Hey guys I have been gone for a while, currently trying to figure out issues with leaks on my car looks like leaking at rear main seal transmission by the speedo gear and rear end. Regardless I just purchased a 1971 455 big block its beat up but its nothing major came with a Crower cam never removed from the box still has packing grease on it got it for 135 $, for that kind of money I couldn't pass it up. Hopefully sometime in the near future ill have that engine going and in the cutlass. According to the owner there already is a racing cam in it but that's yet to be determined. If I identified it right it is a 1971 455 the code stamped right under the head and where the block comes together was 31M also it has no intake manifold or heads once I'm able to tear into it Ill know more and post updates.

 

If it's 71, there should be a large G on the side of the head. As far as racing cams, is it full race, 3/4 race or what. I know, I had to add that.
What cam you will need depends on a lot of things. How are you going to build it? What demands do you want out of the engine. 1/4 mile or spirited street? Many others can help answer your questions on this with way more qualifications but I thought I would start. Good Luck with your project.

 

Sorry work and other stuff keeping me from being a regular. The engine has no heads or manifold, harmonic balancer is bad on it, it turns over and going to need to bored .03 over due to light coating of rust and burring on the cylinder walls. My plan for it is to have about 500 horse power on the engine give it a little pep in its step but nothing crazy so it doesn't churn the pavement with the brakes applied on a stop. I have a set of edelbrock performance heads and endelbrock performer rpm intake for it, planning on getting 9 to 1 or 9.5 to 1 compression pistons not decided yet, also a 2200 rpm stall converter is in the transmission already. Have a flow master 40 full dual on the car and probably going to update the hooker headers that are on the 350 rocket right now, and going to get a holey carb for it looking at about 750 cfm mabey more probably street app. Recent additions to the car were a eaton posi rear end and 3.73 gear change from 3.08. The engine is on the stand right now and its all just thoughts once I have some cash I will actually see what I can and cant do to it.

 

Hi ZAK! I'm building the exact same engine. I had mine bored .030, stock crank cleaned up .010, purchased Icon 9:00 to 1 pistons, Eagle rods, everything totally balanced. Am going to purchase Edlebrock Alum heads and probably comp cams and Ultra gold roller rockers. Performer manifold, etc. Let's keep in touch and check progress. Good luck.

 

Definitely, I am sitting on 3 different cams right now once i get money to work on the engine I will figure out which is the best choice.