Spoke with Mike at TA Performance today. They saved the Buick hot-rod community! He shared with me stories about the reach of TA Performance around the world. Please help this American made company find qualified machinists in the Phoenix valley who take pride in their work and want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. I picked up my dream car, '66 Special, and this shop has made my dream a reality. Spread the word. - Dane
I sold my mild 70' stage-1 it ran mid 11s @ 3 900 lbs, what a beast, chevy boys hated it! And I was always the only buick there, I had no friends, and that's fine with me! Buicks,,, fast with class!
Seriously? I'm a Buick fan and and very impressed with them. But as every sanctioning body in racing has proven and there's no denying that, The HEMI dominated... No and's if's or buts about it. It is what it is, But In nearly stock form yes 455 was extremely powewrful as the Musclecar magazine in the 80's showed with the Buick vs Hemi shootout. Anyway you look at it the 455 is impressive.
And all you need to build "surprising power" with this big-block Buick IS...BBC rods. And SBC "truck motor" sized combustion chambers. Nothing ironic about that at all. Kind of like it being 175 lbs lighter than "a BBC" and only 25 lbs heavier than "a SBC". Of course those comparisons are to iron-headed Chevys. Equally ironic - and funny - is that you GOTTA have the new reproduction "timing cover" and oil pump to build a TRULY "NEW" 455 Buick that's ACTUALLY a 470 and therefore 2 cubic inches bigger than the most common "high performance" BBC - the "468". BUT use of a "seasoned" - i.e JUNKYARD 455 block in your "NEW" and "surprisingly powerful" Buick engine "build" is A-OK! And who DOESN'T want a "thin-wall casting" for a high-performance engine "build"? Last of all your choice of "all Buick" muscle cars to put said "surprisingly powerful" Buick engine "build" into is pretty much limited to a Buick Skylark/ GS or Riviera/GS. Pretty much big "boats". The final or rather first bit of irony is the claim that Buick 455s supposedly aren't known for being "fast" despite Motor Trend supposedly wringing a 13.38 1/4-mile out of a "stock" 455 "Stage 1" GS making it supposedly the "fastest" American "muscle car" of that "era". And there is on more ironic "twist". BOP "emthusiasts" suddenly focusing on SAE "gross torque" as the most important and impressive "number" for "muscle cars" in the "early 70s" because their non-Chevy high-performance big-blocks got decimated by every Chevy high-perf big-block from the 409 through the 454 in SAE gross HORSEPOWER and were even "upstaged" by the Chevy LT1 350 with 370 SAE gross horsepower. All in all there was and is so much cherry-picking of the "data" to make BOPs come out "on top" vs. the "competition" at Chevrolet the BOP "enthusiasts" give even Fordtards a run for their money in the "propaganda wars" against "Chevy". And in both cases the non-Chevy guys think Chevy guys give a shit if a BOP or Ford is the "winner" of the BENCH RACING from "back in the day".
i used to have a client that was huge Buick guy. He bought stage 1 455 engines from all over the country and had 5-6 of them in his barn. He showed me a 11-1 compression 455 stroked to 480-490 ci with fully ported stage 1 iron heads and big hydraulic cam that made 650 hp & 610 torque. He ran high 9s in a 68-69 Skylark. I had never heard of a Buick running close to this fast before.
@@VGHCXthe Stroker could get close to that number even with those stage 1 heads if ported. I think it probably had a solid roller cam though. The Skylark would have to be stripped down but at about 3300 and 650 at crank it could crack 9.90s
I restored 3 original '70 Stage 1s at the same time a few years ago in my shop. I've been friends with several Buick fanatics who swear by the 455, and I've done tons of work on several other S1s over the years. I've seen one with the original engine. Pretty much every guy I ever talk to talks about how good these engines are, but none survived in their original cars because of oiling problems. After you drill the drain hole to the timing chain, change the cam groove, align oiling holes and 20 other things, then they're "bulletproof." Reason 4,985 why Chevy engines are the most succesful and prolific V8s in history.
@@georgeweise9654 I got to drive one, 70 455, when I was in the market for a classic a few years ago, it was copper with a tan bench. I'm still kicking myself for getting a mustang instead
My dad used to street race an old straight eight Buick back in his day, and when I saw a picture of the GSX for the first time, I wanted one too. Glad to see a Buick engine get some love once in a while.
cant wait to finish my 70's buick skylark w/ the buick 455, been waiting on my heads from t/a to get the crank back from machine shop, hoping to hit the 650ish range once done. hopefully have it done for next years race season.
The Buick had a better rod ratio. shorter stroke, longer rods,bigger pistons. And a lighter block. The Pontiac and Old would make a good truck motor with all that long stroke for pulling. But they didn't have the power from 50mph and up as the Buick 455. Talking about a 350 Olds had a little better rod ratio than chevy. But chevy had more available off the the Shelf parts available a Buick and Pontiac 350 lacked. The Buick 350 at least weight was 450 lb where the Pontiac 350 weight was the same as the 455 650 lb. But when talking about a 455 I love the way the high compression Buick 455 ran it out did the others
@@anthonytoler3916 Pshht.... My Olds big block WILL smoke a total of 36" (3 feet) of rear drag radial on my ladder bar Cutlass at a 50mph roll, IN third gear, for a hundred feet, with NO issues...
Always been a GM guy. I had a stock weight 64 Buick Special with a "very simple" pump gas 462cu. in. / 400 turbo/ 4.10 gear car and it would outrun 90 to 95% of the street cars in the S.E. Tennessee area way back in the early 90's with what I thought was half of the motors of the other guys. My favorite "loss" was running a "built" 1965 440 MOPAR and losing by a fender!!!!!! Got home and realized that my 750 vacuum carb (that's correct... wasn't a double pumper!) wasn't opening the secondary's!!!!! I got out run by a fender by a "built" car with only 375cfm of carb on my engine! Buick engines are SOOOOOOOO overlooked...
I got to meet Mike and get a tour of TA performance while my dad was building a 455 for his buddy. One of the nicest guys I've ever met and an absolute wizard with these motors.
I went to his first shop in pontoon plains in New Jersey in 1997 and he sell me my first intake manifold for my Buick engine, to day on i still using the same one , good man
Rob is the man! It took almost a year to get it done (damn parts shortage kept us waiting 9 months!) but she is a beaut! He put it on an engine dyno and came out with 485 horses and torque was at 545. Now I'm waiting for a new chassis to be built to handle this 462!
