Hot Rods Scored an Olds 455 and T400 for 50 Chevy Pickup Project

C heads are the best flowing heads Oldsmobile produced. In 68 I have only found them on W-30 455 442s. 69 found on the High Perf 455 in the 98s and one toronado. I have only seen 4 pairs in my life and I ended up owning 3 of those pairs. I worked in a junkyard.

 

I built a bunch of them back in my jet boat days and they were fine under 5000 RPM with stock valve train and such but after that stuff gets expensive to run higher RPMs .
I finally got smart and swapped to BBC for the last few boats I had as it was easier to keep them together and running all summer .

last one I built went in a 1970 442 w 30 and it he stuck a lot of coin in it and it ran really well.

My opinion is if you find a good stock one for a project like the truck don't get carried away sticking much into them just run it for what it is .
they make good torque and in a truck project are just fine .
If I had a good stock one id run it especially if it has the intake you got.

 

This is my OT thread on my Olds. OLDS 442 HOOD-LUM | Page 5 | The H.A.M.B.
On page 5, there is a picture evidencing how far the 455 rolled over and smashed my header tube against the right upper control arm and the cool fix I fabricated to keep it from happening again (styled after the 69 Camaro recall bracket). They are torque MONSTERs. Mine made 7.48 in the 1/8th mile, with an 8 track tape deck and a cooler in the trunk and I have the reaction time of an old lady on Valium.

I love my Olds (even in my avatar when it had to get help home after wasting yet another pair of head gaskets).

 

Actually in the 442s the c heads were on 400 engines. All had air conditioning.

 

Totally agree. Same can be said for Cadillac 500's, Buick 455's and cast rod Pontiacs. The Specialty builders that cater to each of these have solutions to their problems, and can help you build a killer off brand big incher, but those solutions are really spendy. Meanwhile, a Rat motor in basic smogger form (maybe some good pistons and rod bolts), can be pounded on regularly, and keep taking it. Those BOPC engines are wonderful street driver type engines in stock form though, and any of them make great truck engines.

 

I realize that the rear 3.73 gears are too much for the 455. Leaning to an OD trans instead of the TH375. Or a different rearend and/or gear ratio.

Not planning on building the 455 for big performance. Just use the lower rpm torque and power. Street truck, not race truck.

 

3.73 too much as in "too fast" or "too slow" ?
My 1950 Buick straight eight pulls a 3.36 well. ould handle faster [ around 3.07 ] on the highway.

Ben

 

3.73 being too high, resulting in more engine rpm. Especially for highway speeds. An SBC may be fine with 3.73, but I'm thinking the big Olds needs more like 3.0 range; or near that equivalent with an OD trans.

 

With a 455

That 455 torque monster would even do well with two series gears out back, let's say 2:42's. If it will pull a big old Delta 88 or Regency 98, it will pull your truck with ease. Funny thing about torque, especially for a daily driver, 2:42's will make it seem like you have more power, plus they will improve your gas mileage. 60 Special