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Thread: Identifying a 455 Block, Heads, Exhaust Manifolds, Intake Manifold

  1. #1
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    Identifying a 455 Block, Heads, Exhaust Manifolds, Intake Manifold

    Would someone please clarify how to identify a 455 block, heads, exhaust manifolds and intake manifold on an engine which is completely intact and installed in a car? I've tried to explain to the seller that the block ID is "located between the two front spark plugs and the exhaust manifold" as described in the reference section of this site. The owner insists that the front of the block must be stripped of all components, fan, fan hub, alternator and brackets, water pump, etc., in order to see the engine ID codes and build date. Any help that can be provided the clarify the block ID process is greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    bottom of this page for stamping locations:
    http://www.teambuick.com/reference/i...gine_where.php

    also, what is the engine color? blue is 75-76, red is earlier.

    intake and block casting numbers are visible with no disassembly. you have to pull the valve covers to see the head casting #s.

    Quadrajet carb # is date coded, you'd obviously need to pull the air cleaner assembly to inspect it.
    http://www.teambuick.com/reference/c...or_numbers.php

    HEI didn't show up until 1974, GM used points distributors before that.
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by rlafash View Post
    Would someone please clarify how to identify a 455 block, heads, exhaust manifolds and intake manifold on an engine which is completely intact and installed in a car? I've tried to explain to the seller that the block ID is "located between the two front spark plugs and the exhaust manifold" as described in the reference section of this site. The owner insists that the front of the block must be stripped of all components, fan, fan hub, alternator and brackets, water pump, etc., in order to see the engine ID codes and build date. Any help that can be provided the clarify the block ID process is greatly appreciated.
    You may both be right, depends on the year of the engine block. You should first have him check the block casting number, which is on the transmission mount. Then match it up here: http://www.teambuick.com/reference/c..._big_block.php

    The "block id", as you are referring to, may be stamped between the front two cylinders or at the front of the engine, depending upon the year of the block.

  4. #4
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    Identifying a 455 Block, etc.

    My thanks to both of you. The seller has made some "clarifications". The car is identified as a 1970 GS Stage 1. However, the engine and transmission was replaced after both were "trashed" during the cars racing days. The current motor was installed, as removed, from a full size 1970 Buick with 42K miles. It is supposed to be a 455. The only parts from the original Stage 1 motor used on the replacement motor was the air cleaner/induction assembly. The transmission is a M22 from an early seventies Corvette. The rear is the original. My new question is how likely would it be to obtain the correct, rebuildable, SS block with intact crank, pistons, piston rods, cam and heads?

  5. #5
    careful.

    the Buick 350 is very close to the 455 in size and is often mistaken for a big block ( they use the same distributor, only a drive gear change at the bottom of the distro shaft is needed ). people have tried to pass off a Buick 350 as a Stage 1 455 before.

    how many valve cover bolts? 5 bolts, 3 on top and 2 on bottom is the big block. 6 bolts, 3 on each side is the SBB 350.

    if the seller is right about that being a big car 455 from 1970, that's still pretty good. the SF code engine was rated higher than the Stage 1 for hp ( although this had more to do with meeting GM hp / weight edicts than actual output ).




    My new question is how likely would it be to obtain the correct, rebuildable, SS block with intact crank, pistons, piston rods, cam and heads?



    not. production runs for Stage cars are even lower than for Gran Sport. there were only about ~3000 Stage 1 engines produced for the Gran Sport in 1970. the Riv got some Stage engines as well so it's a little bit higher than that, but those engines are still coded SF. but i wouldn't even guess that there are still 3000 455s from 1970 still on the road and total Buick production that year was north of 600,000 vehicles.

    http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclec...pecs.shtml#VIN


    what's the fascination with an SS engine, anyways? you've got the high compression heads. the primary differences from a normal 455 to a Stage 1 455 ( Stage 2 is a WHOLE nuther animal ) are the oversize valves ( which any 455 heads can be cut for, Stage heads are the same casting as regular heads, the engineers just pulled them out of the normal production line ) and the Stage 1 cam.

    there's no point in the Stage 1 cam, we have much better grinds available today. and no concours judge is going to tear your engine down.

    1970 pistons are all the same.

    i would:
    rebuild the SF with all oil mods and neoprene crank seals
    deck the block and heads to square them up and get whatever compression you want
    install stage 1 valves
    clean up the port matching intake / head / exhaust
    get a 1972 and up 800cfm Quadrajet from a reputable Buick carb rebuilder ( 1970 has a 750cm Quad )
    get a BBB HEI distributor and recurve it
    get a new cam suited for whatever your purpose is ( full race, cruising, whatever )



    see here for the Stage 1 registry, they've got a lot of good info
    http://www.stage1registry.com/stage1info.html
    The way to crush the bourgeoisie is to grind them between the millstones of taxation and inflation.
    Vladimir Lenin

    Government schooling is about "the perfect organization of the hive."
    H.H. Goddard, Human Efficiency (1920)

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