I know coolant will flow through the heads but how would the block handle not having coolant run through it? Seems a street engine would have detonation and heatsoak in the cylinders
Aluminum heads dissipate heat faster than iron heads and are much less likely to detonate, I don't know anything about what will happen to that block though
I love seeing forgotten engine like that one. I would like to see 410fe ford engine done and a 428 pontiac to these engine had good HP&TQ but no one ever talks about them. Thanks for doing this engine
My dad had a 68 Pontiac Grandville with 428 speedometer said 120 it would do that like nothing I remember when he would get on it in low gear the front end would rise way up he would say them 400's don't do that
Ha,he said he beat all the chevys,I believe it,I did the same in 87 with a 74 pinto wagon with a 66 425 nailhead with factory dual quads,bored .030 over and balanced with a small cam,my uncle had it in his 57 Chevy for years,we built the pinto with a 401,when he wanted to sell his 57 we put a 350 combo in that and kept the 425 for the work and buying the 350,put it in the front seat area ,drove from factory back seat,12 gauge trans tunnel and firewall made it 3,200 lbs.,switch pitch with th400 guts and 2,400-2,800 stall and 3.70 gears,ran 12.7 @ 107 on street tires,better on the street than the track,on the street it launched hard as hell,buicks set up right fly!!!
Awesome!! The 455 Buick is a torque monster!! My 455 and Turbo 400 came out of a Electra 225 and I put it in a 79 Buick Regal, first year I ran it stock and destroyed 2 ring and pinion sets then I replaced the rear end from a 1980 Monte Carlo and added 3.70 gears, before I sold it it would jump beer cans with the front tires from a dead stop, Damn I miss that car!!!!!! I still have that Engine and Tranny!!! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Ur are the master with 455 Buicks my dad sold Buick from 53 to 74 i like 2 met u we also had 455 Buick gs rivs gransports from 65 to 73 love love Buicks great automobiles!
My first car was a 1970 Buick Skylark with a Pontiac 455 in it. It was setup for drag racing but was street legal. The engine made gobs of torque, I think the engine dyno sheet said 650lbs. And that was with cast iron heads and a moderate lift cam. The car was difficult to launch on the street but it was a lot of fun. My best time at the track was 11.8 in the 1/4 and that was spinning my tires the first 60 feet. That was fast back in 2005 when I bought but these days I’d get walked by a base model Corvette. Lol. In fact I remember when the C6 Z06 came out in 2007, that’s when I started losing street races.
I embarrassed alot of cars with my 69 skylark it was so much fun and the great part was I had the same engine for 280 thousand miles ! Buick reliability and torque at its best ! To bad they don't make engines new like that anymore !! 👍👍👍
Better run a BIG-ass oil cooler on that thing in the car, and a GOOD sized radiator also... I've dealt with filled blocks a few times before, and even with a partial fill, the oil Temps WILL skyrocket without an oil cooler on it. A large radiator is mandatory also, or the engine won't cool well in the vehicle, and the oil temp issue will get even worse. Use the biggest 2 wide-row aluminum radiator that will fit, and then build a sheet metal shroud that will enclose the entire radiator core completely and be right tight to it. Build the shroud as deep as you can without running into the water pump, and then install 2 electric fans on the shroud that are rated for 4000+ cfm's of airflow. Mount the oil cooler so that it does not block the front of the rad... move it off to the side, and put the largest fan that you can on the core of the oil cooler also. If you do that, then it SHOULD run cool enough, and keep the oil temps in check. I've been there, and done that with filled blocks, and doing all of the above was absolutely mandatory if I wanted to street drive the car for any longer than 20 minutes at a time. After doing the above, I can drive it all day long. Before I did all that, and had no oil cooler and just a stock fan, shroud, and 4 core factory brass radiator, the oil temp would climb to 300°, and the coolant would be boiling within 10-15 minutes of street driving. 😬 After I did the mods, the oil temp stays around 220-230° and the water won't get over 185°, if I drive it all day long. Even in the hot summer. Oh yea, I DID install an H.D. version of a Meziere 55g.p.h. electric water pump too... I tried that very first, and it made no difference, until I did the rest of what I explained above. I'm not sure if there was a stock belt driven water pump on it now, instead of the electric one, if it would make any difference or not.
I’ve got a 340 Buick I’m working on right now, I keep thinking about getting a 455 but I already built the rear end and trans and I think a big block would grenade them. Awesome episode!
Not necessarily. It really just depends on how much power you pick up.. if we talking about a stock 340 and a stock 455 , there's just not enough power increase... Now if you talking about a stock 340, and then dropping a built to the max 455 , yes lol it's gonna frag
Ditch the small block... there isn't hardly any performance parts out there for them because the bores were too small for the engine to breathe well enough to make any performance parts for them. It wasn't worth it.
@@davelowets Yeah but I can’t afford $3500 worth of transmission, $2500 worth of rear axle and $15,000 of big block and parts. If someone wanted to just give me a T56, a 12 bolt and a 455 with all the work done to it, sure. That’s not how the world works.
It's unfortunate that Buick is generally underrated. They always made an excellent engine even in the antique days. The small block Buick In all its various forms has a great racing history, and a ton of potential as well with a very light strong block. I'd love to see more of the classic stuff. Thanks guys.
@@autodidact537 for anything over 500hp it's pretty much a necessity if longevity matters. Block strength is the achilles heel of the big block buick. They are wonderfully light, but kinda weak with the power that can be made with today's parts. But that's true for a lot of engines as well.
