BUILD THREAD My 85 455

[DonF]

I've had a major problem getting the nose down on this thing, the first pic in this thread shows how high it sits with a BBO in it. After pulling things apart this weekend everything moved freely so the only culprit was the springs. Thanks to BMR for the quickness getting my order out, 3 days total at my door. Got the 1.5" lowered springs and I think this is about as low as it gets without cutting.

 

[olds307 and 403]

As long as you don't get traction, the 7.5" might hold. Those sound like decent clearances although stock rods will move around as they please.

 

[DonF]

Fired it up almost a couple weeks ago. Fighting the typical stuff like a small leak hear or there. Had an issue with the lifters not delivering oil to the top end but after some advice I let it warm up good and they all started pumping finally. Just have to set the timing, fix a leaking rear brake cylinder, and tag and insure.

 

[Gozer442]

Great build! I picked up a 455 years ago to put in my '87 Cutlass, but it ended up going in my '73 Omega hatchback that had dead inline 6. I just dropped in a modded 403... nice to see others are keeping things Olds!

 

[DonF]

Great build! I picked up a 455 years ago to put in my '87 Cutlass, but it ended up going in my '73 Omega hatchback that had dead inline 6. I just dropped in a modded 403... nice to see others are keeping things Olds!

I thought about going LS, but just couldn't do it.

 

[DonF]

Couple of updates. I picked up a set of blue bucket seats out of a crashed 442 beginning of the year, just got them from my buddy in Tenn. beginning of the month. Cleaned up and ready to install.

also snagged a euro front end of last year in NY, finally got it at the same time as the seats....

Now I'm tearing into the interior and finally putting down a mount for the console ( I have a thread asking for help), new ACC carpet to replace the cheap crappy fitting carpet I put in almost 25 years ago.
Buttoned up the engine bay with a home made cowl shelf.....

 

[ssn696]

Don F, nice fab on the HVAC filler panel. Punch some louvers and duct the cold air to the carb!

 

[Gozer442]

Nice width on the back ConvoPros.

 

[DonF]

Installing the console mount turned into a can of worms, but one I created so I can't be to pissed. Just pulling the carpet wasn't enough, I decided to yank the almost 25 year old sound system out.
Had a newer Kenwood head unit in my old daily driver I installed, left the 4 speakers I substituted for the 4x10's, and installed a new pair of 3.5's to take place of the tweeters I had there.

Then the headliner fell the rest of the way.....so that had to come out and get redone. My upholstery guy did a great job matching the factory color, and did the visors also. I put down a layer of sound deadener on the floor and on the roof.
Then I decided having 2 of my gauges down on the center console wasn't going to cut it and looked like an after thought. Since I eliminated the A/C years ago time to take the gauges all the way across the dash. I made a new panel out of a door kick plate. I'm going to carbon fiber wrap it, just showed up tonight, just because I don't want the bright aluminum look. And I'll finally be able to get rid of that hokey 90's look I did to the interior, young and dumb.
Also put in a couple quick connectors so if I do need to pull this the wiring will be easy peasy to unplug.
These will all be wrapped also, except the center vent piece I'm not using.

 

[DonF]

Been a few months but in that time I finished the interior. New carpet, headliner, windows retinted, new door glass, gauges finished up.
Dash finished up
center console and door panels to match, way better than that splatter.