[vamman1]

Hey everyone, it's been a while.
Sold my 67 Lemans convertible and have paid a deposit on a 69 GTO convertible.
Looking at it Saturday.
Apparently the pictures of the frame condition look brand new.....

My question is it has a YS code Pontiac 455.....
Edelbrock intake, 750 Holley double pumper, mild cam upgrade, MSD ignition.
Being a YS code, I'm afraid it may be a slug?
Even with the upgrades, any comments on what I'm potentially buying?
I ran the PHS and it was originally a bench with column shift.
Still has the column shift but owner put in new buckets and console awaiting conversion from column to floor shifter...
How much work will it be to finish the conversion from column to floor shift?
TH400 trans.

[johnta1]

No 455 has a YS code.
Usually 400 depending on year of block.

[vamman1]

Sorry meant YA 261714
That's why I ask questions here....

[Dave R]

If it’s the original 455, they came with 360 HP with 4 bolt mains. Not what I would call a slug, especially with an upgraded camshaft. How fast did you want to go?

[vamman1]

Yeah, I didn't mention it's not numbers matching.
PHS says it was a 400 car

[vamman1]

I'm afraid that's a 455 from like 1975....
The car is totally rust free with new interior.
CArousel Red repaint

[nas t eh]

In 69 they all were 400 cars.

Not many differences between all the 455 short blocks. Some had four bolt main caps and then there is the SD. All the rest are cast pistons and rods. If the rings and bearings are in good shape you can make it run well fairly easily.

Just need to know what all you have on the top of the short block.

[vamman1]

Hope this photo helps.
Original heads
Heads have 2217 stamped on the side with a random 2 next to it

[johnta1]

YA code is a lot better, if it's from 1970-73 block.


Congrats on the car.

[vamman1]

How do you identify the year of a 455 block?

['ol Pinion head]

[QUOTE=vamman1;6443017]How do you identify the year of a 455 block?[QUOTE/]

Narrowing it down... With the ( as the first character of the engine assembly number, that character was used on all production very late '70 model up into '74 model Pontiac V8's, except on the face of the '73 & 74 455 SD blocks. The YA code was used on '74 model 350's, so the block has to be cast from mid June of 70 through early '73 production.

Exact date cast is confirmed by examining the small alpha-Numeric casting date back by the distributor hole.

['ol Pinion head]

Examples:

A082 = Jan 8th 1972

H31 = August 31 (1970), the only casting date have ever ran across that Pontiac Central Foundary screwed up & skipped the last digit.

[vamman1]

So the 2617144 stamped above the YA on the left front of the block is not really relevant?

[thepontiacman]

No its not relevant.

Casting number on block behind passenger cylinder head near bellhousing or transmission.

Date code is near distributor hole as stated above.

partial serial number on front of block passenger side down near flat side of timing cover.
It will start with 2 and next number is the year, then plant code letter. near lower rad hose connection.

Any 455 put out a lot of low end torque.

Fan shroud in picture is a 68 metal type. 69 had plastic one piece shroud.

any pics of car?

Is that a XA or YA code on block. Can't tell from pic.

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by vamman1

So the 2617144 stamped above the YA on the left front of the block is not really relevant?

Really doesn't mean much on a non original engine vehicle.

Here's a decent array of info with pics, shows the locations of the block casting date, block casting number, and confidential VIN stamping on the face of the block.

http://www.teufert.net/identify/identify.htm

[vamman1]

[Greg Reid]

Wow... Nice!

[vamman1]

So this tells me 1974 YA code but as per the Code Decipher List;
a YA 1974 455 wouldnt exist?

[Greg Reid]

I can't quite make that out from the photo myself. Looks like it could be YH?
The first thing you need to do to identify positively is to get the date code by the distributor. The block casting number would be helpful also. The link that oph posted above will show you the locations.
Then, take a wire brush to that area that you just photographed and get all of the paint out of it. It's just a stamping and hard to see with a lot of thick paint over it.

[vamman1]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

I can't quite make that out from the photo myself. Looks like it could be YH?

Yeah, I thought it was YA.... ???