The small block Buick sucked ass... The bores were too small to get it to breathe enough to be a race anything. That's why it's HARD A.F. to find any off-the-shelf performance parts for a small block Buick.... Just try to find a readily available intake for a small Buick. There's NOTHING out there except for maybe a specialist or two that has one that'll cost you a thousand bucks. The fact is, that no one made performance parts for them BECAUSE they sucked as a performance engine. The buick big block had more parts available because they had a bigger bore, and were worth investing in parts It IS what it IS.... 🤷
@@davelowets The small buick in many of its forms had a lot of success in competitive motorsports. Jack Brabham scored six poles and four consecutive wins in a nine-race season, good enough to capture both the F1 Driver's and Constructor's championships in 1966 with a stock block. Lots of people were using the 215 as a starting point for racing in the mid 60's . Guys like Mickey Thompson, Lance Reventlow, Jerry Grunt, Dan Gurney, and many more in Europe later on as a Rover. Then there's the v6 version that ran in the Grand National Sportsman circuit, the Indy Racing League and Indianapolis 500, NASCAR Winston Cup, IMSA Camel GTP, IHRA, Camel Lights and GT, SCCA and IMSA and NHRA drag racing and participated in world speed records at Bonneville. There were tons of guys racing buick powered cars in the 80's like Tommy Houston, Scott Brayton, Pancho Carter, Dale Jarrett, L. D. Ottinger, Morgan Shepherd, Richard Petty, Eddie Cheever Jr., Arie Luyendyk, and Buddy Lazier, and Buddy Ingersoll. All in all a very long and successful career in motorsports for a passenger car engine family. Just because summit and jegs aren't full of cheap buick parts doesn't mean anything. It is what it is after all.
I used to buy all my high performance Buick parts from Kenne Bell years ago, until they got away from Buicks, and then I started using TA Performance for parts which carries the same stuff Kenne Bell used to
@@janfswedane ok I never knew that. Never had the need for the products but simply enjoyed reading Hot Rod Magazine and other's magazines about building hopped up engine's and Kenne Bell definitely had a big presence in the hot rod world and definitely would not leave out that girdle. I'm wandering if they were the ones that came up with the crank girdles for the Ford's since I'm thinking the company switched over to promoting Ford part's. Thanks for the reply. Have a great day.
I'm glad someone knows how to build a Buick racing engines because chevrolet ain't only hotrods GM ever made, Buick used to make racing engines, first V8,s then from 1981-91 but the V8 never got this kind of love 💕 only chevys, luxury and performance nice combination.
I had a 70 Riviera. Use to beat a lot of cars & people couldn't believe it. I miss that car 455 370 HP 510 Ibs torque. It was a beautiful car fully loaded.
I have a 78 pontiac Phoenix coupe (black) with the 1/4 vynil top..currently have a 350 in it from a buick la sabre it runs great..but i always wanted to drop a 455 in it...everything now days is chevy swapped or modern ls...i want to keep it all pontiac,just a nice powerful street engine on pump gas..i enjoyed the video
@@garyfleming4101 Why the Pontiac? I like the Buick because rover bought the rights to the 215 and used that in my car, so using a Buick just feels right you know?
@@HighTechPioneer Pontiac because you mentioned making it fit and if space is the issue the Pontiac will be easier to fit. Also Pontiac had four bolt mains so you could abuse them hard and they were more forgiving but that's a whole different subject. I like the Olds, Buick, and Pontiac motors its not like you can make a wrong choice.
@@garyfleming4101 Oh awesome, thanks for the info! I've been digging the idea of using the stock block and getting into metalworking by designing my own heads instead of going for aftermarket aluminum ones like everyone else, but that takes a lot of research before I'll know what I'm looking for. Never bad to have a hobby though!
I can attest to the power of the 455 Buick in a '73 boat tail Riviera. Rebuilt one in the 90s and had to use the old carburetor 'til the next payday. Ran like dirt, but no mechanical issues. Got the rebuilt carb and put it on, gave it a rough tune and set off,...then proceeded to almost kill my self with that car. All i remember is passenger door leading,...driver door leading,..passenger door leading,..driver door leading, etc. Sliding back & forth down the road in that huge car. Good times.
In the 80's, I found a 72 GS 455. Tinkered and toiled and got her to run 11 flat at the local track. 10:5 to 1, mild crane cam, Offenhauser 360 equiflow intake , topped with a 1375 holly. Cast iron exhaust cut-outs and would school those Kingwood rich kids on friday night cruise... (still kick myself for selling it to go to paramedic school...lol)
When I rebuilt my stage 1 I wish I had all this gear. It ran well, low 13's but nothing like this. But I was back in 1977 and had Kenne Bell just slightly better than stock parts.... fun days....
What the? I've been subscribing to all the speed magazines for more than 50 years and have never heard of filling cooling passages with a concrete-like substance. How is this done, and who the hell does it? Bizarre.
I am a Buick fan. I personally owned '68 GS 400 THM 400. It was fast and used to chirp the tires when manually shifting into 2nd gear. Great cars & great engines. I have a topic suggestion. I learned in 1974 Buick made available a 455 engine with a 2bbl carb. I would really enjoy watching you guys do your magic and see what you can accomplish with a 2bbl carb. I want to see a comparison between the 4bbl & 2bbl. Also, if you have the time and funds, I'd really enjoy you doing the same with the Olds 425 & 455, Pontiac 400 & 455. It is my understanding these engines were fairly potent even with 2bbls. I am planning on building a 70 GS or Skylark economy muscle car. In other words, a base or standard model GS or Skylark but with "Day 1" modifications. My plan: 70 spec'd stock 455, Rochester 2bbl, 2bbl stock manifold internally smoothed & polished, maybe ported. Black satin ceramic coated headers, HiFlow mufflers, 3" exhaust system, HD shocks, HD coil springs, HD sway bars, front finned aluminum brake drums, GM HD 3 speed manual transmission, HD clutch, Hurst shifter, GM 10 or 12 bolt differential with 3:08 or 3:23 positraction gear set, manual steering, manual brakes, no a/c, no powers windows or locks, bench seat, stock steering wheel, stock dashboard but hood-mounted tachometer, tires equivalent to G or H 60-15s, steel wheels with Buick dog dish hubcaps, Custom Autosounds Buick factory appearing AM-FM, Bluetooth radio. This is bound to be a nice economy muscle car. What do you think of this planned project? Please comment, positive or negative. Your engine presentations are great. I hope to see many more of your videos. P.S. Can also do this with the LeMans or Tempest, Cutlass. also, Chevelle or Malibu since Chevy did produce a 396/402 with a 2bbl carb. I think these would also make nice economy muscle cars. Thanks again for all your great videos and knowledge.
I know I'm late to the game but, I saw this when it aired. Those headers look like they would fit in my s10. Awesome build, awesome engine. Imagine nitrous or a procharger on this monster.
