Recently ran across two Buick Riviera 455 motors, a 70 and a 71, complete, used, with th400 trannies attached. All brackets and accessories are still on. Looks like they were just pulled complete and strapped down to pallets. They turn over by hand and the oil doesn't look bad. I have a '70 Buick GS455 w/ th400 that's been back halfed and caged for strip use. But it hasn't run since I acquired it. Needs work. Was thinking these motors might be good to acquire for spare motor/trannie parts. The asking was $75 each for them, so I went ahead and grabbed 'em. Anyone know about differences or similiarities between the GS and the Riv 455 motors? Or any differences between '70 and '71? I seem to remember something about the compression dropping in '71? Are there any aluminum street heads available yet for the Buick 455's? I also have a rather beatup 55 Chevy that needs a motor and an attitude adjustment, it's a gasser wannabe, maybe with one of these Buck motors? Properly setup, of course? Are there any decent Buick 455 performance forums around? 2Loose Willy
Go to www.v8buick.com There's a lot of information on there. http://1badriv.com/weightsn.htm#Identifying%20GM engines Another good one with tons of info!
Aluminum heads are available form T/A Performance and I believe Edelbrock also makes them now. Intakes are available from both as well. Compression dropped in 71, to I believe 8.5 from 10 maybe 10.25:1 There are plenty of aftermarket Cams, headers, head, intakes rotating assemblies to make these motors realyl wail, but hey they already had 370hp and 510lbs of torque in 1970. As for price you got a good deal these are not boat anchors by any means.
Yep, V8buick site is awesome... I had a 1970 455 with 430 heads (ups the compression) and it ran real good. These motors are usually not cheap, you got a smoking deal even if they need rebuilt. Good rebuilable cores go for $200. 1970 blocks are the most popular. Go to the V8buick sight and ask for help to identify the heads, stage 1 heads are the holy grail of the buicks.
The Stahe 1's had that torque... not all of them did. That said, it's not tough at all to make one to the same specs. TA Performance is pretty good for BBB parts, too.
These motors have a reputation for plenty of torque, and were plenty able to keep up. The bonus is that they are not too heavy. Good find.
Great motors. I have the same setup on my '54 merc...tons o' torque! Runs cool and I get almost 20 mpg on the highway with tall 2.55 gears in rear...
According to a 1971 Chilton's Manual in 1970 all 455's were rated at 510 FtLbs., it was rumored the factory HP & TQ on the Stage 1 was under rated. Now we all know Chilton's wasn't perfect but a good friend had a '70 GS 455 Stage 1 4 speed back in the 70's. Having watched it race, riding in it, driving it and having the doors blown off my GTO by it I fully believe that rumor to be true. I was looking into picking up a 455 Buick awhile back. $75 a pop is unadulterated theft. Buy them BOTH.............. NOW!
Lightest and smallest of the GM 454-455's, and in my humble opinion one of the best engines ever made.
The 10/1 CR engines were rated 510# torque stock. Once the heavy stock intake is replaced with an aluminum one the engine weighs 15# more than an SBC. Front distributor. Rear sump. Weak rocker shafts for anything beyond stock cams and 4500 rpm. I think they're worth the trouble.
get a couple and wear em out at the drags! You dont need 7000 r's just use the torq, no more than 5k, they are torq monsters, and you can put them in your model A and kick ass, and with a tall gear. If somebody beats ya add a smidgeon of NOS. They weigh about the same as a sbc, with headers an aluminum intake, and a Quadrajet.
I popped the trannies off and have both of 'em on motor stands. Other things having higher priorities it will take a little while, but will pop the heads and pan and take a look inside next. They turn over by hand at the flex plate about like I would expect for a decent, clean core, so think I got a really good buy on these. The BOP th400's look pretty clean also. Man they had huge TC in those things !!! Will check out the head casting numbers and see just what I got. W.
yea, some of us are gluttons for punishment... i still gotta get mine torn down and find out what i bitched on the way home from the rust revival... either a rod bearing or maybe i chunked a lifter but it aint healthy sounding
Break it when it had some revs on it? Now running on 7? Take a look at the rockers and rocker shaft. They both tend to break. If it's a rod bearing, it may be #8. That's the one with the least oil pressure....
yea, i had it wound pretty tight, up around 4500 or real close to it. got a nasty knock to it, went away when i got off the gas. took the plug wire off the #7 jug and it smoothed out a bunch, but still there. worse under load when that hole was fireing so i and the guys i was rolling with figured rod bearing. we'll see when i can get it home and torn down this winter
455s have a couple of lean cylinders that break the ring lands and I believe 7 is one of the lean ones. Its usually only shows with rpms. Does anyone have any ideas on a easy way to come up with a stick shift flywheel and bell housing for a 455? Later Chad
I ran across this oil system mod at the rear of the block on a 70 Buick 455 a couple of years ago, the intent was to add a separate oil line from the front back to this tap, figuring the oil supply from both ends might help a reported oil system problem of low oil pressure at the rear of the block. If that is a problem with the Buick 455's, I see no reason why it wouldn't help. Willy
This place is listing Buick 455 30 lb flywheels for $400. http://www.statracing.com/buy/cci/competition-clutch-flywheel.asp Any BOP bolt pattern bell housing will work (buick, olds, poncho), I have one out of an olds 442, it will bolt right up to the buick. I think the blow bells (steel) are still available in the bop bolt pattern.
those engines are absolute junk, I will PM you my shop address so I can properly dispose of them for you. seriously, though, everything I've read and heard about 'em is nothing but good. their few problems are well known and easily addressed (oiling and rockers, mainly). I think it was 73 or 74 when the oiling issue was changed. 71 is when the heads started getting worse and worse. I have a 76 that I need to find some earlier/smaller head for and I'm (someday, this project has been bumped down to plan D) wanting to drop it into the '64 'Cat that I have sitting, engineless.
The Jalopy Journal
