Just wanted everyone to know that I took my 455 shortblock to the machine shop yesterday. I gave him some money to start disassembly, hot tanking, and magnafluxing. I hope everything is ok with the block. It did rotate when I bought it. The machinist took a quick measurement of a few of the cylinders and they were 4.125 or so. I guess that means it should be fine for .030" over.

The machinist had a 425 he just finished for a guy and it looked GOOD! I can't wait until mine is all done and assembled like the 425. It was so cool looking sitting next to a bunch of Chevy and Ford motors. It sort of looked like my 455 and the 425 were going to beat up the other engines just for hanging around and being weak... well even though there was a Chevy big block with 14:1 compression pistons, timing gear instead of chain, zoomie headers and deep sump oil pan. I still think my greasy Olds block could have taken it like a baby seal... well maybe... probably... perhaps...

ANYWAYS... it is at the machine shop. I will keep everyone posted.

 

Cool! One of those important steps is a happening!!!

 

I can almost hear it purrrrrrr excuse me gerrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Andy

 

See this post in 2 months?

 

Betcha can't wait till you hear that thing idle....

...I can't wait to hear mine too, but this is the slowest retail time of the year, so I'm not making any money to put into my baby!

Good luck man.

 

What is the most you'd expect to pay for a cleanup and rebuild on a 455? Lets say a mild street tune?

 

My opinion for just a factory rebuild, no more than 3500.

 

The machinist I am using said he usually does stock to mild rebuilds for $1800-$3000. This includes all of the internal parts and the head work. When everything is said and done I expect to be at the high end of this range if not over. I plan on using an aftermarket intake and will eventually throw in HEI, new water pump, starter, alternator, etc.

 

luckily, I picked up a motor that was rebuilt at most 20,000 miles ago, and it has performance parts on it and is complete with transmission, only cost me $700 and about $40 in gas to go pick it up...the guy just needed room for his other projects and said it was just too much motor for his pickup since it chewed up his transmission.

 

And you don't even have a car to put that thing in when it's done. You need to start looking son.

 

He should ask Norm, he might have something for him!

 

Well Dan maybe you ought to help him with that! You two could make a road trip to Oregon and have several to choose from!!!

 

Oh yeah, but why Oregon, you have some for sale? See him about that, I am sure he will invite me if need be.

 

My goal was to sell parts to pay for the restoration of the "keepers". Every once in a while I have a moment of clarity when I admit I don't have enough time or money to build everything I've collected! John

 

It's going in my 1987 Cutlass Supreme.

No, I'm not crazy =)

 

However, if I did find a cheap '68-72 Cutlass, I'd be more than happy to take it off somebody's hands....if I could afford it, hehe.

 

My '70 will be for sale when my '65 is ready to take its place.

Norm

 

I haven't been in SoCal for 33 years, might have to drive out there some day. How will the '65 take the place of the '70? As a daily driver or......?

 

Yip. Bought the '70, to flip, about five years ago. Decided to keep it for a DD, and sold my '64 El Camino.

Bought the '65, to flip, about a year and a half ago. Went back to plan A, sell the '70 instead.

Norm

 

Well, I still have the 64 but it has been for sale for awhile. Now the wife wants to buy a house. I need to be careful. Too many irons in the fire is a bad thing when it comes to Oldsmobiles.

 

Although buying a house may not impinge on available money you would use for the car. It would affect your overall budget but if you plan on using the money from the sale of the '64 to purchase your next car then you would be dealing with two different pockets of money. Also, don't forget to take advantage of your GI benefits when purchasing your new house. You may qualify for no down payment when buying a house.

 

Buying a house definitely made me "slow my roll" on buying a car. I just got lucky to find one I could afford. Darn closing costs dried up my "Jolly wants a classic car" cash fund.

 

I hear you on that! The wife and I are in the process of buying a little 3 acre ranch with a 4 stall barn, fenced and all. Only thing is the garage is too short for Marge! She's 20 ft long !

 

hmm yes, a common problem with many houses built after the seventies. To save money I guess they built the garages to fit smaller cars, sort of the same reasoning behind the smaller parking spots. But having a large garage like that must be nice. I wish mine was bigger or had one more space.

 

yeah, go figure.. in 1976 when this house was built, Marge would have been only 13 years old ! Cars of the late 60's and early 70's were still behemoths. I had a house once that was built in 1960, prime year for barges, my 59 Dodge that I had at the time "just" fit in the garage!

 

Well, I think its a problem of all year houses. My 93 house in Vegas has a two car garage. Which translates into a 2 Miata closet.

 

Sounds great, I am in the same mode. Dropped my 455 at Jim Green's in Lynnwood, WA. Block and E heads were checked out and everything is good to go. Boring .040 over on Monday, using Cat "H" rods, Keith Black Flat top pistons. The whole assembly will then be balanced. The heads are big valve and will have hard seats installed. Cam choice is still up in the air as is going will roller style cam, roller, lifters, and roller rockers or flat tappet cam with just roller rockers. Next on the list is Carburation and automatic transmission choices. I wonder what hp this setup will make. This is all going into my 57 Olds Super 88. When I get the engine back from the machine shop I will post pictures.

Olds rules!!!!!

 

455 in that 57 is going to be rowdy as hell. Let me know how it works out.

 

Hi everyone. I just thought I would ask a question. Should I be concerned that my engine has been at the machine shop a month and nothing has been done to it? I paid the machinist $250 to start disassembly of the short block, hot tanking, and magnafluxing (I still have the receipt). I call at least once a week (but no more than twice) and ask if he has started on the engine; however, he always says he is busy and hasn't had the time.

Right now, I am not too concerned, just wondering on what a decent time table for having an engine machined is. Maybe I should start calling him more often...

 

Mention to him that spring is approaching and you sure would like to be able to use that engine this season. Sort of a polite reminder....

 

I took mine in 1st week of Jan.
Getting it back the weekend after easter.

 

I'm always hesitant to pay money up front. A buddy of mine who's shop specializes in head work was going to do a set of heads for me. I gave him $750 up front and it took him a year to finish them. He told me that once he spent the money he found that he needed to complete new work that came in the door to pay the bills. As a friend, he said I should never pay him up front again! Hopefully your shop will work on your engine in soon. John

 

Noted.

 

Well, I am not too worried. I just need to make sure I keep on him like a hobo on a bologna sandwich.

 

Check out the pics of my 455 at the machine shop. I took these two weeks ago. Since then the machinist has bought the rebuild kit and is starting the machine work. In these pictures all he has done is hot tank and magnaflux the block. Everything is going great so far. It should hopefully be done by the 4th of July.

 

Good, steady progress. That's good.

 

Don't know if this will help but, this is what I do.
I pick a date that I want the job done by, then tell
the guy I'm going to a car show or drag race with the car.

I tell him that I have a motel room booked, friends counting
on me for a ride...all that stuff.
I think they begin to feel the urgency that way.
And not just like a guys hobby that doesn't have to get done.

I swear it works...

 

Wish I had "slowed my roll". I have two weekend only drivers and have 1/2 used the money for the garage to house them --cart before the horse --still who cares really , it will sort itself out --but SHE is getting a little grumpy

 

Hey everyone! I just got my engine on Friday. It is complete! I will get it mounted on the engine stand this afternoon and take some pictures. Now I have to paint it and assemble it.