I'd love to have that 455 for my 1996 Buick Roadmaster sedan. The LT1 is pretty good. But over double power would be a really nice upgrade. I would be more than willing to cut my car to make room for those headers and a big carb.
628/570 is good power out of a NA pump gas big block of those cubes. Although it's probably still $7K in parts/machine labor. Definetely could make that on a BBC no problem as well.
Much easier and less expensive to stick with a Chevy BB. Probably a 2:1 horsepower per dollar advantage. Rat motors are everywhere and good go-fast stuff is easy to find and relatively affordable. Buick goodies are available , but will take some looking and some more money. And those who know the intricacies of the Buick motor are even rarer. Seems like this man knows his Buicks! I remember so many 455 Electra wagons sitting and rusting because they were gas-guzzlers, then after a few years, they went off to the junk yard!
10 years ago you were only able to get the standard 71 onwards 8.5:1 pistons for these, TA and Butler have really upped the game for stalwarts that want to stick with their chosen OE product
I saw mechanic using silicone in the crankcase gasket but at the end look so bad an dirty with a lot of Left over on the edges so what you guys use to the job looks so good and clean at the end
I dont like cork gaskets but when I have used em I use the brown goo (non RTV) it sort of soaks into the cork, plus over tightening the cork gasket will cause it to split and leak, thats my two cents
Nailhead design is hard to make power with, that's why Buick abandoned it, but there may be some articles and videos online... The smaller Buick/Rover aluminum V8's look like nailheads on the outside, but they aren't...
@@BuzzLOLOL Yeah and racers would reverse the intake and exhaust on the nailheads to get better breathing. Search "Tommy Ivo's Showboat" from the 1960's. Four Buick 401's on a dragster.
I would like to make this build with a 76 block. I was told they were the better block to build not sure if thats true or not. Im wondering if i can get a build sheet for this specific setup in detail im attempting to do a home build.
Ive got an 85 regal with a 70 model 455 and 400 turbo, 9" ford rear end with 411 gears small shot of nitrous. Its good to see the old big block buick get some attention ...ive had people literally think i have a ford engine in it because of the distributor placement. I dont have 10k in the whole car though😂
Anything is realistic if you throw enough money at it. If you put the same amount into a chev big block you’d have way more power and a block that’s not a ticking time bomb.
Spoke with Mike at TA Performance today. They saved the Buick hot-rod community! He shared with me stories about the reach of TA Performance around the world. Please help this American made company find qualified machinists in the Phoenix valley who take pride in their work and want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. I picked up my dream car, '66 Special, and this shop has made my dream a reality. Spread the word. - Dane
Wonderful - Beautiful Street Engine..
Nice for an 1980’s T-Type Regal:)
I sold my mild 70' stage-1 it ran mid 11s @ 3 900 lbs, what a beast, chevy boys hated it! And I was always the only buick there, I had no friends, and that's fine with me! Buicks,,, fast with class!
They were truly the torque monster
The 1970 Buick GSX 455 stage one and two was the Hemi eater!!!
Hemi killer to be exact 👍
Seriously? I'm a Buick fan and and very impressed with them. But as every sanctioning body in racing has proven and there's no denying that, The HEMI dominated... No and's if's or buts about it. It is what it is, But In nearly stock form yes 455 was extremely powewrful as the Musclecar magazine in the 80's showed with the Buick vs Hemi shootout. Anyway you look at it the 455 is impressive.
The Buick GSX 455 tossed the salad of the HEMI. There, fixed it for you.
@@VGHCXmy engine builder would
Buid a engine that would eat a hemi
Anytime anywhere
15:53 "Everybody had a Chevy" Greatest line of the whole episode. I was always more of a Buick/ Olds person myself!
And all you need to build "surprising power" with this big-block Buick IS...BBC rods. And SBC "truck motor" sized combustion chambers. Nothing ironic about that at all.
Kind of like it being 175 lbs lighter than "a BBC" and only 25 lbs heavier than "a SBC". Of course those comparisons are to iron-headed Chevys.
Equally ironic - and funny - is that you GOTTA have the new reproduction "timing cover" and oil pump to build a TRULY "NEW" 455 Buick that's ACTUALLY a 470 and therefore 2 cubic inches bigger than the most common "high performance" BBC - the "468". BUT use of a "seasoned" - i.e JUNKYARD 455 block in your "NEW" and "surprisingly powerful" Buick engine "build" is A-OK!
And who DOESN'T want a "thin-wall casting" for a high-performance engine "build"?
Last of all your choice of "all Buick" muscle cars to put said "surprisingly powerful" Buick engine "build" into is pretty much limited to a Buick Skylark/ GS or Riviera/GS. Pretty much big "boats".
The final or rather first bit of irony is the claim that Buick 455s supposedly aren't known for being "fast" despite Motor Trend supposedly wringing a 13.38 1/4-mile out of a "stock" 455 "Stage 1" GS making it supposedly the "fastest" American "muscle car" of that "era".
And there is on more ironic "twist". BOP "emthusiasts" suddenly focusing on SAE "gross torque" as the most important and impressive "number" for "muscle cars" in the "early 70s" because their non-Chevy high-performance big-blocks got decimated by every Chevy high-perf big-block from the 409 through the 454 in SAE gross HORSEPOWER and were even "upstaged" by the Chevy LT1 350 with 370 SAE gross horsepower.
All in all there was and is so much cherry-picking of the "data" to make BOPs come out "on top" vs. the "competition" at Chevrolet the BOP "enthusiasts" give even Fordtards a run for their money in the "propaganda wars" against "Chevy".
And in both cases the non-Chevy guys think Chevy guys give a shit if a BOP or Ford is the "winner" of the BENCH RACING from "back in the day".
Don't forget Pontiacs. Gotta keep the B-O-P anti-Chevy "brotherhood" one big happy family.
@@deeremeyer1749 autism speaks
@@deeremeyer1749 That's more quotations than Brainy Smurf!
As a BOP kid and Ford man. I love em both over a dookie chevrolet
i used to have a client that was huge Buick guy. He bought stage 1 455 engines from all over the country and had 5-6 of them in his barn. He showed me a 11-1 compression 455 stroked to 480-490 ci with fully ported stage 1 iron heads and big hydraulic cam that made 650 hp & 610 torque. He ran high 9s in a 68-69 Skylark. I had never heard of a Buick running close to this fast before.
