[tpssonic]

Completely rebuilt Pontiac 455 heads (4X casting, C223 date code, cleaned, magnafluxed, etc. ) all machine work complete and fully assembled, bronze guides, performance 3-angle valve cut, screw-in studs, new valves, springs, push rods, spark plugs, etc. Over $650 in machine work alone. Wrapped in plastic with dessicant since picked up from machine shop in late fall. Stored in temperature-controlled office. Better than it came out of the factory. $375. Tony (231) 937-4113 (see Grand Rapids, MI craigslist).

These heads would certainly be pump gas safe for a 400- you could easily and cheaply whack them down to meet your compression needs. The owner is wanting to sell these...

[cfd2bc]

Blued, it is a weekend car. I do drive it a lot though.

TPS..thanks for the heads up (no pun intended ) I already pulled the trigger on the 16's so I'd like to make them work if I can.

[paul s.]

I would get a set of dished pistons to get you to 9.5 to 1 and go from there.

[chiphead]

Depends on if you want a max effort street engine or low-buck chuck. This board tends to go into the "full $5,000 rebuild" mode every time somebody comes in here with a stock 400. By the time you get dish pistons, forged rods, machine work, expensive valvetrain parts, etc that are recommended for a street/strip engine, the bill is 5 grand plus. By then you realize you could have a real engine with a stroker kit and aluminum heads, so the total project snowballs to 7 grand.

For low buck, take that 400, give it a set of rings/bearings, oil pump and cam/lifter set. Reuse stock rods/pistons if bore is still within service limits. Throw a set of 90-100 CC heads on it and let it ride. Look for 6X-4, 5C-4, 4X-4, 96, etc heads from '72-76. It'll run on 87 octane, be easy to tune and dead reliable.

You could build a basic 400 like that for $1500 in parts/labor. It would make an honest 350 HP pretty easily. Just don't revv it over 5200 and it'll live. Save up and build a more powerful engine later.

[69Farburd]

Jeff, I have no knowledge about engines, but can tell you what I experienced first hand. I had a set of 68 #16 heads on my 428 with a fairly mild cam, and had to add 2 1/2 gallons of 108 racing fuel to a tank of 93 octane gas to keep it from pinging. I went to a set of 6 x 4 heads and have been very happy with them

[cfd2bc]

69farburd...with every thing I'm hearing on here, that's exactly what I'm afraid of. I think I'll start looking for the 6x4's.

TPS... Wonder what shipping would be from michigan ??

Thanks everyone!

[tpssonic]

cfd2bc,

I don't know about shipping these- I'm estimating they are about 70 lbs. each-I'm guessing $90 to ship both? Maybe someone can chime in here...

Tony

[74Grandville]

Originally Posted by tpssonic

Completely rebuilt Pontiac 455 heads (4X casting, C223 date code, cleaned, magnafluxed, etc. ) all machine work complete and fully assembled, bronze guides, performance 3-angle valve cut, screw-in studs, new valves, springs, push rods, spark plugs, etc. Over $650 in machine work alone. Wrapped in plastic with dessicant since picked up from machine shop in late fall. Stored in temperature-controlled office. Better than it came out of the factory. $375. Tony (231) 937-4113 (see Grand Rapids, MI craigslist).

These heads would certainly be pump gas safe for a 400- you could easily and cheaply whack them down to meet your compression needs. The owner is wanting to sell these...

if they are 4X-1h, i would not put them on a 400, talk about down on compression, they are 114cc chambers.

i would run the 16's with something like a 2802, (224/234 @050) or go bigger on the cam if it's one with short Advertised duration.