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Buick 455? whatcha think?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by lotus, Jan 20, 2007.

  1. lotus
    Joined: Sep 7, 2002
    Posts: 1,119

    lotus
    Member
    from Taft, CA

    I am putting 52 chevy truck parts on a s-10 frame. I have a 8.8 ford rear with 3.75 limited slip rear.

    I have a 305 sbc that i could put in it but for the life of me i do not want a sbc in this. i want something bigger/meaner/non sbc. i have a sbc in my 52 car and would like something different.

    the caddy 500 was what came to mind right off the bat. with an aluminum intake they do not weigh much more then a sbc.

    BUT a couple years back i bought a buick 455 off a hamber and then it ended up with my little brother. i am getting it back now and was wondering how feasable it would be to put this beast of an engine in the s-10 frame? with an aluminum intake i do not think that the buick weighs much more then a sbc. i think the buicks used thin blocks which cut down on weight.

    it looks wider then the caddy big block/sbc. I do not have the s-10 frame stripped down to know if it will fit in there or not.

    what kind of problems will i be looking at introducing that much torque to the s-10 and ford 8.8?

    thanks in advance and sorry about the lengthy post.
     
  2. G V Gordon
    Joined: Oct 29, 2002
    Posts: 5,719

    G V Gordon
    Member
    from Enid OK

    Go for it! I had one in a 50 Buick and also in a 72 Electra 225. Torque monsters and super reliable. Only drawback is that you don't have a lot of aftermarket pieces to chose from.
     
  3. Mudslinger
    Joined: Aug 3, 2005
    Posts: 1,965

    Mudslinger
    Member

    I wouldnt consider a 8.8 with that. An 8" yes but if your gonna be power braking and drag racing it needs the 9".
    I know one thing a 455 is heavy.
    I had one in a 51 merc with all stock running gear, man let me tell you at 70 mph it was floating on air. Just dont hit the brakes hahaha
     
  4. easy j
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 21

    easy j
    Member

    i think you would be happier with the 455 because their is way more aftermaket parts. all the people i know that have ran caddy 500s always had problems with lack aftermarket parts even today and the rods and crank are the weakest ones that gm ever produced.as for the rearend the 8.8 might work now but sooner or later plan on putting a 9 inch because of the torque any big block makes
     
  5. George
    Joined: Jan 1, 2005
    Posts: 7,836

    George
    Member

    9" or a 12 bolt.
     
  6. phat rat
    Joined: Mar 18, 2001
    Posts: 4,984

    phat rat
    Member

    As far as aftermarket parts availability I don't see that much difference between it and a Cad 500. I don't think there's that much for the Buick at a reasonable price. Headers and intake are the main two I'm looking for.
     
  7. old kid
    Joined: Mar 21, 2005
    Posts: 826

    old kid
    Member Emeritus
    from middle ga

    1x4 and 2x4 aftermarket intakes are available, and you can make your own headers.
    dan
     
  8. phat rat
    Joined: Mar 18, 2001
    Posts: 4,984

    phat rat
    Member

    I know intakes are available for the 455 but try and find one on the cheap. I'm capable of making my headers I did the ones on my cpe. But I haven't been able to find a source for header flanges. Do you know of any? Intakes and header flanges are available for the 500's and they certainly aren't any more expensive. I had them for the COE I was building with a Cad 500
     
  9. Good choice.

    With an aluminum intake they weight 15# more than the SBC.

    Front distributor.

    Rear sump.

    Comes with a T-400 bolted on.

    510# torque stock with the 10/1 CR engine.

    Speed equipment - to an extent - is a low volume deal so it costs a bit more.
    Cams etc. are available from Crower and aren't too much more than the other common makes of hot rod engines.

    A mild cam, good intake, 750 or so vac secondary carb, good ignition, the right stock rockers and stock rocker shafts will get you a strong running torquey engine.

    Limit it to 5000 rpm and it'll last a long, long time.

    You may want a 9", but if you already have the 8.8" Ford rear it should work ok.
    The tires are gonna spin before they bite and as long as you have some kind of traction device to stop rear axle bounce you'll be ok.

    The Mustang guys use the 8.8" rear in ten second cars without problems.

    Go here: http://www.v8buick.com/
    for lots of Buick oriented stuff.

    A good group of very helpful guys.

    I like Buicks . . .as you can see....:D
     

    Attached Files:


  10. I understand Headers by Ed has them.
    In any event, they aren't hard to make.

    I made a full length one piece flange for each side on my 32.
    For the 31 on 32 rails car, the flanges are individual with three flanges per side.
    Middle two cylinders are on one flange, but not siamesed.