Were you under the influence when you saw it run high 9s?
@@VGHCX No - I lay off that stuff so people like you can abuse it.
@@tomsettles6873 To make that kind of power with iron heads would require boost or nitrous. No NA 455 can make those numbers.
@@VGHCXthe Stroker could get close to that number even with those stage 1 heads if ported. I think it probably had a solid roller cam though. The Skylark would have to be stripped down but at about 3300 and 650 at crank it could crack 9.90s
I got a 70 Electra and it runs like a dream till this day , crazy they don't make them how they use to
I restored 3 original '70 Stage 1s at the same time a few years ago in my shop. I've been friends with several Buick fanatics who swear by the 455, and I've done tons of work on several other S1s over the years. I've seen one with the original engine. Pretty much every guy I ever talk to talks about how good these engines are, but none survived in their original cars because of oiling problems. After you drill the drain hole to the timing chain, change the cam groove, align oiling holes and 20 other things, then they're "bulletproof." Reason 4,985 why Chevy engines are the most succesful and prolific V8s in history.
“What did you do to your Buick” same thing you do to all of them: you add compression, cam, intake, head flow, and ect. A tale old as time.
Don't forget "misplacing" the cats and any other EPA crap hahaha
@@pablotharpalo5685. Lol, why I would never do such a thing😅🤣
@@bri-manhunter2654 oh you know. Clumsy little old me, losing the cats and vac pump again 🤣
Yeah, it’s real rocket science
@@ultimatejay. lol, right!🤣
Nice to see you guys building the Buick 455. Had a 70 skylark 455 years ago and it was a hell of a lot of fun to drive with plenty of torque to spare!
Love the buick I was lucky enough to have a 70 buick gs 455ci stage 1.such a great car luxury and power.
@@georgeweise9654 I got to drive one, 70 455, when I was in the market for a classic a few years ago, it was copper with a tan bench. I'm still kicking myself for getting a mustang instead
455 years ago. Wow. Lol I definitely read that wrong at first.
70 GS Stage 1 for me, talk about fun!
@@JETZcorp Yea I didn't know they had the Skylark that long ago!😆🙌✌
Engine power is definitely my favorite show on power Nation. Pats the man!
WOW Buick lovers are going to love this!!
My dad used to street race an old straight eight Buick back in his day, and when I saw a picture of the GSX for the first time, I wanted one too. Glad to see a Buick engine get some love once in a while.
cant wait to finish my 70's buick skylark w/ the buick 455, been waiting on my heads from t/a to get the crank back from machine shop, hoping to hit the 650ish range once done. hopefully have it done for next years race season.
My uncle has a ‘70 Buick gs with well over 600hp naturally aspirated that car is badass and I’d take it over a Chevy anyday.
I'd like to see a video comparing a Buick 455, Pontiac 455 and Oldsmobile 455.
There's one on youtube!
It’s already been done and Buick won the gold.
Buick best out of the 455
The Buick had a better rod ratio. shorter stroke, longer rods,bigger pistons. And a lighter block. The Pontiac and Old would make a good truck motor with all that long stroke for pulling. But they didn't have the power from 50mph and up as the Buick 455. Talking about a 350 Olds had a little better rod ratio than chevy. But chevy had more available off the the Shelf parts available a Buick and Pontiac 350 lacked. The Buick 350 at least weight was 450 lb where the Pontiac 350 weight was the same as the 455 650 lb. But when talking about a 455 I love the way the high compression Buick 455 ran it out did the others
@@anthonytoler3916 Pshht....
My Olds big block WILL smoke a total of 36" (3 feet) of rear drag radial on my ladder bar Cutlass at a 50mph roll, IN third gear, for a hundred feet, with NO issues...
Always been a GM guy. I had a stock weight 64 Buick Special with a "very simple" pump gas 462cu. in. / 400 turbo/ 4.10 gear car and it would outrun 90 to 95% of the street cars in the S.E. Tennessee area way back in the early 90's with what I thought was half of the motors of the other guys. My favorite "loss" was running a "built" 1965 440 MOPAR and losing by a fender!!!!!! Got home and realized that my 750 vacuum carb (that's correct... wasn't a double pumper!) wasn't opening the secondary's!!!!! I got out run by a fender by a "built" car with only 375cfm of carb on my engine! Buick engines are SOOOOOOOO overlooked...
LIGHT MY FIRE! Nice to see a successful business owner who is down to earth.
Had a 70 GS 455. Phenomenal car.
I got to meet Mike and get a tour of TA performance while my dad was building a 455 for his buddy. One of the nicest guys I've ever met and an absolute wizard with these motors.
This video gave me the dose of America that I needed for the rest of the week.
I went to his first shop in pontoon plains in New Jersey in 1997 and he sell me my first intake manifold for my Buick engine, to day on i still using the same one , good man
He sell me a intake manifold to in that same year 1997 and i still have it ,like you said real good person
Nice work i have 2 68 Rivieras one is GS option i also have a rare Starwars air cleaner
I like double roller timing chains but all gear drive is my favorite
Love those old big block Buicks. I had a 68 Riviera with a 430 ci. Built a few Buick engines. Love the setup.
Thats 1 Bad Azz Buick Engine‼️🔥
I had a solid roller 468” ‘70 GS. The torque was insane and the car was very streetable.
I had an olds with a 455 and it was a machine!! It was a total sleeper
My mom had a 1969 GS455. It was a beast.
So excited to see this since I have a 455 sitting under a tarp waiting to be built for my 50 Buick. And Stage 1 is only 3 hours away from me!
What are you waiting for, get er done bro..
That 455 will have plenty of power stock... but if it's a 1970's emissions slug, have it tuned rebuilt for much better MPG...
@@P71ScrewHead Just dropped it off yesterday!
@@firefighteruppy9121 that's good news..
Rob is the man! It took almost a year to get it done (damn parts shortage kept us waiting 9 months!) but she is a beaut! He put it on an engine dyno and came out with 485 horses and torque was at 545. Now I'm waiting for a new chassis to be built to handle this 462!
