Anyone know if comp ratio and valve size call be determined w/o pulling off the heads?
G heads and 396021F casting #. Is 350 bucks worth it? The engine has been sitting outside for a while and can't be turned over. It was running before its was puuled from the car.

 

Normally I wouldn't think twice about paying $350.00 for a good 455 core,but you did say that it has been exposed to the elements,and it doesn't turn,so it could be a mess inside.The bigest worry would be that the cylinder walls are pitted,which would require a larger overbore,or sleeves.I wouldn't worry about the heads being small or large valve.They would need rebuilt anyway,and you can have the heads machined for them at that time.

 

If it's locked up I wouldn't pay more than $50 for it. You have no clue just how bad it will be until it's completely disassembled.

It's a 71 and the G heads could have either 2.00 or 2.07 intakes. There is no way to know without pulling the heads off.

 

2.07 valves would be found on a 71 Toronado or 71 442, all others used 2.00 unless someone changed them.

If the engine was setting outside you may as well pull the heads off it before you buy it.

Henry

 

Maybe after i pull the heads off if all looks well ?

 

Depends on what part of the country your in. If they're hard to find there then yes it's reasonable. In some parts of the country the older cars rust away from salt on the roads in the winter and parts for older cars, including engines, are hard to find. Most of these cars have long since been scrapped in those states. In my part of Oregon there's a lot of old iron as they don't salt the roads and the nearest melting pot is 300 miles away. I have several extra complete 455's in my garage that have been kept out of the weather after pulling. I would sell you a 1971 455 complete that came out of a Olds 98 for $350. Its a runner but I would recommend rebuilding it before going to the trouble of installing it. So.... all that to say the price is relative to the availability in your part of the world.

Surf Craigslist to see if you can find anything else within driving distance. That may help you decide how hard it will be to find another if you pass on this one. John

 

2 Blu you are right .I live in hawaii surrounded by the ocean so any olds stuff is few and far between .

 

Bring your tools and if the guy lets u, pull the intake and heads, then see what the cylinders look like. I once bought a small block chevy that wouldn't turn by hand. Looked good on the outside and had a good casting number on the heads that made me interested. I went ahead and bought the engine thinking that it would be worth it, but when I got the engine home and pulled the heads, it had leaked water into one of the cylinders by way of a blown head gasket and that cylinder had the piston frozen in the cylinder. It was bad! And the engine had run just before it came out of the car. Must have blown the gasket at that time. So, unless you physically check the cylinders of that engine by pulling the heads, don't buy it. You may be throwing your money away.

 

Try and contact heykolohe from this board.
He is on the Big Island, east of Hilo.
I do not know him, but he may have some contacts.
He has not posted in awhile, try here:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-cruisers.html

Jim