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crustysarge · 01-26-2021, 09:29 AM

I was looking for a spare block to ship over to Italy with a buddy's stuff and found a 73 455 that was abandoned in a shop, wrapped in plastic on a pallet for $250. Guy did some work for the shop owner who didn't have cash so he offered up some engines he could sell. Customer's left behind. Buddy is picking it up today and I will get more details but apparently it has been honed and is still std bore, decked and ready to assemble. I'll know for sure the bore tomorrow. I also plan on having it magged and checked out to be safe.

This will be a mild street engine. I need to get a balanced rotating assembly for it before it leaves the US in early March. I see most all assemblies sold are .030 or more and see nothing in std size. Cast crank and good pistons are fine. I don't mind paying for a stroker kit but can't find one in std bore. What are my best options? I guess buy an aftermarket cast crank, new rods and pistons and get a shop to balance? Open to ideas. Budget not a problem, but it is street engine that will see maybe 1,000 miles a year...I want minimum headache for my buddy, don't want to burden him with machine shop round-a-bout and would really like to mail order a ready to go assembly.

tempest1964 · 01-26-2021, 09:50 AM

I don't have any answers for you sarge, but that looks like one very nice score!

Formulajones · 01-26-2021, 09:55 AM

I'm going to guess since it was left to the machine shop to sell, likely minimal time was spent on it to clean it up and make it presentable?

I personally question a used standard bore block that's 50 years old. I've never had one with perfectly round cylinders that didn't need bored.

At least the price is right, but I'd want it align honed and make sure everything is squared up, then bored and honed with a torque plate before I used it. For $250 you can afford to spend a little for proper machine work.

crustysarge · 01-26-2021, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tempest1964

I don't have any answers for you sarge, but that looks like one very nice score!

Yeah, I think I got a deal. Hopefully no issues. I doubt there are, who would do the machine work and plugs and store if it was cracked or bad. They even tapped the front oil gallery holes so makes me think they knew Pontiac.

leeklm · 01-26-2021, 10:09 AM

Also, considering you are going through the effort and cost of shipping to another country, I would spend a little extra time and money upfront to make sure it is done right and "ready to go" for your buddy.

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John Milner · 01-26-2021, 10:22 AM

If it’s just a mild street engine and you want to keep it standard bore, nothing wrong with a factory crank, rods and pistons.

crustysarge · 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Formulajones

I'm going to guess since it was left to the machine shop to sell, likely minimal time was spent on it to clean it up and make it presentable?

I personally question a used standard bore block that's 50 years old. I've never had one with perfectly round cylinders that didn't need bored.

At least the price is right, but I'd want it align honed and make sure everything is squared up, then bored and honed with a torque plate before I used it. For $250 you can afford to spend a little for proper machine work.

It was not left to sell. It was never picked up, The machine shop owner could not pay for construction work so he gave the construction guy some engines he had that were never paid for or picked up. He has an Olds 455, Ford 5.0 and others. I am getting it from the guy who got paid in engines.

Formulajones · 01-26-2021, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crustysarge

It was not left to sell. It was never picked up, The machine shop owner could not pay for construction work so he gave the construction guy some engines he had that were never paid for or picked up. He has an Olds 455, Ford 5.0 and others. I am getting it from the guy who got paid in engines.

It's really up to you whether you want to take a chance on that or not. Your circumstances may not deem proper machine work an option. Either way the price is right.

242177P · 01-26-2021, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crustysarge

Yeah, I think I got a deal. Hopefully no issues. I doubt there are, who would do the machine work and plugs and store if it was cracked or bad. They even tapped the front oil gallery holes so makes me think they knew Pontiac.

Hard to tell, but it looks like one of those plugs is deeper than flush? They could have left them slightly protruding. I've seen a variety of different pipe plugs, you need to make sure that oil passage isn't restricted.