I know coolant will flow through the heads but how would the block handle not having coolant run through it? Seems a street engine would have detonation and heatsoak in the cylinders
Aluminum heads dissipate heat faster than iron heads and are much less likely to detonate, I don't know anything about what will happen to that block though
I love seeing forgotten engine like that one. I would like to see 410fe ford engine done and a 428 pontiac to these engine had good HP&TQ but no one ever talks about them. Thanks for doing this engine
My dad had a 68 Pontiac Grandville with 428 speedometer said 120 it would do that like nothing I remember when he would get on it in low gear the front end would rise way up he would say them 400's don't do that
Ha,he said he beat all the chevys,I believe it,I did the same in 87 with a 74 pinto wagon with a 66 425 nailhead with factory dual quads,bored .030 over and balanced with a small cam,my uncle had it in his 57 Chevy for years,we built the pinto with a 401,when he wanted to sell his 57 we put a 350 combo in that and kept the 425 for the work and buying the 350,put it in the front seat area ,drove from factory back seat,12 gauge trans tunnel and firewall made it 3,200 lbs.,switch pitch with th400 guts and 2,400-2,800 stall and 3.70 gears,ran 12.7 @ 107 on street tires,better on the street than the track,on the street it launched hard as hell,buicks set up right fly!!!
Awesome!! The 455 Buick is a torque monster!! My 455 and Turbo
400 came out of a Electra 225 and I
put it in a 79 Buick Regal, first year
I ran it stock and destroyed 2 ring
and pinion sets then I replaced the
rear end from a 1980 Monte Carlo
and added 3.70 gears, before I sold
it it would jump beer cans with the
front tires from a dead stop, Damn
I miss that car!!!!!! I still have that
Engine and Tranny!!!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Why in the HELL would you replace the wimpy rear-end with the exact same wimpy rear-end?? 🤷🤦
If you still have that motor I will buy it 😂😂😂
It’s good you jumped that beer 🍺 instead of wasting it!
Ur are the master with 455 Buicks my dad sold Buick from 53 to 74 i like 2 met u we also had 455 Buick gs rivs gransports from 65 to 73 love love Buicks great automobiles!
Absolutely. Awesome a well built Buick will make twice that
My first car was a 1970 Buick Skylark with a Pontiac 455 in it. It was setup for drag racing but was street legal. The engine made gobs of torque, I think the engine dyno sheet said 650lbs. And that was with cast iron heads and a moderate lift cam. The car was difficult to launch on the street but it was a lot of fun. My best time at the track was 11.8 in the 1/4 and that was spinning my tires the first 60 feet. That was fast back in 2005 when I bought but these days I’d get walked by a base model Corvette. Lol. In fact I remember when the C6 Z06 came out in 2007, that’s when I started losing street races.
I embarrassed alot of cars with my 69 skylark it was so much fun and the great part was I had the same engine for 280 thousand miles ! Buick reliability and torque at its best ! To bad they don't make engines new like that anymore !! 👍👍👍
Solid!
Top KEK!
Peace be with you.
It’s crazy TA Performance couldn’t get you a set of their aluminum heads… just shows you how backed up they are right now on the orders.
1970 stock buick stage 1 ran right with the hemi cuda and ls6 chevelle. High 12s and low 13s
Buick luxury combined hotrod high-performance, and classic styling❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😅😊.
love to see the high rpm 403 in a future build.
How streetable is it with the hardblock in it?
Better run a BIG-ass oil cooler on that thing in the car, and a GOOD sized radiator also...
I've dealt with filled blocks a few times before, and even with a partial fill, the oil Temps WILL skyrocket without an oil cooler on it. A large radiator is mandatory also, or the engine won't cool well in the vehicle, and the oil temp issue will get even worse.
Use the biggest 2 wide-row aluminum radiator that will fit, and then build a sheet metal shroud that will enclose the entire radiator core completely and be right tight to it. Build the shroud as deep as you can without running into the water pump, and then install 2 electric fans on the shroud that are rated for 4000+ cfm's of airflow. Mount the oil cooler so that it does not block the front of the rad... move it off to the side, and put the largest fan that you can on the core of the oil cooler also.
If you do that, then it SHOULD run cool enough, and keep the oil temps in check. I've been there, and done that with filled blocks, and doing all of the above was absolutely mandatory if I wanted to street drive the car for any longer than 20 minutes at a time. After doing the above, I can drive it all day long.
Before I did all that, and had no oil cooler and just a stock fan, shroud, and 4 core factory brass radiator, the oil temp would climb to 300°, and the coolant would be boiling within 10-15 minutes of street driving. 😬
After I did the mods, the oil temp stays around 220-230° and the water won't get over 185°, if I drive it all day long. Even in the hot summer.
Oh yea, I DID install an H.D. version of a Meziere 55g.p.h. electric water pump too... I tried that very first, and it made no difference, until I did the rest of what I explained above. I'm not sure if there was a stock belt driven water pump on it now, instead of the electric one, if it would make any difference or not.
I’ve got a 340 Buick I’m working on right now, I keep thinking about getting a 455 but I already built the rear end and trans and I think a big block would grenade them. Awesome episode!
Not necessarily. It really just depends on how much power you pick up.. if we talking about a stock 340 and a stock 455 , there's just not enough power increase... Now if you talking about a stock 340, and then dropping a built to the max 455 , yes lol it's gonna frag
Ditch the small block... there isn't hardly any performance parts out there for them because the bores were too small for the engine to breathe well enough to make any performance parts for them. It wasn't worth it.
@@davelowets Yeah but I can’t afford $3500 worth of transmission, $2500 worth of rear axle and $15,000 of big block and parts. If someone wanted to just give me a T56, a 12 bolt and a 455 with all the work done to it, sure. That’s not how the world works.
@@Flyboy207 why would you need a t56 for a 455 and not for a 340? Your statement doesn't make sense.
@@davelowets because the transmission I have won’t handle a big block.
It's unfortunate that Buick is generally underrated. They always made an excellent engine even in the antique days. The small block Buick In all its various forms has a great racing history, and a ton of potential as well with a very light strong block. I'd love to see more of the classic stuff. Thanks guys.
For high performance the 455 Buick could use a engine block girdle.
@@autodidact537 for anything over 500hp it's pretty much a necessity if longevity matters. Block strength is the achilles heel of the big block buick. They are wonderfully light, but kinda weak with the power that can be made with today's parts. But that's true for a lot of engines as well.
The small block Buick sucked ass...
