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Buick 455 in a tri 5 Chevy questions

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by gas4blood, Sep 28, 2008.

  1. gas4blood
    Joined: Nov 19, 2005
    Posts: 787

    gas4blood
    Member
    from Kansas

    I have a nice '55 Chevy roller in need of an engine/trans. I also like to have something a bit different, and know the 455 Buick is a nice engine, light, powerful, relatively inexpensive, etc. Anyone put one in a '55? Any issues with fit? Will headers have to be scratch built? What did you do for engine and trans mounts? I did a search and turned up nothing.

    Around here running 455 Buicks with auto trans seem to run in the $5-800 range, although cheaper if not running.

    Thanks for the input!
     
  2. ***Area-51***
    Joined: Mar 25, 2005
    Posts: 791

    ***Area-51***
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Ohio

    what condition is your 55? tri5's can bring some healthy coin these day's....shouldnt be any harder than any other transplant....buick 455's can run like like a bat out of hell, but performance parts are costly...be prepared to take a verbal beating...
     
  3. Good choice.

    I doubt if anyone here is going to beat on you for running Buick.
    Quite a few here do run the late Buick.

    Engine mounts should be easy and I'm guessing later style Chevy mounts should be easily adaptable.
    Enough guys use the Chevy mounts to put the little Chevy into a Ford so it would be easy with a Buick.

    You may find that some headers will be a direct bolt-on.
    others may require the alteration of a pipe or two, usually on the left side.

    An old trick with headers is to look for a set that fits the engine you want in the smallest chassis that particular engine went into.
    In your case, one of the Buicks that are the same size as the Camaro.

    You don't have to do much to a Buick to make em run.
    The 10/1 compression 455 Buick has 510# of torque.

    A moderate hydraulic cam, 750 carb on a good intake - the heavy cast iron factory intake works ok until you can swing an aftermarket aluminum intake.

    Weak spots in the Buick are rockers and rocker shafts if you plan to spin it a bit, but you don't need to rev the Buicks very high.
    5000 rpm will do it.

    Go to the Buick V8 board and research which stock rockers are the strongest.
    With stock valve springs the stock rocker shaft should be ok and 5 grand is still attainable.
     
  4. ***Area-51***
    Joined: Mar 25, 2005
    Posts: 791

    ***Area-51***
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Ohio

    c9 has good info....try headers from an skylark/gs....the verbal beating most likely come from the outside world (not here) until you kick their ass...

    make sure the oiling sysem is up to par also..

    is this gonna be a straight axle car?
     

  5. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,174

    73RR
    Member

    One of the great parts of the Buick 455, besides having a mountain of torque, is that with an alum intake it is virtually the same weight as a sbc.
     
  6. It (the beatings) sure wont come from me, Im building a 55 With a 440 Mopar so I can't say alot ! But there is lots of room if you put the radiator in the 6 cylinder postion. Im reworking the fire wall too lil , but it is more for cosmetics then for space .....I know, I know , pics would be good , as soon as I can, I will post some. Any thing other then a SBC is cool to me ! NOT that SBC aren't cool , just like seeing something different !
     
  7. gas4blood
    Joined: Nov 19, 2005
    Posts: 787

    gas4blood
    Member
    from Kansas


    My '55 is exceptionally nice. It's a 210 2 door sedan. Pristine original sheetmetal, never wrecked, patched, or rusted on body panes. Two small soft spots on the floor, two body mounts with minor rust, rear 6" of trunk pan is rusty. The top paint is original. I am not going to a solid axle at this time. It was born a V8 auto, but has had a stick with floor shifter in the past. It has traction bars and a plate welded to the front frame for flat towing, heater removed, so the educated guess is that it did some strip duty at one time. It was made in KC, and it allegedly lived in Joplin, MO at one time. Old custom interior, etc. I know almost anything can be put in anything, but I'm just wanting to know if there are any major headaches. I really don't want to cut the firewall or do anything that can't be fairly easily reversed. Here's a few pics I had in another thread...
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Sep 28, 2008
  8. slammed
    Joined: Jun 10, 2004
    Posts: 8,150

    slammed
    Member

    You'll never regret running a 455 Buick. Follow C9 along, you will save time and money.
     
  9. Rich Rogers
    Joined: Apr 8, 2006
    Posts: 2,018

    Rich Rogers
    Member

    You should be ok. I'm currently planning on replacing my sbc in my 55 with a 472 Caddy with the M-22. If I remember right the Caddy engine is slightly larger than the 455 Buick and it seems that it will fit. The only kinda pain in the ass might be the steering box location for exhaust room. 6cyl. position the radiator for more room and if you run a points style dizzy you probably won't have to touch the firewall. Nice car , keep us posted
     

  10. The Buick exhaust (heavy) manifolds may work with your Chevy.
    I know they won't in my 32 so I had to build headers for it.
    It may be the 68 430 Buick exhaust manifolds you need.
    Both exit to the rear and down and should clear the toeboard nicely.

