[ThomcatNLR]

Ok, so i got myself into a little grudge match at work with a few other guys. I was called out to build a car from the "junk" i have out back. The base car is a 77 bird, it came with a 455 when i bought it. I pulled the motor, and assuming all the checks are good, that wil be the weopon of choice. i also have another 400 in another car, equipped with 6x heads, so i plan to use those. So here's the deal. the cars i am running against (i can delve into their cars if asked) are capable of low 12's high 11's. So, my plan so far, is gut the hell out of the bird, do the major rust/body repair and basically prep it a race car. it doesnt need to be streetable, it just neds to win, lol. 1 pass, low ET takes the pot and the bragging rights. I have been reviewing engine combos for weeks now, but there are so many to choose from, its quite stressful, lol. i have a basic plan for the chassis, which i hope to run cal-tracs bars/leafs. looking a probably a TH400. Budget is fairly low. hoping to use stock crank, minimal machine work, better pistons, warmed over 6x's. Wow, that was alot, if you made it this far, God love ya! Thanks to any and all who reply.

[ponjohn]

Here is my combo and it open for cost saving options that won't effect longevity. My car runs high 11's at nearly 3700lbs.

455 +35
H beam rods (you can have stock rods recondition with arp bolts) with SRP full float pistons, all balanced
Cleaned up 96 d-ports, only 10cfm over stock, 9.25-1
4 tube Maddog headers
rpm intake
750 holley at the time
msd-could use OEM hei
Xe284- should be able to get away with XE274 or 60919 crower

3000 convertor
4.11 at the time- it was too much gear for a 30" tire. Shifted car at 5400
3.73's now-no track time

John

[ThomcatNLR]

i like that combo- i was looking at the xe274 also, but i was thinking it was a bit small. also, in a lot of the combos, i saw guys would take a 1/2" out of the divider on their RPM's? Ever hear of this?

[ThomcatNLR]

oh i forgot, any link to the Maddog Headers? never heard of them. thanks again

[Scott Stoneburg]

i ran high 11s with a fairly mild 455, here is the combo as best i can remember it.
67 firebird fullinterior daily driver 3500 lbs
462 stock rods (arp bolts) and crank, weisco pistons
62 casting heads ported (guestamate flow 220-230 flow)
comp. magnum solid flat tappet cam 292 duration .550 lift
11.8:1 comp.
original torker with a 850 out of the box holley (jetted to combination)
1-3/4 headers..tried larger and it slowed down
3" exhaust mandrel bent w/ flowmasters, tailpipes
th400 10" tight converter
3.73:1 gears.
My brothers 68 bird convertable ran 12 flat with this combo as best i can remember
400 stock rods, crank and TRW pistons
same ported 62s( took them off my motor when I blew it up.)
Cam motion 290 duration ( [email protected] ) .540 lift solid cam
torker II manifold. not port matched. w/ 750 holley
1-3/4 headers w/3" mandrel bent exhaust, flowmasters no tailpipes
th350 w/ loose 10" converter 3800 IIRC
3:90 gears
The convertable was 3680 lbs left real hard out 60 my combo but made less MPH

sorry i rambled so long. Anyway both these combos were fairly inexpensive to build and maintain. Good luck and keep us posted.

[TIN TIGR]

overhaul the stock 455..stock pistons etc..buy some techline coatings and do the pistons, bearings, cylinders..find a set of older heads, 62,12,13, you know the kind i mean..find a single plane intake if ya can..do up a good oil pump..find some good headers..run some cam, i prefer solids..i swear by the 290b6 cc..it has never failed me with near stock heads, and "lucerne" hauls butt with it...and plan to spin engine to 5500-6000 tops..run some gear , with a tight converter that doesnt slip in high gear..make sure you have enuf tire to hook off the line and you will win..if ya do it this way, if it blows you can just laff and tow it home..but i bet it wont..

a hi cr 455 with that cam should have no trouble running deep 11's..maybe faster..

