#21  
Old 11-06-2019, 10:13 PM
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I found a nice rebuilt 455 for you and close by Ontario Kijiji

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars...ine/1468016460

... and some cores but get rid of these 8 valve reliefs crappy pistons, they sit to low in the cylinders.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars...455/1464025291

  #22  
Old 11-07-2019, 07:18 AM
Tomaso Tomaso is offline
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Yes. The second ad was the one I was actually looking at for a core.

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  #23  
Old 11-07-2019, 09:15 AM
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I agree with b-man and others here. Wether you decide to go mild or wild more cubes will make it easier to get the job done..

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  #24  
Old 11-07-2019, 10:00 AM
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I should have read the first ad better, says bored .060" so was it sonic tested ?? And needs to be rebuilt again, pricy ...

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Old 11-07-2019, 10:20 AM
sdbob sdbob is offline
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I drove a 74 455 Granville everyday to work, why,price. Anyway,comfortable. I was getting avg 12 mpg.Less than 120 miles a day.All stock,70k when I got it 120k when I junked body.M40 Turbo hydro. Car was heavy. A 4spd auto may help your mpg. If you are trying to for mpg. Also I used Sunoco 97 fuel never problems.jusy my 2cts

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Old 11-07-2019, 11:27 AM
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You haven't mentioned budget at all, so I will throw this out there. If Torque is the single goal, and you are OK with 4500 RPM's. Then finding an old 455 and doing a straight-up rebuild will give you the most torque per dollar. You can use stock heads, rods, crank, block. Some kind of mild cam and make 450 Ft. Lbs. of torque at 3000 RPM's and around 300 HP at 4500. Cheaply. If you want more and want to rev the engine to 5500-6000 RPM's, then a 400 block with stroker rotating assembly and better heads will be needed. Then expect 500 Ft. lbs of torque and 400-425 HP in a mild package at 2 to 2 1/2 times the cost.
My advise is to set your realistic goals based on what you really want to do with the car, then set your budget, add 25% for Misc. stuff you will run into, and then see if you can make all the pieces fall into place. Good luck. 66 Bonneville is a beautiful car. Seems like my choice #1 would best serve your needs.

  #27  
Old 11-07-2019, 01:09 PM
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If I might add to the great info in the above post I will say this.

With most any cid build you wil choose to go with over 350 cid you can always use more flow from the heads then what the stock unported iron ones can provide.

In light of this fact then it will always pay to build atleast a 430 cid motor and dump all the funds you can into the short block so that you can atleast enjoy the car as is and over time save up for a better flowing set of heads and Intake Manifold and use the short block more for the way you built it!

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  #28  
Old 11-07-2019, 02:00 PM
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A 455 would be a great choice as a mild build. Readily available 6x heads..flat tappet cam..good power lots of torque.
As far as sourcing a rebuilt shortblock or complete engine..put wanted ads out on Kijiji, Craiglist..or other marketplaces. Many guys are sitting on shortblocks for projects..but will never use them and will sell them. The other way is buying a complete one.but as a fellow Canadian..our dollar really drives up the cost.

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  #29  
Old 11-07-2019, 04:30 PM
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Since the car is new to you, I suggest driving it and enjoying it awhile. Figure out what it needs, and what you want to retain. Lots of guys have built big HP engines and then been disappointed when they can't use the power because they never shook the rest of the car out.

My car has been apart for years and I wish I could just drive it, at any HP level.

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  #30  
Old 11-08-2019, 12:44 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomaso View Post
What I was thinking was if I can find a 400, or 455 block.
Get the block sonic tested, prepped, etc.
Butler stroker kit
Along with a top end package with d port heads..
Thoughts?
Len Williams Engines has a good reputation for turn-key 455's at a reasonable cost. I have not used his services, but others here have. I personally would keep the 389, and would keep it smooth and stock-ish. The car is a full size luxury car, not a racer. It should have nice manners. I have run 389's, 400's, and 428's.....I like 389's because it just 'sounds' right, and is a proprietary Pontiac engines size, like 421. Good luck whatever you choose. A big, bread-and-butter 455 would be really nice in your car as well, and do it with less fuss than a smaller engine.

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  #31  
Old 11-08-2019, 01:49 PM
Tomaso Tomaso is offline
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Might be a silly question. But the long tube headers that are available for the 66 Bonneville 389 and 421. Fit on a 400 or 455 block if I switched over?

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  #32  
Old 11-08-2019, 02:17 PM
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The headers will fit any Pontiac V8 as long as they have d-port heads.

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  #33  
Old 11-08-2019, 02:35 PM
Tomaso Tomaso is offline
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Thanks B-man,
Are the stock heads on my 389 round port or d port?

I know if I went aftermarket, I would get the d port heads

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  #34  
Old 11-08-2019, 02:39 PM
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Bruce Meyer Bruce Meyer is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomaso View Post
Thanks B-man,
Are the stock heads on my 389 round port or d port?

I know if I went aftermarket, I would get the d port heads
Your stock heads are d port. Round ports didn't happen until 1968

  #35  
Old 11-08-2019, 02:40 PM
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All 389 heads are D-port, just like 99.99999% of all Pontiac engines.

Round port heads only came on rare ‘68 through ‘74 Ram Air, High Output and Super Duty engines, in 400 and 455 cubic inch displacements.

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  #36  
Old 11-08-2019, 02:43 PM
Tomaso Tomaso is offline
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Thanks guys!

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  #37  
Old 11-08-2019, 03:31 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chiphead View Post
Since the car is new to you, I suggest driving it and enjoying it awhile. Figure out what it needs, and what you want to retain. Lots of guys have built big HP engines and then been disappointed when they can't use the power because they never shook the rest of the car out.

My car has been apart for years and I wish I could just drive it, at any HP level.
This is what I'd do, unless you're anxious to spend a bunch of money. A stock 389 in good shape and good tune is no slouch, and should work pretty well for a street cruiser.

  #38  
Old 11-08-2019, 03:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chiphead View Post
Since the car is new to you, I suggest driving it and enjoying it awhile. Figure out what it needs, and what you want to retain. Lots of guys have built big HP engines and then been disappointed when they can't use the power because they never shook the rest of the car out.

My car has been apart for years and I wish I could just drive it, at any HP level.
My vote also. A 389 is no slouch engine. Drive it awhile, and then if you decide you just can't live without more "go" then go for it.

Oh, and while I am sure I am the exception here, my GTO was apart for 28 years before I got it back together! Life happens! Ones priorities change in 28 years! And yes, I did build a performance engine. One change begets 6 more changes, each of which begets 6 more changes each of which................................

Jon.

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  #39  
Old 11-08-2019, 03:50 PM
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The other issue about building an engine, is things take way longer than you would expect and you end up not being able to enjoy your car.

Also, if you upgrade power quite a bit, then you getting into other things that cost money and more time such as changes to your fuel system, etc.

My engine project turned out to take me almost 2 year for something that I thought would take no longer than the winter time 6 months in NY) to finish.

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  #40  
Old 11-08-2019, 03:51 PM
hurryinhoosier62 hurryinhoosier62 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tomaso View Post
Might be a silly question. But the long tube headers that are available for the 66 Bonneville 389 and 421. Fit on a 400 or 455 block if I switched over?
On the street, you’ll be much happier with reproduction long branch cast iron manifolds from RARE. You’ll give up a little top end power but you’ll lose all the headaches of headers. It’s amazing how efficient Pontiac designed those manifold to be, and they are comparably priced to quality headers($569 a set).

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