The bores were too small to get it to breathe enough to be a race anything. That's why it's HARD A.F. to find any off-the-shelf performance parts for a small block Buick.... Just try to find a readily available intake for a small Buick. There's NOTHING out there except for maybe a specialist or two that has one that'll cost you a thousand bucks.
The fact is, that no one made performance parts for them BECAUSE they sucked as a performance engine. The buick big block had more parts available because they had a bigger bore, and were worth investing in parts
It IS what it IS.... 🤷
@@davelowets The small buick in many of its forms had a lot of success in competitive motorsports. Jack Brabham scored six poles and four consecutive wins in a nine-race season, good enough to capture both the F1 Driver's and Constructor's championships in 1966 with a stock block. Lots of people were using the 215 as a starting point for racing in the mid 60's . Guys like Mickey Thompson, Lance Reventlow, Jerry Grunt, Dan Gurney, and many more in Europe later on as a Rover. Then there's the v6 version that ran in the Grand National Sportsman circuit, the Indy Racing League and Indianapolis 500, NASCAR Winston Cup, IMSA Camel GTP, IHRA, Camel Lights and GT, SCCA and IMSA and NHRA drag racing and participated in world speed records at Bonneville. There were tons of guys racing buick powered cars in the 80's like Tommy Houston, Scott Brayton, Pancho Carter, Dale Jarrett, L. D. Ottinger, Morgan Shepherd, Richard Petty, Eddie Cheever Jr., Arie Luyendyk, and Buddy Lazier, and Buddy Ingersoll. All in all a very long and successful career in motorsports for a passenger car engine family. Just because summit and jegs aren't full of cheap buick parts doesn't mean anything. It is what it is after all.
@@user-cs1ne8gx9u The 215 isn't even in the same league as the Buick 350. Completely different design.
I used to buy all my high performance Buick parts from Kenne Bell years ago, until they got away from Buicks, and then I started using TA Performance for parts which carries the same stuff Kenne Bell used to
Me too...
BTW: It's "Kenne Bell"...
@@janfswedane that's what I get for using talk-to- text LOL
Well heck I spelled his name Kenny in a previous post because I didn't remember. It seem like something was wrong though. lol
@@jerryhayden8720 It comes from the 2 founders last names..
"Kennedy" & "Bell"
@@janfswedane ok I never knew that. Never had the need for the products but simply enjoyed reading Hot Rod Magazine and other's magazines about building hopped up engine's and Kenne Bell definitely had a big presence in the hot rod world and definitely would not leave out that girdle. I'm wandering if they were the ones that came up with the crank girdles for the Ford's since I'm thinking the company switched over to promoting Ford part's. Thanks for the reply. Have a great day.
I have a great running 455, but not as great as this one.. Very impressive performance and sounded awesome as soon as it was started, I want one!
I'm glad someone knows how to build a Buick racing engines because chevrolet ain't only hotrods GM ever made, Buick used to make racing engines, first V8,s then from 1981-91 but the V8 never got this kind of love 💕 only chevys, luxury and performance nice combination.
Sweet! Yur gonna need that torque in your boattail!
Whooped plenty with my Buick 455 in built over 20 years ago.I just freshened it up in dec
Pocket pen collection seems to be growing, nice
I currently have a 72 skylark built up to 502 ci this content is helpful
I had a 70 Riviera. Use to beat a lot of cars & people couldn't believe it. I miss that car 455 370 HP 510 Ibs torque. It was a beautiful car fully loaded.
I have a 78 pontiac Phoenix coupe (black) with the 1/4 vynil top..currently have a 350 in it from a buick la sabre it runs great..but i always wanted to drop a 455 in it...everything now days is chevy swapped or modern ls...i want to keep it all pontiac,just a nice powerful street engine on pump gas..i enjoyed the video
The Buick, the Oldsmobile, and the Pontiac engines don't get enough attention for engine rebuilds, just the Chevy engines. They need some recognition.
Hey the 455! I'm determined to fit one in my 79 triumph tr7, so here's hoping for that to go well!
Than you might wanna look at a Pontiac 455 and not a Buick
@@garyfleming4101 Why the Pontiac? I like the Buick because rover bought the rights to the 215 and used that in my car, so using a Buick just feels right you know?
@@HighTechPioneer Pontiac because you mentioned making it fit and if space is the issue the Pontiac will be easier to fit. Also Pontiac had four bolt mains so you could abuse them hard and they were more forgiving but that's a whole different subject. I like the Olds, Buick, and Pontiac motors its not like you can make a wrong choice.
@@garyfleming4101 Oh awesome, thanks for the info! I've been digging the idea of using the stock block and getting into metalworking by designing my own heads instead of going for aftermarket aluminum ones like everyone else, but that takes a lot of research before I'll know what I'm looking for. Never bad to have a hobby though!
I can attest to the power of the 455 Buick in a '73 boat tail Riviera. Rebuilt one in the 90s and had to use the old carburetor 'til the next payday. Ran like dirt, but no mechanical issues. Got the rebuilt carb and put it on, gave it a rough tune and set off,...then proceeded to almost kill my self with that car. All i remember is passenger door leading,...driver door leading,..passenger door leading,..driver door leading, etc. Sliding back & forth down the road in that huge car. Good times.
In the 80's, I found a 72 GS 455. Tinkered and toiled and got her to run 11 flat at the local track. 10:5 to 1, mild crane cam, Offenhauser 360 equiflow intake , topped with a 1375 holly. Cast iron exhaust cut-outs and would school those Kingwood rich kids on friday night cruise... (still kick myself for selling it to go to paramedic school...lol)
Very cool, I'm thinking about building a Buick 455 for my Suburban.
When I rebuilt my stage 1 I wish I had all this gear. It ran well, low 13's but nothing like this. But I was back in 1977 and had Kenne Bell just slightly better than stock parts.... fun days....
What the? I've been subscribing to all the speed magazines for more than 50 years and have never heard of filling cooling passages with a concrete-like substance. How is this done, and who the hell does it? Bizarre.
