[Skip Fix]

Got off the dyno with a 400 built with the plan of mainly extra parts laying around for the 65 GTO stick car so it moves on its own in place of the barely running original 389 4BBL.

Short block the 0.0303 400 557 block I had under the RAIV heads racing NMCA for years. TRW 2262s/pressed pin Crower billet rods. Clean up hone and tanked. Had to turn crank 0.020 to get some bearing close in clearances and not too loose . Still about 0.0028-0.003 mains and rods. 5/64 rings for the TRWs limit choices. Standard 0.030 Sealed power "drop in" were 0.028 top ting and 0.020 second ring. File to fits were way too much tension so went with the first set. one piston was 0.008 out another 0.005 so went with the thicker regular Butler head gaskets-added the "421 hole".

Heads some new "72" cc E heads Paul Knappen cleaned up , clearances for 1.65 rockers. Original "bathtub" chambers. Paul used the Comp 917 springs Polydyun coated I had bought years ago for my first E heads(on the IA now but were on the roller 455 years ago) they were tight on those pockets so those heads got some Lunati 1.500 springs). 1.65 Crower SS rockers I picked up here years ago. 9.300 Comp 5.16 pushrods.

Comp solid rollers I had ton the roller 455 years ago-non pin oiled. UD/Bullet solid roller from the .3707 lobe family to use the high ratio rockers. 242/249@ 0.050 112 LS 108 IC. Felt the 259/264 .3707 for the 455 would be too rowdy in a 400 even being a stick. Tim at Bullet and I talked a awhile and he agreed with my choice.

Intake an older Performer RPM I lended to Lee year ago to try on his Firebird vas a T2. Cut out the exhaust crossover and front part to water crossover to look like a tal HO intake. Ground off Edelbrock and bead blasted it.

Oil pan deep Moroso GTO pan that came with the 455 when I bought it. Braces and teflon coated full length factory windage tray originally on the RAIV motor.

Carbs to try:
1)HP 950 off the recent 455 Stump Puller since I new it worked. 83/89 jets
2)HP 750 body and new 750 DP metering blocks, bowls and baseplate I had extra 72/81 jets(out of 80s)
3) Demon that started out as an 850 Jeff "Shaker 455" machined for the demon changeable sleeves. Was run on the IA motor years ago with big sleeves I put in the "Red" ones between a 750 and a 850/950/1000(all the same size really) I must have tweaked something pulling the baseplate off and on for them as we could not get it to idle at all and gave up on it.
4) 73 SD SR Qjet first massged by Brad Urban with larger primary blades and replaceable secondly jets Then Cliff went through it a few years back. 71 rods/44 jets and DA secondary rods on a B hanger.

Headers -my trusty 2" Hooker 4202s and the tribal Tubes 1 3/4-1/78 tri Ys. Had some OBX 1 7/8 but just did not try them.

Weather cool and overcast for Houston summer high humidity and started drizzling mid day.

The RobbcMc starter used on the 455 did not sounds right -probably just needed shimming but threw on and extra McLeod but had to trim the pan rail for it some clearance where the bolts stick out.

results 950 HP Best TQ 478 @4100 HP 484 @5900 kind of fat BSFC.
750 HP TQ 477 @3800 HP 470 @6100
Qjet TQ 476 @4000,4400,4600 HP 474.9 @5800

Tri Y Qjet TQ 479 @4200-4300 HP467 @6000 and a 114% VE @4000. We only had the VE hat on for the Q jet pulls.

Best thing was no oil leaks!!!