    Somewhat labor intensive, but if you have access to a plasma cutter you got 'er made....:cool:
     
  11. Omega
    Joined: Jul 11, 2006
    Posts: 874

    Omega
    Member
    from Mass

    Dont underestimate the 8.8... If you havnt noticed, they can handle 1k horsepower from builtup 2003-2004 supercharged cobras. Theres a shitload of hopups for the 8.8, checkout strange engineering. You can also strengthin up the axletubes
     
  12. Judd
    Joined: Feb 26, 2003
    Posts: 1,894

    Judd
    Member

    Lotus

    Go to http://www.taperformance.com/ or www.v8buick.com there are all kind of speed parts for the 455 Buick. TA Performace alluminium heads would save a lot of weight.




    BUT a couple years back i bought a buick 455 off a hamber and then it ended up with my little brother. i am getting it back now and was wondering how feasable it would be to put this beast of an engine in the s-10 frame? with an aluminum intake i do not think that the buick weighs much more then a sbc. i think the buicks used thin blocks which cut down on weight.

    it looks wider then the caddy big block/sbc. I do not have the s-10 frame stripped down to know if it will fit in there or not.

    what kind of problems will i be looking at introducing that much torque to the s-10 and ford 8.8?

    thanks in advance and sorry about the lengthy post.[/QUOTE]
     
  13. phat rat
    Joined: Mar 18, 2001
    Posts: 4,984

    phat rat
    Member


    Thanks for the link to the Buick board and about Headers by Ed. Was thinking about using some header gaskets to get the flange pattern in order to make some.

    C9 I went to Headers by Ed and they only list them for stage 2 heads. I was told that wouldn't work on a regular production heads. Is that right or wrong?
     
  14. boozoo
    Joined: Jul 3, 2006
    Posts: 556

    boozoo
    Member

    I could have sworn I used to see BBB and SBB header flanges pop up on Ebay fairly often.

    Edelbrock is also making heads for the 455 now... but that 455 is actually pretty light compared to other big blocks.

    v8buick.com is a great place to go for info and watch for parts.
     
  15. phat rat
    Joined: Mar 18, 2001
    Posts: 4,984

    phat rat
    Member


    I watch Ebay everyday for 455 stuff no flanges there since I got this motor in Mar. last year. Most of the headers seem to go in the $200 plus range. I'm not needing them for a bit so I'm just bidding my time
     
  16. Omega
    Joined: Jul 11, 2006
    Posts: 874

    Omega
    Member
    from Mass

    Problems ive had with my 8.8 in my mustang was just a whiney gears, due to beating beat on for 20 some odd years, id suggest visiting strange engineering and looking at there beefed up items..or any other rearend company. http://www.strangeengineering.net/catalog/index.html

    one thing i did do for my 8.8 is rebuild it, put 4:10's in and bought the strange girdle and maincap support. Eventualy il get a new diff, and 32 spline axles. not sure if you want to spend the money on the rearend, if you dont id just get a stronger rearend to start with might be cheaper.
     
  17. LUX BLUE
    Joined: May 23, 2005
    Posts: 4,407

    LUX BLUE
    Alliance Vendor
    from AUSTIN,TX

    anybody talk to Vendetta autofab about the header flanges yet? he's a hamber, and lord knows he makes 'em for everything else!

    edelbrock makes scads of Buick stuff here lately...I think they even make cylinder heads now-which, if true to form for them, they will take a "stock" performance head and cast some changes into it-for example, thier Pontiac head is a ram air 4 design with goodies like screw in studs and some other changes made.
     
  18. phat rat
    Joined: Mar 18, 2001
    Posts: 4,984

    phat rat
    Member

    yes I asked him about flanges. I know the stuff is made I'm just being cheap on this build
     
  19. 70 GSX
    Joined: Feb 28, 2004
    Posts: 52

    70 GSX
    Member
    from New Jersey

    Guys, like C9 said, the 455 Buick makes a great street rod engine with tons of torque and realtive light weight. I had a Stage 1 Buick in my fiberglass 32 Ford 3W coupe and decided to build another Stage 1 to replace it, this one with a 6-71 blower. Header flanges (and just about anything else you could want including stroker kits) are available from TA Performance. I think I paid something like $100 for them and they came with gaskets..:)
    Skip the intake swap on the 455 unless you have to have more than one 4 BBL, the factory intake is within a few HP of the aftermarket ones and you'll probably need a remote oil filter because it might hit the frame rail( approx. $35).
    If you decide to go with the Buick, PM as I've been building them for about 25 yrs.
     
  20. 39cent
    Joined: Apr 4, 2006
    Posts: 1,569

    39cent
    Member
    from socal

    The Buick 455 GS had 510 pounds torq from not much off idle, stock! [1970] A friend of mine has one and just runs a 400 switch pitch turbohydro, and 2.75 gear, and it flat hauls A! Cruises great, makes a nice street engine without modifying! As does the Caddy 500, but the Buick is lighter.
     
