[shineybike]

Okay, I really need some help. My original 350 runs pretty well with about 64,000 original miles, but is starting to smoke a little on startup. I've been trying to convince myself one way or the other whether to rebuild the 350 with some upgrades or buy a 455 and have that rebuilt to more or less stock specs. The car is an automatic and I'll be switching from a 2 speed to a TH 400. Street use only. My thought process goes something like this:

If I rebuilt the 350 I can use the $$$$ I'd be spending on buying the 455 to offset the cost of the rebuild.

If I go with the 455 should I hang on to the 350 and 2 speed tranny? It's not a show car but it is #'s matching. Hate the thought of storing the 350 and tranny and having to eventually load and move them.

I'm hoping to do some of this myself, although I've never tackled anything of this magnitude. Remove the tranny and engine and some of the final assembly like installing the heads and intake, ps pump. Reinstall it. You know, the easier stuff.

What's a fair price for a complete 455 360 hp minus the carb from a '70 Bonny? It has #15 heads. I do have a set of #16 heads that i had thought might be of use with one or the other. I'd like to keep the compression in the 9 to 1 range.

Like i said, major waffling going on in my head. Any suggestions, besides sedatives, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[gtohurstjudge]

If it only smokes on startup the fix is quite simple. all you need'
to do is install new valve seals on the heads. This can be done in the car
by removing the valve cover and getting a tool that screws into the spark
plug hole and connects to compressed air, which uses air pressure to keep the
valve closed while you remove the keeper from the valve stem and remove the spring and install a new seal. With the low mileage the engine has, it is
doubtful that the valve guides would be worn out.

[shineybike]

Thanks for the info. I have a service manual and will check out the procedure.

[shineybike]

From your description, I'm assuming that I would move the spark plug compressed air adaptor to each separate plug as I go down the line ont he head replacing the seals. Is that right?

[runningbwdog]

Hi,
I bought a '70 YH 455 with cast #15 heads for $300.00 in Lacey Springs, AL.
I disassembled it and took it to R&R Speed Shop and spent $3000+ getting it ready to run. I'm storing my matching # 400 WT for my '68 GTO. May take it to R&R and have them overhaul it and lower the compression ratio.
Mike

[shineybike]

Runningbwdog,
Thanks for the reply. My book says the '70 YH 455 had a 10:1 CR. With your rebuild, do you know what the CR is and does it run on 87 octane? Do you have the specs of what R & R did to it? I printed out the sheet that dude used for the 87 octane street 455, just curious how yours compares. Did you get the engine back in "ready to install" condition or was some assembly required?

[runningbwdog]

Hi,
I had it hot tanked. Bored and honed using a torque plate. Line bored for cam and crank. Decked to zero in the hole. Crank turned 0.10". Stock rods were checked and shot peened. Rotating assembly was balanced. Pistons selected for 9.34:1 compression. Heads (#15) had hardened seats installed, new guides, 1.77" exh valves installed. BBC screw in studs installed. Pushrod holes elongated for 1.65:1 rockers. Spring bases milled to accept new valve springs, teflon seals for valve stems, polylocks. CC Heads then milled to get 9.34:1 compression. Intake ports gasket matched. They also got a new flywheel, pressure plate and throw-out bearing. Mellon oil pump. They put it together as a long block. All I had to do was install the dist, carb, exhaust manifolds motor mounts and starter. Attached the tranny to the bellhousing and put it into the car. Cam is XE-268. It has great low end torque and smooth idle. I have 464 ft/lbs of torque at 3500 rpm. I run it on 93 octane Shell or Amaco exclusively.
Mike