1984 Cutlass Calais / BBO 455 build thread *UPDATED*

STL84Calais

Greasemonkey

Feb 5, 2009

176

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• Jun 22, 2009

• #1

Ok, so I've been talking for a while about the 455, so I figure its time to stop teasing. The first pics are of the 3.73:1 posi rear going in, its a 7.5, but it'll get a reinforced cover. Hey, if I break it, I'll just get an 8.5!

Here is the 455. It's a 1970 block with the E heads (10.25:1 compression), we did a complete teardown to bare block.

Plans for it are 850CFM Rochester Q-jet, Edelbrock Performer intake, ported & polished heads, hardened valve seats, new bearings/seals/rings, but I can reuse the pistons, rods, and I don't have to have the block bored, just honed. I'm still drawn between a Lunati Cam (Duration 280/290, Lift .472/.496) or the Mondello JM18-20 Cam (Duration 260/266, Lift .488/.496), I am leaning towards the Lunati though. Also doing an HEI run by an MSD 6AL box.

 

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dogsht

Royal Smart Person

Nov 11, 2008

2,003

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Dayton, OH

• Jun 22, 2009

• #2

Great project look forward to more progress pics. Two links for you;
www.robertpowersmotorsport.com Bob had a self built 455 Cutlass that ran like a best of 12.3 at 110 and got like 15mpg with the 200-4R & AC
www.cardomain.com/ride/1381227 Dwight has a 455 Cutlass with 700-R4 thats ran 12.0s and gotten over 20mpg hwy.

I believe both geared them for the quarter mile with 3.73s but don't have to spin the snot out of them on the highway and get good mileage because of the overdrive, working lock up converters, & Q-jet carb with a reasonable cam.
If you don't have a posi yet for that 7.5 you might do a salvage yard search for S-10 pickups for both the posi & 28 spline axels (instead of weak 26s) as they are both cheap drop in upgrades. Put that with the support cover you are talking about and it should hold up on the street without slicks. If you do need an 8.5 send me a PM. check out www.taperformance.com as they have 7.5 support covers made to their specs.

 

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dan2286

Royal Smart Person

Mar 25, 2008

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Cleveland, Ohio

• Jun 22, 2009

• #3

Nice! Looks like you found an engine that was maintained.

 

jrm81bu

Comic Book Super Hero

Jul 9, 2008

3,000

65

48

Antwerp, OH

• Jun 22, 2009

• #4

dogshit said:

If you don't have a posi yet for that 7.5 you might do a salvage yard search for S-10 pickups for both the posi & 28 spline axels (instead of weak 26s) as they are both cheap drop in upgrades.

Click to expand...

Scratch that, S10 axles are shorter than g-body axles.

 

K

kingcolbert83

G-Body Guru

Mar 26, 2008

807

2

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• Jun 22, 2009

• #5

wish i had a bigblock. I might get one though. I guy was talking to me at one point bout selling one out of a truck for 500. Complete from carburetor to oil pan. He also has a 455 running with transmission for 1200. I didnt get it because I had just blew a big chunk of change.

 

Blake442

Geezer

Apr 24, 2007

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Minneapolis

www.cardomain.com

• Jun 23, 2009

• #6

 

STL84Calais

Greasemonkey

Feb 5, 2009

176

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16

• Jun 28, 2009

• #7

I have a question, now I don't want to spend $500 on long tube headers for the 455, but I was curious, would a set of the shorty block huggers from sanderson work in an 84 cutlass??

http://www.sandersonheaders.com/popup_image.php?pID=196

 

D

dogsht

Royal Smart Person

Nov 11, 2008

2,003

9

36

Dayton, OH

• Jun 28, 2009

• #8

He is right the S-10 axels are shorter but the posi will work. You would have to get I think strange or moser to make you some axels which im told are not cost prohibitively expensive. Especially if you get the posi cheap as they are expensive to buy new.

 

F

foxtrot

Royal Smart Person

Dec 19, 2008

1,489

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USA

• Jun 28, 2009

• #9

W30-style exhaust manifolds will work just fine...

 

Blake442

Geezer

Apr 24, 2007

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Minneapolis

www.cardomain.com

• Jun 28, 2009

• #10

STL84Calais said:

I have a question, now I don't want to spend $500 on long tube headers for the 455, but I was curious, would a set of the shorty block huggers from sanderson work in an 84 cutlass??

http://www.sandersonheaders.com/popup_image.php?pID=196

Click to expand...

I don't think they'll work. It appears as though the exhaust dump will be pointing directly at the frame crossover.