Hi all. I just purchased a 1957 Olds w/a 1971 455 c.u. in it (haven't received it yet, being shipped). Question is how many HP/Torque versions of the 455 were made that year and how do i Identify it? And is there a book or source where i can check it out and see tech specs, alternate parts (heads, etc) available? or a website? Thanks, charly9G.
I build a 455 some time back for a 442 I had and used Mondello Performance in Paso Ca,they were very helpful.
Here you go The horsepower peaked for the 455 in 1970 and the '71 had around 340 HP with over 450 ft lbs of torque.
MONDELLO X 2! The late Joe Mondello was known as "Dr. Olds", and rightly so. His business carries on, the company offers 2 books that are extremely accurate. They cover everything from part numbering system thru machining operations, extensive articles on modifications thru ***embly. Simply the last word on Oldsmobile performance.
www.realoldspower.com is a good resource. I have one in my boat. Great engines for torque, but they don't like revs for too long unless you do lots of oil system mods. In a car, I doubt you'll be using it wide-open for more than a few seconds at a time. Unlike a boat, where they are either WFO or idling. There is TONS of performance parts out there for the 455. Most of them are left over from the boat guys that swapped out to a 460 or 454.
Stay away from Mondello in Paso Robles CA, they got nothing to do with Mondello apart from the name. Check out www.realoldspower.com where there are many vendors that can help with just about anything.
charly9g... send some pics. I am curious if it is the same car that my father built near twenty years ago. It was a powder blue 98 HT with chrome reverse wheels and a 455 olds motor.
My '71 Motor's Manual lists four versions of the 455 in 1971 and all have the same 4 1/8"X 4 1/4" bore and stroke with a compression ratio of 8.1:1; 1) 185 hp 2bbl 2)225 hp 4bbl 3)260 hp 4bbl 4) 265 hp 4bbl 1971 was the year that manufacturers changed the way they rated power output. The number that was quoted earlier is most likely correct when using the older rating system.
I believe the son of Joe has his own gig, and the owners of Joe's old place (name and all) are dropping the ball.
Avoid the old Mondello shop in Paso Robles......shoestring relative that bought the shop and the name many years ago.......has effectively run the place into the ground for all true Olds people. Joe moved HIS programs to east Tennessee many years ago. Currently being run by his widow and a trio of Olds freaks......nice people, knowledgeable, seem to be doing fine. Joe's son Bernard has a shop in So. CA and is on the net. Nice guy, knowledge of Olds and his dad's work.....not a bad choice. Google his name. Unless the original paper tag is still attached to the oil filler neck in the front of the block, it's gonna be hard to say for certain exactly what you have without dis***embly. The heads were basically all the same, though I think the valve sizes varied slightly. The main differences came in the cam choice and amount of "dish" to the piston. If it has any of the original parts....carb, distributor being the best choice, they would have factory numbers that you might be able to back trace to oem application. Whatever you have, sounds like a good choice for the car.....loads of torque, parts are still around if you choose to "upgrade"it.
I know this is a thread from November, but I figure by now you have received your car. Look at the heads in the place I have encircled in red in this picture. Olds made a lot of heads for the 455 and they are key to the performance. There will be a letter or sometimes 2 letters, and those will tell you what the heads are off of. The 442 site gives a pretty good explanation of what heads came on what. Check both heads (the letter on the p***enger side will be at the BACK of the head) because sometimes you will have like a J head on one side and a G head on the other, due to people replacing one during the life of the motor. Don
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