[DiamondJim]

Originally Posted by ThomcatNLR

Ok, so i got myself into a little grudge match at work with a few other guys. I was called out to build a car from the "junk" i have out back. The base car is a 77 bird, it came with a 455 when i bought it. I pulled the motor, and assuming all the checks are good, that wil be the weopon of choice. i also have another 400 in another car, equipped with 6x heads, so i plan to use those. So here's the deal. the cars i am running against (i can delve into their cars if asked) are capable of low 12's high 11's. So, my plan so far, is gut the hell out of the bird, do the major rust/body repair and basically prep it a race car. it doesnt need to be streetable, it just neds to win, lol. 1 pass, low ET takes the pot and the bragging rights. I have been reviewing engine combos for weeks now, but there are so many to choose from, its quite stressful, lol. i have a basic plan for the chassis, which i hope to run cal-tracs bars/leafs. looking a probably a TH400. Budget is fairly low. hoping to use stock crank, minimal machine work, better pistons, warmed over 6x's. Wow, that was alot, if you made it this far, God love ya! Thanks to any and all who reply.

Do you have to run pump gas? If you can use race gas, trade the 6X's to someone for some higher comp heads. You are on the right track by gutting it, every 100 lbs is around a tenth. Remember, the higher you can get the compression, the better a larger cam will work. You might even get in the 10's! Goodluck -Jim

[Ron H]

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=566211
Great heads and intake for the money.
Ultradyne solid 280/288 247/253 @ .050 110 LSA ground with 6* advance or install at 104* ICL. with the 1.65 rockers will have you around .550 lift after lash. Similar to the 290b6. Solid cam is definately the way to go.
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=566115
Good converter should net great results with a good TH400. There is another Hand 10" continental on the boards for sale I believe.
I have a set of CAT forged rods I will sell. Add some .035 over SRP pistons balance to the stock crank in your 455 and you should be set.
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=565958
850 DP, fuel cell or sumped tank, canister filter,140 GPH minimum fuel pump and -8 lines or 1/2" to the front.
3.73 with 28" Slicks or Drag radials with the Cal Tracs. Mid 11's or faster after you lighten up the car where you can.
http://www.dragstuff.com/techarticle...reduction.html

[ThomcatNLR]

I can run race gas, another guy is gonna have to.

[Thumpin455_GTO]

I got a best of 11.7 from a mild 455 with heads similar to those posted by Ron. It was running a UD 288/296 hyd cam, an L88 converter stalling around 2200, and 4.10 gears. TII intake, 850 DP, 1.5 roller rockers, advance all in at 2000.

It was 3750 going down the track then, I hadnt done much to lighten it at that point. 4.10 was too much gear, it ran out of rpm before 1000 ft. I ran it that way because 12.0 meant I didnt need a roll bar and related stuff for 11's. Shifted around 5800.

It picked up a solid .2 in the 1/8 by switching to 3.42, from 7.7 to 7.5 using only 2nd and 3rd. It was having shifter issues that night. Chucked a rod after 7 years of abuse with stock rods and ARP bolts. Dont over gear it, a 455 makes more than enough power to move the car off the line, after its moving the deeper gears are hurting you. Its not a small chevy. Another bud with an 80 Formula ran 2.56 gears with a 6X headed 455 and was getting 8.3 - 8.2 1/8 mile times, and his was heavier than mine.

I would lighten your 77 using as much of the tips Ron posted, including sanding to bare metal and shooting tractor enamel on it. 77-78 are the heaviest 2nd gens.

Build the 455 with tomahawk or cat rods, those 670s Ron posted, RPM intake if you dont mind a cowl or shaker hood, TII if another hood is out of the budget, XE284, 3k tight stall not a B&M shelf pos, and 3.08-3.55 gears with 27"-28" tires. Sounds mild but it will run pretty damn hard, and provided you have a posi already it will most likely have gears in that range as it sits.

Its tough to beat the price on those heads, if I had the cash right now they would be gone. I have $1400 in mine and they arent matched to the intake. That right there is a steal if you dont mind the antiquated 670 chamber, and I dont mind it.

