[starlightblack]

March of '72 seemed to be the month of 455 H.O. tests. Here is Car Craft's effort.

[bossbirdta]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

Good stuff & GREAT pictures...
What magazine was that in?

cover shot....

[165th]

Can't quite see who's funny car that is.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by bossbirdta

cover shot....

Got it......I mean I got it.......I mean,you KNOW what I mean?

You sent me a copy of that a few years back,right?

Didn't realize that the "whacked out" woman in the picture was a "cover girl"...

[bossbirdta]

Originally Posted by 2manyT/A'S

Got it......I mean I got it.......I mean,you KNOW what I mean?

You sent me a copy of that a few years back,right?

Didn't realize that the "whacked out" woman in the picture was a "cover girl"...

I believe I did....and its been said that its the same car used in both of those March 72 road tests.....

[70RAlll]

Originally Posted by 1971455HO

Sorry for not remembering which brand, maybe Fel-Pro, but I also remember post about thicker valve cover gaskets being available for guys running a little taller than stock valve train but wanting to retain their stock valve covers. Not the expert here, but I don't think you will need thicker gaskets with the 1.65 RA IV rockers.

I don't know if the RA IV engines came with the baffles, but somebody on here knows!

I remember some of the guys here that build & race really strong Pontiac engines, saying years ago a common practice was to use two gasket sets to achieve clearance with stock covers. You had to seal between them really good to not have any leaks and use longer bolts, but it worked just fine. It's not too obvious and most guys, except the eagle eyed, photographic Pontiac memory guys on here would ever detect it.

I admire all the detail you have put back into your engine. I know you want it right with no issues. It sucks to have to take one back apart after you have ran it and risk chipping paint and spilling oil on pristine parts outside of your engine. You probably know more than me, but really make sure you have your valves adjusted dead on and you don't have any clearance problems.

I had to take my covers back off after my car was totally reassembled. It was wired, hosed, all the fluids and ready to go. I was a day or two from firing it up when I found out the baffles would make contact with the aftermarket rockers. By the way, my car has AC also. See where I'm going. It sucks.

Your engine looks awsome.

Good luck,

Eddie

This is why the RAIV's and HO's(at least 71's) used the "NL" valve cover bolts- and they had two sizes of NL's, standard like the D's, used elsewhere in the car, and long valve cover NL's vs the shorter "D" or "E" cover bolts.. Thicker gasket was used..

[1971455HO]

Did not know that little factoid there about the bolt markings and specific end use. Noted and jotted down in my little library of Pontiac facts.

Thanks for schooling.

Eddie

[Formulabruce]

1972 HO..
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1972-...exp=true#v4-41

[SD73]

I like that. Were those side stripes a factory thing for the Formy? I'm not usually a fan of the vinyl tops on our birds, but this one probably looked pretty striking back in the day.

[johnta1]

Not those stripes.
They could get stripes, looked a little different.

That car was loaded with everything!

Too bad it wasn't kept in good shape.

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by SD73

I like that. Were those side stripes a factory thing for the Formy? I'm not usually a fan of the vinyl tops on our birds, but this one probably looked pretty striking back in the day.

The stripe that goes from the "Formula 455" emblems to the rear bumper is the factory available Formula stripe for 1972. It was the same stripe as the 1971 but the cutout didnt contain the louver section that was in the 1971 fender. The rocker stripe is home made.

Oh, let me revise my earlier statement: the factory stripe should be on BOTH sides of the car, not just the passenger side like this one. :-)

[njsteve]

That is a really neat car with a ton of options.


And those brand new 4X4 rear leaf springs only sweeten the deal! (see last photo in the listing)

[2manyT/A'S]

Wow...another "old HO" emerges & a LOADED W66 to boot!

This also confirms my observation that MOST LS5/W66's were "heavily optioned"...especially automatics.....anybody ever seen a "stripper" HO formula?

NJ steve,this one has about the same option count as yours,I think? (32 vs 34) on yours,including the 2 Canadian mandatories?)

Looks like they forgot the rear spoiler?...what a shame....

ALL of the "important stuff" from under the hood is gone?

That'll be a 5-10K setback for the new owner.....

[njsteve]

If you bought this engine you'd be 90% there:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-455-HO-...3b951f&vxp=mtr

[4birds]

I used to own that car a couple of years ago. It was in need of sooooo much repair and replacement, I let it go. It is missing the original 455HO, air cleaner, manifolds, carb, etc, TH400, and even the rear end has been changed out. The hood is bad, but can be fixed, there are rust thru holes in both rear quarters under the vinyl top, the trunk floor is history and has been horribly fiberglassed as a repair. The side stripe I painted on in about 15 minutes to show my wife what it would have looked like. Sad sad story to a once beautiful car. Can you imagine how this car looked new? Silver with black vinyl top and deluxe black cloth interior with reflective black side stripe and honeycombs! It was hard to let it go. I hope someone gets ahold of it and restores it.

[2manyT/A'S]

Originally Posted by 4birds

I used to own that car a couple of years ago. It was in need of sooooo much repair and replacement, I let it go. It is missing the original 455HO, air cleaner, manifolds, carb, etc, TH400, and even the rear end has been changed out. The hood is bad, but can be fixed, there are rust thru holes in both rear quarters under the vinyl top, the trunk floor is history and has been horribly fiberglassed as a repair. The side stripe I painted on in about 15 minutes to show my wife what it would have looked like. Sad sad story to a once beautiful car. Can you imagine how this car looked new? Silver with black vinyl top and deluxe black cloth interior with reflective black side stripe and honeycombs! It was hard to let it go. I hope someone gets ahold of it and restores it.

That's a shame.......the underneath pics didn't look TOO bad......

Those cars look STUNNING in silver.

[tabob]

"Looks like they forgot the rear spoiler?"

Good, they left off the one option they should have.

Would love to have seen it new.

[1971WARBIRD]

i saw this forsale a year or two ago and almost bought it then. stuck in Afghanistan right now, so out of the question. have almost all the parts in my garage to put it back together, oh'well.

[keith k]

Originally Posted by 4birds

I used to own that car a couple of years ago. It was in need of sooooo much repair and replacement, I let it go. It is missing the original 455HO, air cleaner, manifolds, carb, etc, TH400, and even the rear end has been changed out. The hood is bad, but can be fixed, there are rust thru holes in both rear quarters under the vinyl top, the trunk floor is history and has been horribly fiberglassed as a repair. The side stripe I painted on in about 15 minutes to show my wife what it would have looked like. Sad sad story to a once beautiful car. Can you imagine how this car looked new? Silver with black vinyl top and deluxe black cloth interior with reflective black side stripe and honeycombs! It was hard to let it go. I hope someone gets ahold of it and restores it.

I thought I remembered it...


Agree - it would have been stunning when new.

[PB]

Did anyone notice from the magazine article above, the picture of the 455ho engine has the preheater tube run to the backside of the air cleaner?