I am a Buick fan. I personally owned '68 GS 400 THM 400. It was fast and used to chirp the tires when manually shifting into 2nd gear. Great cars & great engines. I have a topic suggestion. I learned in 1974 Buick made available a 455 engine with a 2bbl carb. I would really enjoy watching you guys do your magic and see what you can accomplish with a 2bbl carb. I want to see a comparison between the 4bbl & 2bbl. Also, if you have the time and funds, I'd really enjoy you doing the same with the Olds 425 & 455, Pontiac 400 & 455. It is my understanding these engines were fairly potent even with 2bbls. I am planning on building a 70 GS or Skylark economy muscle car. In other words, a base or standard model GS or Skylark but with "Day 1" modifications. My plan: 70 spec'd stock 455, Rochester 2bbl, 2bbl stock manifold internally smoothed & polished, maybe ported. Black satin ceramic coated headers, HiFlow mufflers, 3" exhaust system, HD shocks, HD coil springs, HD sway bars, front finned aluminum brake drums, GM HD 3 speed manual transmission, HD clutch, Hurst shifter, GM 10 or 12 bolt differential with 3:08 or 3:23 positraction gear set, manual steering, manual brakes, no a/c, no powers windows or locks, bench seat, stock steering wheel, stock dashboard but hood-mounted tachometer, tires equivalent to G or H 60-15s, steel wheels with Buick dog dish hubcaps, Custom Autosounds Buick factory appearing AM-FM, Bluetooth radio. This is bound to be a nice economy muscle car. What do you think of this planned project? Please comment, positive or negative. Your engine presentations are great. I hope to see many more of your videos.
P.S. Can also do this with the LeMans or Tempest, Cutlass. also, Chevelle or Malibu since Chevy did produce a 396/402 with a 2bbl carb. I think these would also make nice economy muscle cars. Thanks again for all your great videos and knowledge.
Federal regulations sure took the fun out of cars.
One thing about the government they could F*** up a wet dream.
Thankfully technology has gotten us back to cool, powerful engines :)
until electric takes over...
government wrecks everything it touches
I know I'm late to the game but, I saw this when it aired. Those headers look like they would fit in my s10. Awesome build, awesome engine. Imagine nitrous or a procharger on this monster.
Ya thats great but can you find a front brake cable for my 73 Riviera?
thank you, thank you thank you!!! my 73 Rivera thanks you!
I'd love to have that 455 for my 1996 Buick Roadmaster sedan. The LT1 is pretty good. But over double power would be a really nice upgrade. I would be more than willing to cut my car to make room for those headers and a big carb.
628/570 is good power out of a NA pump gas big block of those cubes. Although it's probably still $7K in parts/machine labor. Definetely could make that on a BBC no problem as well.
7k? You have to be joking. If they have less than 15 in it I'd be shocked.
WAY the hell more than $7k. When was the LAST time you built an engine?? That thing was well north of $15k
Thank-you for your content.
Mike Galley, where have you been! Great to see you brother. Love the Buick build!
I'm glad to see you building something besides all of those SOS motors.
Yo Rob keep up the good work
that oilpans gunna bottom out
Buick 455 sounds like a good motor for my 76 blazer
Much easier and less expensive to stick with a Chevy BB. Probably a 2:1 horsepower per dollar advantage. Rat motors are everywhere and good go-fast stuff is easy to find and relatively affordable. Buick goodies are available , but will take some looking and some more money. And those who know the intricacies of the Buick motor are even rarer. Seems like this man knows his Buicks! I remember so many 455 Electra wagons sitting and rusting because they were gas-guzzlers, then after a few years, they went off to the junk yard!
Damn look at how young Pat looks in this episode lol
Belly is smaller, too. 🤣
@@thejavelin7832 🤣 shirt pocket hasn't changed tho
Him: Buicks aren't known for being fast!
🤔
Me: Buick Regal GNX was the Domestic king for 20yrs+ 🤣🤣🤣
As was 1970 Stage 1 and Stage 2...
@@BuzzLOLOL Ik...I'm just a 90s baby being silly
Stump puller
My 1971 Grand Sport had a 455 cowl induction...starteed out as a plain 350..till we pulled a motor and trans out of a boat tail Riviera..
10 years ago you were only able to get the standard 71 onwards 8.5:1 pistons for these, TA and Butler have really upped the game for stalwarts that want to stick with their chosen OE product
Cracks me up every time you all say "pound feet"
I pound feet when I lose a race! Lol
I saw mechanic using silicone in the crankcase gasket but at the end look so bad an dirty with a lot of Left over on the edges so what you guys use to the job looks so good and clean at the end
I dont like cork gaskets but when I have used em I use the brown goo (non RTV) it sort of soaks into the cork, plus over tightening the cork gasket will cause it to split and leak, thats my two cents
Edelbrock Gasgacinch / Indian Head Shellac ?
Parents had a 70 LeSabre 455. A sleeper that blew the doors off most cars on the street. Many surprised looks
Would love to see what they can get out of a 401 nailhead...Powernation please make one of them. best regards from Denmark
Nailhead design is hard to make power with, that's why Buick abandoned it, but there may be some articles and videos online...
The smaller Buick/Rover aluminum V8's look like nailheads on the outside, but they aren't...
@@BuzzLOLOL Yeah and racers would reverse the intake and exhaust on the nailheads to get better breathing.
Search "Tommy Ivo's Showboat" from the 1960's. Four Buick 401's on a dragster.
That Engine sounds so sweet. Would love to see this treatment on a short deck Olds.
Naw.... go with the talk deck Olds, and make some real power.
Well done.
Might have to drop one in an S10 🤣💪🔥🔥😛🥳
Very impressive numbers.
I would like to make this build with a 76 block. I was told they were the better block to build not sure if thats true or not. Im wondering if i can get a build sheet for this specific setup in detail im attempting to do a home build.
On you list of items you is shows a connecting rod with a 6.635 length. The video mentions a 6.800 length. Can you confirm which size is used? Thanks
Man MADD COOOLL!!
Awesome Hot Rodstory. Thanks guys, Woo! Chrysler Buick’s can rip.
Ive got an 85 regal with a 70 model 455 and 400 turbo, 9" ford rear end with 411 gears small shot of nitrous. Its good to see the old big block buick get some attention ...ive had people literally think i have a ford engine in it because of the distributor placement. I dont have 10k in the whole car though😂
Anything is realistic if you throw enough money at it. If you put the same amount into a chev big block you’d have way more power and a block that’s not a ticking time bomb.
Wish I Had A Buick :-)
Buicks are great engines, but oil pump problems doomed most in the old days.
Damn, Pat’s lost some weight. He looks good!!!