    The 68's are the ones I tried cuz I had a dummy 430 engine to do the swap with.

    Run any distributor you want.
    This pic will show you why....

    [​IMG]
     
  11. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    It's so refreshing to see someone going outside the box with a tri-5 Chev. Excellant choice of engine, 455 Buick's Rock!
     
  12. gas4blood
    Joined: Nov 19, 2005
    Posts: 787

    gas4blood
    Member
    from Kansas

    I have narrowed it down to 2 engines, but haven't seen either one in person yet. I can get an alleged '70 with a TH350 that needs rebuilt for a couple hundred. The other I can test drive and is supposed to "Run like a striped ass ape!" according to the owner. It is stock, unknown year at this stage, with a TH 400, I think I can get it for about $500. We'll get together on the year of the engine tomorrow. It was in his truck when he bought it, but wants a smaller engine for his kid. I have some leaning towards the runner at this stage if it checks out OK. It'd save a lot of money compared to rebuilding. If it is a late lower horse engine I may grab the '70 for the heads and spare parts, who knows. Now we need to find the keys to our truck, the only set (yeah, I know...stupid) got lost this weekend.
     
  13. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,216

    AHotRod
    Member

    A true Buick 455 will have a T-400 trans behind it. The awesome torque will eat a T-350 in stock form.
    Don't be overly concerned if the engine turns out to be a later model, low compression unit, they will fly as well, I know.
     
  14. Shifty Shifterton
    Joined: Oct 1, 2006
    Posts: 4,964

    Shifty Shifterton
    Member

    IMO if the buick you're talking about needs rebuilt, different heads, etc, it's gonna be cheaper to plop a big block chivvy in there, and the finished car will be more de$ireable. Good luck either way.
     
  15. belair
    Joined: Jul 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,013

    belair
    Member

    I think that will be a pretty cool swap. Shifty is probably right on the dollars and desirability issues. At the end of the rainbow, you will be trading the expence of a BBC for the possible issues of swapping the Buick. It will also probably devalue the car a little when you sell, but the only real way to lower the value of a tri-five these days is to set it on fire and then crush it. AND, in the meantime, you will have a mobile tire-frying machine. Have fun.
     
  16. gas4blood
    Joined: Nov 19, 2005
    Posts: 787

    gas4blood
    Member
    from Kansas

    I did have a line on a nice 502 cheap, but I was half a step too late.

    I have always liked stuff a little in the area of "That's NOT how you are supposed to do it!" when it comes to powerplants or cars to mess with. I know tri-5's are hot stuff now, and the one I found is very nice. That's why I don't want to butcher it when I get an engine for it. I have the perfect solution to the Buford engine in a Chevy....fake valve covers to make it look like a Chevy engine!:rolleyes: Tomorrow I hope to view/drive the runner. The seller is highly motivated to get rid of it. Supposed to carry good oil pressure, sound tight, not leak, no smoking, etc. My research at the V8 Buick site tells me it doesn't make much difference what year you pick, but the '75-'76 heads kinda suck with great big combustion chambers that hurt power a good bit. That's an easy fix if it's the newer version. Those Buick guys can turn some amazing times with 4,000 lb. cars and fairly mild engines. One guy builds and sells twin turbo set-ups :eek: for them at a reasonable price. His $2K kit with a $500 decent used engine could result in about 600 hp and even more torque for under $3k total. :D
     
  17. Be careful you don't get a Buick 350 instead of a 455.

    They look very similar.
    And come with a T-350.

    As noted, the 430's and 455's come with a T-400.

    ID on the big Buicks is simple.

    Look on top of the bellhousing for about 1" tall cast numbers that say - 455.

    There's also an upside down cast in about 3/4" tall cast number 455 behind the starter on the block.
     
  18. boozoo
    Joined: Jul 3, 2006
    Posts: 556

    boozoo
    Member

    Keep an eye on the oil filter... you might need to get a remote filter kit to make it fit right because they aim right at most cross members.
     
  19. gas4blood
    Joined: Nov 19, 2005
    Posts: 787

    gas4blood
    Member
    from Kansas

    I bought my 455/TH400 last night. I got it for $400. It is a '72, it runs and sounds great, no smolkng, shifts good. It needs a re-seal of various gaskets, it is pretty oily around the timing chain cover and pan. Trans is pretty oily too. When I reseal it I'll check out bearing wear, etc. If OK i'll just run it as is. Starts from cold real nice, just a touch of the key. It IS a 455, I checked those numbers! It has a new Holley on it, but only a 600. A bit small for max power. I'll pick it up this Sat. I can't do much now, I had cataract surgery this moring, can't see much yet, and not supposed to do much heavy work for a bit. That oil filter will probably get in the way, but an esy fix. I may slip a bit of a cam and an intake into the beast while it's out, sure would be easy to do then.
     