[iceman411]

Use your block and heads, Crane RA4 blueprint cam, RPM or Victor intake, 850 Holley DP with 1/2" line and an electric pump,HEI ignition, 373 gears and a NOS DUAL SHOT 400 horse BOTTLE!!! You said cheap and ONE pass. Do it in style!! If you can go cheaper, let me know. Might be able to pull it off with a single shot cheater kit too(more affordible). If you want to go more rounds, and have a better budget, the previous reply's WILL be a better route, just going by what you said-cheap and ONE pass. Good luck and keep it fun.

[71 Ventura II]

Yep, Nitrous would do it and dollar for dollar would be the cheapest if its allowed?

DO NOT be affraid to cam up the 455! The 4.21" stroke engines love more cam than most people think. The Xe274 is out and the Xe284 is marginal on size. I hate to keep going back to this cam but truly the Comp 290B-6 will deliver 11's or better. The issue is with the budget to get a decent converter, a 3.55-3.73 gear, and your willingness to do some port work to the heads.

In the same way people tend to under cam their Pontiacs they will over gear them too. With the 290B cam and a 455+ CID all the gear you'll need is the 3.55-3.73 range. Don't try to re-invent the wheel here, follow the experience of the many cars on this site alone running between 9.90-11.50 running this set up. JD

[PONTIAC DUDE]

Best of all worlds.

Nitrous

and pump gas friendly.

400............ 284XE C Cam.

stock rods with ARP bolts.
Install 1.77 valves in the heads. Roller rockers and Moly pushrods.
Bottom fill block with arp studs.
Old torker intake, 850 holley and a 225/275 shot.
warmed over 2200 converter.

All fairly cheap and should run low 11's.

[71 Ventura II]

Originally Posted by PONTIAC DUDE

Best of all worlds.

Nitrous

and pump gas friendly.

400............ 284XE C Cam.

stock rods with ARP bolts.
Install 1.77 valves in the heads. Roller rockers and Moly pushrods.
Bottom fill block with arp studs.
Old torker intake, 850 holley and a 225/275 shot.
warmed over 2200 converter.

All fairly cheap and should run low 11's.

I think what Ken meant to say is should run high 10's with that much juice!
*** Unless in Florida when people say their running a small 175 shot it actually means 225/275 shot? It might have something to do with the "Humidity" or the "Curveture" of the earth or something I'm not sure! LOL jking

[ThomcatNLR]

Nitrous is ABSOLUTELY allowed. i have been throwing the idea around. how much can it hold "safely" with the stock bottom end, forged pistons? thanks for all the replies guys. have a lot to look forward to. i would love to show up with my POS looking T/A and blow away these LS1's and supercharged SBC's.

[TIN TIGR]

the 290b6 loves nitrous..do not be fooled by the lobe center..pontiacs love lots more intake than they can usually get, hence nitrous works great..if ya want, ill loan ya a kit for the race..

[Scott Roberts]

Do you live in or near VA? If so, I have a good idea. I would like to see you beatup on the Chevy boys.

[BruceWilkie]

At least put a set of steel rods in it they are cheap enough. Agree the 290 b6 with iron heads dont need a full on port job just a mild cleanup and good gasket match(especially into the intake manifold). A good "Pontiac" valve job after installing 1.77 exhaust is all you need. Mill them 6x's for most compression you can get out of them or use earlier castings for greater compression with flat tops. 850 or larger carb and an RPM or T2 should get the job done. A 150 cheater plate in reserve wouldnt be a bad idea. Those chevy boys can be sneaky and likely show up armed with something bigger than what they usually run. They get twisted when beat up by a "lowly" Pontiac. (they will cheer if you beat that mopar or ford that they cant beat, but the stepchild has no business beating up their chevy) Make them cry!

[Dragncar]

Never run cast rods,whatever you do.

[RAIV55]

Several years ago my street car was my race car.

455 forged flat top short block w/ lightened cast rods
UD Solid flat tappet 245-254
Ported #16's 275@600
Ported RPM
528CHP and 581CTQ
Turbo Action 10" 3800 & TH350
10.5 x 30's
3.89 gear
3150 lbs
Best 10.98 @124
6.96@99
3000 ft elevation