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Thread: TA exhaust headers for 455 transplant to 65 Special?

  1. #11
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    Smile Some help you are!! - I'm already *very* confused!!

    Dear Steve (Dr. Frankenbuick,)

    Don't do this to me!! For 2 hours I thought I understood what was going on . . . then I made the mistake of looking a little more carefully!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Frankenbuick View Post
    It is true that the TA heads will outperform and outshine your current heads, but arriving at their true potential will be expensive, requires many complimentary parts, will render your car difficult to drive on the street, will vastly decrease fuel mileage and will require at least 93 octane fuel.
    Well, I can't understand what happened, but I *thought* I posted the conclusion that was going to stick with the existing exhaust manifolds on this forum topic. So I'm committed to the TA performance stage-1 heads. Aren't I?


    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Frankenbuick View Post
    Another issue is that the 430 bore will shroud stage one valves. This means you are stuck with more restrictive non-stage one valves in an otherwise high flowing head.
    *Gulp!* Hang on a second. Which TA Performance heads will not work well on the Buick 430. I realized this afternoon that I need the stage-1 heads in order to work with the car's existing exhaust manifolds. Will that work or not?

    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Frankenbuick View Post
    Gessler also ports stock exhaust manifolds and can get them to flow very nicely. That is an option that will fit for sure.
    Is that something I should think about? I was planning to simply used the stock exhaust manifolds "as is" beyond some simple cleaning and machining to assure flat contact with the heads.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Frankenbuick View Post
    Let us know how you want to go about this and we can try to help with the rest of the combination (carb, cam, fuel system, intake, trans, stall, rear gear, suspension and exhaust).
    Well, you see it is *very simple*. At 2:45pm . . . I thought I knew what I was going to have done . . . . Now one key piece of this scheme has been thrown out the water!! *So* . . . This late in the day I'd better punt before I get myself into more trouble!!

    However, tomorrow morning . . . . the questions will start coming out!!

    So stay tuned for the latest saga in this soap opera!

    Thanks again to everyone who has tried to help me on this great Buick engine caper!! it ain't over until its over!!

    Cheers, Edouard
    Caretaker of a 1965 Buick Special "billy goat"!

  2. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by elagache View Post
    Well, I can't understand what happened, but I *thought* I posted the conclusion that was going to stick with the existing exhaust manifolds on this forum topic. So I'm committed to the TA performance stage-1 heads. Aren't I?
    This means you will need heads with stock sized exhaust ports (not Stage II). Your choices would be Edelbrock, TA or stock heads.

    Quote Originally Posted by elagache View Post
    *Gulp!* Hang on a second. Which TA Performance heads will not work well on the Buick 430. I realized this afternoon that I need the stage-1 heads in order to work with the car's existing exhaust manifolds. Will that work or not?
    I thought the potential of the Stage II heads would be wasted in your application. The other heads listed in this post would be fine for you, but with the smaller valves (non Stage-One valves). The Stage-One valves will fit within your 430 engine bore, but may actually cause a preformance loss. TA recommends the smaller valves for the 400 in both the stage one and stage II heads on their website, and I have seen articles in my GS-X-Tra over the years that the stage one valves will be shrouded by the 430 bore and provide less performance (unrestricted air flow) then the smaller valve in the same engine.

    There will not be a great performance difference in your application between aftermarket aluminum stock castings with small valves or your existing heads ported with the same small valves. That is why your current heads with porting and without hardened seats was suggested as the most bang for the buck. You could have them checked for cracks locally before sending them off.

    Quote Originally Posted by elagache View Post
    Is that something I should think about? I was planning to simply used the stock exhaust manifolds "as is" beyond some simple cleaning and machining to assure flat contact with the heads.
    The stock exhaust manifolds end in a much smaller diameter then any 2.5" exhaust system you pick, and they are restrictive inside as well. The exhaust diameters of 2.5" is about as small as you want to go in a performance big block Buick build. Headers usually end in a 3"-3.5" collector that is reduced down to 2.5"-3" exhaust system. More horsepower needs to move more air without restriction. The stock manifolds are great at stock levels, but are restrictive as horsepower and RPMs go up. Porting them reduces some restriction and equalizes flow to some degree. Ported manifolds will never be able to flow or equalize flow as much as headers, but they are a step in the right direction.
    Steve B.



    67 GS 525 Buick Stage IV
    66 GS Convertible
    65 GS HT
    63 Riv
    02 Subaru WRX Turbo
    03 Ford Cobra Convertible (Factory Supercharged)

  3. #13
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    Thanks - needed to check TA Performance footnotes!

    Dear Steve (Dr. Frankenbuick) and Team Buick fans,

    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Frankenbuick View Post
    This means you will need heads with stock sized exhaust ports (not Stage II). Your choices would be Edelbrock, TA or stock heads.
    Yes indeed you are right. Actually I had partially stumbled on the right answer yesterday afternoon. However, to get the right TA Performance "Stage-1 street eliminator" cylinder heads, you need to read all the footnotes on page 8 of the TA Performance catalog. Paul Muller recommends going with the 2" Intake and 1.650" Exhaust valve openings for this 430 engine. Also, the head requires the 455 lifters and pushrods (per another footnote.) So this is definitely not a case of ordering a part number and getting something that will fit!

    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. Frankenbuick View Post
    More horsepower needs to move more air without restriction. The stock manifolds are great at stock levels, but are restrictive as horsepower and RPMs go up. Porting them reduces some restriction and equalizes flow to some degree. Ported manifolds will never be able to flow or equalize flow as much as headers, but they are a step in the right direction.
    Okay I need to check with Gessler and see what's involved with that. Ted Nagel went that route and was very happy with the results. Given all the compromises I have make to get this engine to fit, this may be the best way to balance all the priorities!

    Thanks again and yes, there are more questions . . . but I have to write up all the specs first!

    Cheers, Edouard
    Caretaker of a 1965 Buick Special "billy goat"!

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