17. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Great! Thanks Allen.

    Now one more thing before I forget it. You guys who are donating stuff, keep track of the value of it and any associated costs if you itemize deductions on your income taxes. You are contributing to a charitable organization so the donations are a deductible item.

    Thanks again,
    Jim
     
  18. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Guys, is this something we could use on the 455?

    Ebay item#
    260361276270[​IMG]
    Thanks,

    Jim
     
  19. Jim Blackwood

    Jim Blackwood Well-Known Member

    Sad to say, Coach has hit on some economic snags and will need to keep his cam, though he is going to be able to send pushrods. So we're back in the hunt on the cam and lifters. I know I've talked with a couple of you about that possibility and as soon as I can do it I'll go back, revisit this thread and my PM's and get in touch. But it'd be real helpful if you could nudge me with a reminder in the meantime.

    What we're looking for specifically is a good usable MILD cam and lifters. It can be a used stock bumpstick but the lifters need to be matched to the lobes if it is used. We won't object to an unused dusty mistaken purchase.

    By now we have a pledge for a hydraulic throwout bearing and everything else is small parts. Where we're likely to hit trouble is in the few weeks between Easter and June 7th. In the meantime, work continues.

    Jim
     
  20. ap1672

    ap1672 Silver Level contributor

    I can pull a cam and lifters out of a stock 73?
    Allen
     

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