Freddy B

I'm planning to rebuild my 71 Olds 455 engine this fall. I was looking for quality budget parts. I want to replace all the top end parts for now (cylinder heads, intake manifold, carburetor, pulley, headers, and fuel lines). The only cylinder heads I have seen were edelbrock and pro comp, but I have read comp pro were terrible. Has anyone used the cylinder heads from RockAuto, if so how were they? Also what type of headers did you use with your cylinder heads, looking to use polished ones?

DeltaPace77

Forget the budget, as you're starting in the wrong places. 71's are only 8.5:1 compression, meaning pistons and camshaft first. This just multiplies into full engine dissasembly, and rotating re-balance. Problem with doing just a little for now, is you keep doing lot's of things like gaskets and carb jetting over again multiple times. All of this stuff costs money, let alone your labor time. Personnally, I prefer getting hold of a second engine, and doing the build on a stand at my own pace. When ready, just do the swap. Also really good time to do a nice engine compartment clean up.

MX442

What's wrong with your current heads? A little bit of pocket port cleanup and a valve job will do wonders.

I can see changing the other stuff if you're going from 2bbl to 4bbl. For a street car, an Edelbrock Performer intake is a good choice. Once you start upgrading a few parts, then you might as well.... $$$$$

Intragration

If you're talking about doing all that top end work now, and then doing a rebuild in the fall, my suggestion would be to just do the headers and intake now, and do the whole engine job all at once.

Fakser

Replacing the top end is pricey you would probably be better suited to do the rotating assembly port job and intake for cheaper or just as much if your building it yourself. Remember when you replace one thing it affects everything else and before you know it your 6-7 grand into this build. I would post how much you want to spend, your diy capabilities and one of the guys on here can give you a good direction for your goal. Be patient the little things add up because once you start taking things off those little 20-75 dollar parts start really adding up. If you have the money for an all out new parts on everything build then disregard but if you have a wife like mine there are tons of posts here to help guide you.

good luck and post pics

1965cutlassragtop

Budget builds don't exist!!!

dc2x4drvr

x2