I have a 1964 Cutlass hard top project car. It was (is still) basically ashell. I have a 1965 F85 4 door that has a 330 2bl & auto tranny that hasbeen sitting since the mid 1990s. I have been offered a complete running 1973455 w/ J (?) heads for $400. I just want something that will be an occasionalcruiser, no racing or cross country drives. I've read that the J stands forjunk but others say they can work. Which way should I go?

 

The 455 even a low compression one with non desireable J heads will be an improvement over a tired 330. It is your choice. The 330 can be rebuilt too for a pretty snappy street engine.

 

In this case bigger IS better.

 

Go for it, not that hard of a swap. You can use the Jetaway trans if you don't beat it like a rented mule.

 

Keep the 330 - it's a nice driving around town engine - but if the 455 is ready to go, put it in the Cutlass, at least for now.

It'll be easier if, in fact, it's in running condition, and will make the light Cutlass very peppy.
Sure, you could get a lot more out of the 455 than it's set up to give you right now, but for that car it'd still be a fun engine.

- Eric

 

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. lmfao

 

if you are going to install a non original motor... turn key and do not want to modify or change the 455 J heads and exhaust manifolds ect... look for a running 77 79 403 in a junk yard and grab a Th350 or even a 86 88 OD 200r4 while you are at it.
all the labor involved you might as well be happy. you can use all the brackets / pullies exhaust manifolds from the 330.
If you ever want to build the 403 you can also use the 330 heads if you want. with the the 455 you may need a low rise intake maybe from a toro to clear the hood.

 

A 455 in running order for $400 seems a good deal in its own right to me.
Buy it if only to stop another one getting weighed in for scrap.


Roger.

 

If gas mileage is important then go with the 330. You wont get much with a 455.

 

You can put 330 heads on a 403, how is that possible?

 

Both are smallblocks only the head bolt holes need to be enlarged for the 403 block.

 

You can physically bolt 330 heads on a 455. All 1964-1990 Olds motors use a common architecture with the same bore spacing. The fundamental difference between the BBO and SBO is the deck height. All the major hard points (head bolts, crank centerline, cam centerline, lifter bores) are in the same places on both families. This is why all Olds V8s will accept the same cams, same lifters (yeah, assuming you have the 0.842 vs 0.921 thing understood), same timing chain, same water pumps, same distributor, etc, etc.

 

I would of never guessed that. The design of the rockers on early heads are different then of the mid 60's, why I never thought they would of worked. Lesson learned here

 

I don't, help me out please .


Roger.

 

The bone stock 455 even with J heads would be fun. No special intake required. Big blocks were optional in these cars right from the factory.
With that said; the 330s were pretty good runners themselves. My car was a great cruiser when it had the original 330. I even stuck it in my '76 Cutlass for a while when I doing the restification on the '67.
If your just building a cruiser you'd probably be very happy with the 330. Put a TH2004R behind it to give it a good 1st gear and you'll be surprised how that wakes it up.

 

If this works, would the heads from my 330 (stamped 2?) be any better than the J heads on the 455 block? I am leaning towards the 455 as is and dealing with intake and heads at a later time. Looking on the Edelbrock site it indicates that there would be hood issues with thier intakes. Aside from the Toro intake is there an intake that would provide enough clearance?

 

An Edelbrock Performer manifold will keep everything under the flat hood with a drop base air cleaner. Use a Quadrajet carb and your all set.

 

This is why all Olds V8s will accept the same cams, same lifters (yeah, assuming you have the 0.842 vs 0.921 thing understood),




Some early Olds engines had a different lifter angle, making the cams non-interchangeable. I BELIEVE (don't hold me to this) we are talking about early 330s and 425s (and early 400s??). Some (if not all) diesel blocks used the larger .921 lifter bore. You can basically bolt any Olds head on any block (perhaps excluding the 260, which most don't really consider and "engine")

 

Thank you, I'm busy learning new stuff from this forum lately!.


Roger.