  20. ***Area-51***
    Joined: Mar 25, 2005
    Posts: 791

    ***Area-51***
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Ohio

    nice 55, it'll be a beast with the 455...keep us posted...
     
  21. hunter
    Joined: Jun 7, 2005
    Posts: 60

    hunter
    Member

    awesome... I gotta 430 buick in my 46 ford with 400 trans. I love it. tons of torque. TA performance has everything you need. I delt with them when i rebuilt my motor before putting it in. Parts aren't very cheap if your used to the typical SBC motor but you'll be glad you put it in.
     
  22. hunter
    Joined: Jun 7, 2005
    Posts: 60

    hunter
    Member

    oh by the way...I got 2:73 rear with 28 1/2" tall tire. motor has stock intake and manifolds...still pulling at 5500 rpm....
     
  23. MOPARMORTUARY
    Joined: Dec 14, 2006
    Posts: 232

    MOPARMORTUARY
    Member

    I have a buddy who had multiple tri-fives with big block mopar engines and pushbutton trans's! A 455 with a mild cam, alluminum intake and headers is hard to beat for the dollar spent. Big block chevys can make lotsa power but dollar for dollar the buick is more bang for the buck in my opinion. When is the last time you bought a big block chevy that made 500 ft lb of torque for $400. Poston enterprises as well as T/A performance have what ya need. Poston has 455 headers in a comaro sub headers and engine mounts. Just my two cents and thats about what its worth! Chad
     
  24. This is great! Take that, all you guy's that put SBC's in '55 Buicks!!! Man, you get to piss off the whole Bowtie universe and the Tri 5 guy's in particular. You rock! I have a '51 Chevy I plan to put a very healthy '68 Pontiac 400 in. The only reason I don't put a Buick 455 in it is because that's the way dad had planned to build it before he died. But the coveted '55, that takes balls.

    Make sure you do all the oiling mods on the 455. They like to eat rod bearings when the oiling system isn't up to snuff, (#'s 5 & 6 if memory serves). And make sure you have plenty of radiator and a nice low gear. Also, cam selection can be an issue. You can't just slap a lumpy cam in it and expect it to run like a race horse. Man, I wish I could remember all the particulars. My CRS is killing me. You got some good advice so far, just remember the Buick isn't a SBC, it may come cheap but it won't be cheap to rebuild. But man, it'll be worth it. The best running street 455 I ever saw was in my '67 GS400 me and dad built while I was in high school. We were running an original Buick Stage 2 cam in a Stage 1 block, a stock '67 400 intake with an ever so slightly tweaked Q-Jet and a set of stock '67 exhaust manifolds run through 2 1/2 inch exhaust. What a sound! With the built Turbo transmission and 4:11 gears in a 12 bolt posi with some nice sticky tires out back that mother would launch like a bottle rocket. I got to school a quarter mile at a time:D By the way, I may be wrong but I believe Jim Bell himself said the stock intake and exhaust manifolds, with some relieving, were better than most anything else you could buy and put on your Buick engine. And that was back when there were a lot more options than there are today.

    As for parts suppliers, I always used Kenne-Bell in the past, (way in the past) but it looks like they have moved on to other things:mad: By the way either Eastwood or Yearone has the correct color red paint for the 455 Buick and to me that's just the cherry on top. Nothing looks worse than a Buick engine wearing Chevy orange or Ford red engine paint.

    I don't usualy beg but please keep us posted on your build up. This is going to be cool!
     
  25. If you need an oil filter adapter don't use the commonly available one with it's thin O-ring.

    Ford's SVO catalog carries a nice one that should work just fine on the Buicks.

    Some Ford - I believe Dodge as well - have an angled adapter that look like they should fit the Buick.

    Some of the 273-318 Mopar engines have an angled adapter, in particular the 273, 1967 Barracuda.

    Trick is to get an adapter that fits the commonly available Fram PH8a filter size.

    Making your own is easy if you have access to a lathe.

    Here's the one in my 32.
    Has a square groove that takes the PH8a filter gasket and you can point the inlet/outlets in any direction anywhere on the circle.

    [​IMG]
     
  26. gas4blood
    Joined: Nov 19, 2005
    Posts: 787

    gas4blood
    Member
    from Kansas

    Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I know it'll piss of purists:D and that is fine by me. I liked nailhead 322's back in the 60's, so this is just a renewal of an old lust for trying to not follow the crowd all the time.

    I get the engine/trans this Saturday afternoon. First step is to clean the greasy old beast up, then start some teardown for resealing it. I'll check some clearances while I'm at it. I'm trying to score some Kenne Bell valve covers, anyone have a set? I plan on an Edelbrock intake. Cam I'm up in the air on right now. I want streetable, not too radical to enjoy regularly. I won't mind a bit if it'll embarass a fair chunk of chevy engine guys while irritating them at the same time.

    I appreciate the tips and opinions! Bob
     

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