[77 TRASHCAN]

Hey Steve,
I keep thinking of this thread. You might be asking a question about doing something that's seldom been done...
The ideas presented sound good.

Jim Hand says the port volume of most 68-up "D" intake ports is close to the same. I'm guessing a set of 6X-8's might be the ticket for this potential build?, knocking off the sharp edges in the ports, keeping the port volume as small as possible for port velocity, comp. ratio of a little over 9:1. zero decking the block for utmost combustion effeciency.

I used a Sealed Power CS641 (duration @ .050 198 degrees, intake, 208 degrees exh, LSA 111 degrees) cam in the 350 that currently resides in my 77 T/A. Sealed Power lists it as a replacement for the 066 and 067. It gets fair MPG, but I've never spent enough time on it to try improvements. I bought a SP2P to try on the 350, and have a regular performer I plan to try also

My T/A got excellent MPG when stock (stock as in COMPLETELY stock, I removed the cat converter,only). 21 MPG was not uncommon, Got 22 MPG several times. All this WITH the EGR functioning...I like the idea of using a larger torque engine (couldn't think of a much better one than a Pontiac!!!), and lugging it out on the highway getting the RPMS low enough to hopefully get some decent MPG #'s...
THe stock cam in my T/A was a teenie weenie cam (which developed a flat cam lobe @ around 60-70,000 miles) Sealed Power has a replacement cam for the small cam, also, it's a CS690, .364" gross lift. My car ran very well with this cam, I think it's the same cam (spec wise) you have in the 265.

I sold 3 Comp Cams 260H cams, (these are NOT the XE cams) in the good old days when I sold auto parts. The cams I sold went in 77-78 T/A 400's. Everyone liked how their cars ran after the switch. I wonder... about that cam for a 455

I'm curious what others say, especially concerning cam selection, comp ratio. With the ability to tune a Q-Jet so finely (thanks to Cliff!!!) I think some good results are around the corner.

I want to try a MPG oriented 400 in my T/A. MY car currently has the 2.41 gear in ti w/ the 350 engine. I have a TH350 lockup from a 81 turbo T/A, it would knock the RPM's down another 300-350, putting in in the range of your setup. I'm loosening my strangle hold of not caring for O.D. tranmissions after reading Cliff's book on them...(may never own one, but...)

I wonder about the use of stock exh manifolds. A 455 has a pretty fair amount of air flowing through it. Don't want to choke it, but the volumetric effeciency is at a low RPM, stock exh manifolds might be the ticket...

Steve, I pray for a great 2012 for you, lookng forward to seeing this build!!!
Jeff