  21. lotus
    Joined: Sep 7, 2002
    Posts: 1,119

    lotus
    Member
    from Taft, CA

    I went and picked up the buick and it is home in my shop. I have a three day weekend coming up and I am hoping to get the engine taken apart to see what I am dealing with on the inside.

    Thanks for all the great responses. I am off to bed now for work in the morning but I am sure there will be many questions to follow.

    thanks again.
     
  22. Armstrong
    Joined: Apr 17, 2004
    Posts: 371

    Armstrong
    Member

    I think that the Buick is a big engine and the S-10 frame rails are pretty narrow. You might have some clearance issues. Fenderwell headers?
     

  23. 70 GSX is right about the factory intake doing ok, but . . . the darned thing weighs a ton.
    I ran a 430 intake on the 32's 462" engine for a while and it did fine.
    The 430 intake - from a 68 - was pretty low profile and that may be needed for some low-hood Buicks, but I'm liking the Edelbrock Performer intake that's on the 32 now.

    Watch it when you buy a remote filter adapter.
    There's an offshore one sold by most that has a skinny O-ring for a seal.
    Kind of a bad deal when you consider how narrow the oil pump's filter mount gasket flange is along with they get dented easily.
    I bought one, took one look and threw it in the back of the cupboard.

    Since the Buick oil filter is the same pattern as the Fram PH8a filter - for Fords - which is very common you could use the Ford SVO remote oil filter adapter.
    I'm fairly sure the ChryCo 90 degree adapter found on 67 Barracuda's - among other ChryCo stuff - would work as well since you can get a PH8a filter into the Cuda engine compt. and get a little more oil capacity over the stock short Cuda filter.
    I hear that ChryCo vans have this same 90 degree adapter.
    And have also heard that there's a Ford van out there that has a similar adapter.

    The conflict is - with most Buick swaps - the Buick filter sticks out horizontally at a 45 in the right front corner.
    I doubt if you could find a short enough filter to bolt up to the stock mount when the engine is in a Deuce chassis.
    Probably the same deal with an S-10 frame.

    The pic shows a home-made oil filter that can have either line anywhere around the circumference and point in the required direction.
    Much more flexible of a setup than the aftermarket stuff.
    Easy to make if you have access to a lathe.
    It uses a wide Fram PH8a filter gasket so as to avoid problems like the skinny O-ring adapters create.
     

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  24. 70 GSX
    Joined: Feb 28, 2004
    Posts: 52

    70 GSX
    Member
    from New Jersey

    I got my oil filter adapter and relocation kit right from Summit and they're made by Trans-Adapt. I would agree C9's set-up is much nicer and better engineered, but for less than $75 the Trans-Adapt set-up has worked just fine and thats with 75 psi oil pressure. No problems with leaks and uses a Ford filter to boot...haha.
    Just two different ways of doing the same thing I guess. I will say this, once you fall in love with that Buick torque, it's hard to go back to a normal powerplant.
     
  25. Gotta agree about the torque bit.
    I seldom run the big Buick in my 32 roadster over 4000 rpm.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    70 GSX, what kind of gasket setup does the Summit adapter have?
     
  26. 70 GSX
    Joined: Feb 28, 2004
    Posts: 52

    70 GSX
    Member
    from New Jersey

    The Trans-Adapt set-up has a simple o-ring like you mentioned. The oil filter adapter and the filter relocation kit both came with an o-ring which I figured I might be needing after talking to you the first time I mentioned this subject, but I've had it apart a few times like when I swapped out the engine and it's never had a problem. The adapter is nice and thick so it doesn't deflect.
     

    Attached Files:

  27. 70 GSX
    Joined: Feb 28, 2004
    Posts: 52

    70 GSX
    Member
    from New Jersey

    Engine shot
     

    Attached Files:

  28. len_m
    Joined: Jul 6, 2005
    Posts: 390

    len_m
    Member
    from wpg,can

    im hoping to drive this sometime this summer....got my fingers crossed (sorry for the big pic)

    [​IMG]
     
  29. wantahertzdonut
    Joined: Feb 7, 2007
    Posts: 1

    wantahertzdonut
    Member
    from Ohio

    There's plenty of guys on v8buick.com who have transplanted 455's into S10's. The block's dimensions are smaller than that of a BBC, and there's plenty of BBC S10's running around!

    Also, just because it's smaller doesn't mean it's weak. The BBB iron has a high nickel content and is very stout. The overall weight is also a mere 600-640 lbs, considerably less than a BBC.
     
  30. rob lee
    Joined: Jul 30, 2006
    Posts: 1,331

    rob lee
    Member
    from omaha,ne

    I run a 455 buick in my truck,homebuilt headers,used an oil filter relocation kit to get away from the frame.Poston buick has alot of stuff for these .Just recently bought alluminum intake 225$nice piece also got a set of valve covers cast to order real happy with them. Great motor roast the tires offhttp://[​IMG] hers a shot[​IMG]
     

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