cwilliams

Well in new to this, well I am currently about to start my first project car ever. Was looking for some advice from some experience engine guys out here that know all about the oldsmobile. Well first im restoring my car in parts and going to start with engine first. Looking for advice on a performance engine maybe a recommended parts list I will be ok with anywhere between 400hp or 500hp. I will be keeping my j heads gonna get them ported and polished. I think of running a 10:1 compression. My ideal on things I want to do I am goin to do a full tare down rebuild of engine. Ideal of parts I know im going to up grade manifold intake, carb, headers, 3inch exhaust, roller rockers, mild cam, double roller timing chain, 10:1 compression flat top pistons, if you guys can help me out it would be much appreciated. Open to all advice for anyone who knows the olds 455 motors. Thanks guys.

cwilliams

Budget will be around 4000 i maybe able to streach budget to 5000 and I am not doing the work my self I

brown7373

First thing you need to do is determine what you want the end result to be. A street driven car or a race car? Are you going to expect to run A/C in traffic? Will it see significant miles on the highway at interstate speeds? At 400 to 500 HP, is your transmission going to handle it, or will that too be upgraded? There are other things to consider, but that is a start.

MDchanic

I think 500 HP from stock heads and a mild cam may be a bit optimistic.

- Eric

cwilliams

Yes it will be a street driver car, maybe drive her on some weekends for the most part maybe classic car shows. yes I will up grade transmission if there is the need too. No racing jess trying to build a great street cruiser. From Google stuff on Internet im seeing that there torque monsters.

cwilliams

Doesn't have to be quite have to be 500hp anything around 4 is good

MDchanic

If you're not doing the work yourself, and you want to run around 10:1, are you sure you want to use the original J heads?

A new set of aluminum heads will probably set you back a similar amount of money as the work on the Js, but will flow better, and be much more compression-friendly.

- Eric

cwilliams

I did want to keep heads because of some originallality. Plus im trying to build some what of a sleeper. But if j heads are going to restrict me from reaching 400hp I will upgrade them to aluminum.

MDchanic

All well and good, and we all need to do our cars whichever way we want to, but remember, your idea of originality includes 400-500 HP in a car that originally had either 210 or 275 HP, and changing the transmission if the current one isn't up to the task.

- Eric

cwilliams

.
Not trying to keep it all original may have quoted originality part wrong. My main ideal is to go for a sleeper. So if it comes about looking under hood I want people to see the j heads and sleep on them thinking he's no where near 400hp. Another its a numbers matching car so that me give me a little persuasion to keep the heads. Thanks for the info if you want to give anymore advice im all ears. Bare with me this is my first ever project and dont know anything about what it take to build a performance 455 jess stuff I've been searching on the Internet. I do not know how to work on cars when it comes to major engine. But I can do simple stuff thats on the top of engine. Trying to soak up all the knowledge I can. So I kinda know what im talking about when im going into these machine shop. Thanks again any info will help.

cwilliams

I also will be going posi track 3.73 gears, performance ignition, bigger valves 3 angle cut, and a few other upgrade nick nack and i want to stay on pump gas

cwilliams

Yes I want street driven car with A/C not a daily drive maybe drive on some weekends. And I want to stay on pump gas. If you see my other post you may get a ideal of what im going for trying to build a sleeper, nice street cruiser. With a few horses im open to any advice im all ears. Thank for the help.

76 Regency

Hi and welcome to the forum!

Check out this fairly recent post. He is parting out a '74 88 convertible and may have some items you'll need.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ble-parts.html

How bout some pics of your car?

cwilliams

Thank, im still trying to figure out how to upload pic I will very soon.