Good to see you posting again.

crustysarge · 01-26-2021, 10:49 AM

First post said: "I'll know for sure the bore tomorrow. I also plan on having it magged and checked out to be safe." That means I will have a machine shop check it out. I guess you missed that? Not to be an ass but read the post. I am looking for advice on internals, not block work or toque plates.

crustysarge · 01-26-2021, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 242177P

Hard to tell, but it looks like one of those plugs is deeper than flush? They could have left them slightly protruding. I've seen a variety of different pipe plugs, you need to make sure that oil passage isn't restricted.

Good to see you posting again.

Yep, already saw that too. My biggest problem with the forum is guys always take the subject all over the place and so far off subject it gets old.

Formulajones · 01-26-2021, 10:56 AM

It says "jump in and give some advice" and that's exactly what I did. There wasn't anything in my post that was rude or otherwise. Take it or leave it I don't care but it doesn't change what I said. Just because someone honed a standard bore block doesn't mean it's right. Like I said, I've never seen a 50 year old used block with round cylinders, so your concern of trying to find a standard bore rotating assembly probably isn't anything to worry about, you'll likely be boring the block anyway. If they tried honing until it was round and left it standard bore, then chances are good your piston clearance is going to be excessive anyway if you shove a standard piston in there, then long term you have poor ring control and oil problems.

That was the whole point of my post. It's not the answer you're hoping to hear but you asked for advice. I know everyone wants to get off as cheap as possible on these builds, but that doesn't always end so well.

crustysarge · 01-26-2021, 11:08 AM

OK, let's not piss. I apologize, I know you are trying to help but I am well beyond needing the advice on the block, I wanted advice on what might be on the market for parts as of late since things have changed in the last few years and I have been out of it for a couple of years. It is not a race engine, block will fully checked out before shipping. If I need to bore it will get done. Think positive and say, damn, you might have got a stealin' deal there instead of it is all gonna be bad. Think positive.

i82much · 01-26-2021, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crustysarge

OK, let's not piss. I apologize, I know you are trying to help but I am well beyond needing the advice on the block, I wanted advice on what might be on the market for parts as of late since things have changed in the last few years and I have been out of it for a couple of years. It is not a race engine, block will fully checked out before shipping. If I need to bore it will get done. Think positive and say, damn, you might have got a stealin' deal there instead of it is all gonna be bad. Think positive.

our engines are all gonna blow up and then we’re all gonna die!!!!

crustysarge · 01-26-2021, 11:36 AM

Especially if you don't use a torque plate it will blow...will never run right, ever. I digress. Someone find me some stock std bore parts for free, new though, not used.

leeklm · 01-26-2021, 11:43 AM

"It is not a race engine". Yet....

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firechicken · 01-26-2021, 12:13 PM

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...97#post6177497

Formulajones · 01-26-2021, 12:20 PM

Shucks I thought I was positive, saying you got a steal on that for $250. It's a deal everyone on this board would jump at. I'd gladly pay that for greasy 455's. No matter how it turns out, you got a great price.

Torque plate honing isn't the end of the world but after seeing the difference between using one and not using one, I'll use one even on a basic street engine. What I'd be more concerned with has nothing to do with a torque plate though.

Here's hoping your cylinders check out round with no taper

Reason being, here are some cheap standard bore cast pistons. If you want to put this together on the cheap, I don't think you'll find standard bore cheap cast pistons on a rotating assembly. But here is where the problem starts that I mentioned earlier. Silvolite recommends a .0015 cylinder wall clearance at a 4.150 bore size, these are meant to be pretty snug in the bore. If you have any taper at all, and I'm betting there is, and the fact that we don't know how much was removed from the hone, you are likely already beyond the clearance recommended for a cheap cast piston.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/u...d/make/pontiac

Your other option would be a forged piece that needs to run around .004 to .006, that might work but it's more money. I'm not aware of any standard bore forged pieces that come on a rotating assembly. For what you paid for the block, you could afford to spend a bit to bore it anyway, then get the rotating assembly of choice that you're asking for.