I’m currently restoring a 73 v code supreme 455-4speed . The car is all original only 20k on it . The car was bought new in 73 and sat for a very long time. I just recently got it to fire up and run. But of course most of the gaskets and seals started to leak. So my plan is to pull the motor this winter and go thru it and install all new gaskets and clean it up . I don’t have a lot of knowledge about his car so any help is much appreciated. Is there any known parts that causes issues I should replace or upgrade while it’s out?

A few questions I have currently

is there a modern rear seal that’s better than the original rope seal?

the cylinder heads are stamped ka is there a specific thickness for this motor? And a type that holds up better ?

who makes an engine paint that matches the factory olds blue?

 

Felpro 2948 BBF seal instead of a rope replacement.
Heads are fine, no changes in thickness from any BBO head. In fact, don't remove them as the factory gasket is a shim style, .017" thickness.
Not sure on the engine paint. In my 77 which came with "GM Corporate blue" I think, I just used The Parts Place, Inc. to paint with the 70-71 blue paint.

If the engine runs, do a compression and leak down test before you rip it apart. I would replace the valve stem seals and maybe valve springs while you're in there, maybe shim the oil pump spring .125". What I like to do on known running engines is changing the oil filter, draining the oil, and adding a couple quarts of your favorite solvent. Then turning the oil pump drive to run that stuff through every orifice. Drain and do it a couple more times. Then one last time with acetone. Drain, change the filter, add a couple quarts of cheap oil to run through the engine

Remove the oil pan, clean it. remove the timing chain cover and clean it. Set the #1 piston to TDC, replace the timing chain and gears if they're still the factory nylon ones.

Reassemble with new gaskets, clean, and paint.