I need some opinions to help me decide what way to go with my buick. First I know this question has been asked many times before but I think my decision is a little harder due to the following. I broke the 350 in my car again for the 3rd time in 8 months and I don't have 50 miles of driving time to show for it. Each time I break some thing I build some thing else up when I repair it. Here is my combo. 350 block (shot to hell) P.A.E. Ported heads (cost me nearly a grand and I only have 30 miles on them) TA Intake Speed Demon 650 carb ( also only have 30 miles on it.) New 9" torque converter (stalls around 3000) TH350 trans (has a B&M Shift kit but is mostly stock.) New 342 posi rear end. My goals are to break into the 13's with this car but be able to drive it any where in America. Now here are some of the things I've thought of so far. If I go with a 455 I will likely have to rebuild the trans at some point but it should be fine with the 350. I would like to get a gear vendors over drive at some point and if I have to rebuild the trans first it will set me back on the over drive. Obviously the Demon carb would be to small for a 455 so it would have to go in favor of a 800 Q-Jet that I already have. The 350 will probably always get better gas milage than even a stock 455 but I'm no terribly concerned with it as long as I can get at least 12 MPG with out the over drive. The 3000 stall is a little steep on the street for my taste and with a 455 the stall would probably jump a couple hundred rpm higher than it is now due to the extra torque. Will I have to change the stall to have a good street car? Will I have to change it any way when I get the over drive since driving at 75 with the over drive would be about 26 or 2700 RPM. If I didn't have $2,000 worth of new stuff for a 350 this wouldn't even be a question. I would go with the 455 but I think some of you may be able to see my problem in deciding. I need 350 advocates to tell my why I should stay with the 350 and I need 455 advocates to tell me the same. I'm looking for Pros. and Cons. from people not associated with my financial budget which is a factor.
I have both engines. Sounds like you mainly want to reach the 13's. A few minor changes to a stock 455 with your gear will get you in the high 13's. 455's are not too hard to find and don't cost an arm and a leg. Some earlier posts here have reman. ones for around $1500 plus a couple hundred for core. When and if the turbo 350 falls, find a 400 that will take the force of the big block. Several people I know run a turbo 350 behind BBB's. You could always spend more money on the SBB and try to reach the 13's, but then you might be doing it again in a few weeks the way your luck is running. You could sell the worked heads and carb. to get a start on the finances too. Good luck with the decision.
Hello. I love the BBB's, even when they are totally stock and nicely tuned, they are total burnout machines. SBB's sound just like little BBB's, even though I have never worked on one or been for a ride in a car with one. they seem to have lots of torque at low RPM. But people seem to be getting into the 13's with not too much trouble. If I had the nice heads, intake, and carb, I would probably try to get it going. It should be fast with all that stuff. Why has it broken 3 times in 8 months? That is weird. What is breaking and causing you to need a new block? If it is the same thing breaking, make sure that weak link is fixed, put your stuff together, & cruise. I am sure you read about the guy who has the 69 GS350 (who, unfortunately, hit the wall at whatever raceway), going faster that many BBB's. Kind of an inspiration for SBB's. Tell us exactly what is breaking.
The 350 block is more durable and stronger than the 455 block. Apperently it's how the engine was put together that caused the problem (human error). I would stick with the 350 since it's easlily accomplished with the parts you have.
I first built the 350 in sept. of 2002. I wanted a stout block and used every heavy duty component that I could get my hands on. I used forged pistons, double grove bearings, ARP rod bolts, and had the entire engine balanced. I managed to get about 7K miles out of it before a cam lobe went flat on the #8 exhaust lobe. I replaced the cam under warenty in september of last year and cleaned the rest of the block completely before reassembly. The new cam had a rough casting that I didn't notice when I installed it and again a cam lobe went flat during cam break in. I got a new cam, bearings, had the block shot peened and hot tanked after they honed the cylinders. I file fit the new rings and triple checked every thing during reassembly. I evan plastigauged every main cap and every connecting rod. All the clearences were between .0025 and .003 inches. I broke in the engine and spent a couple of hours tuning it. I drove it about 18 miles with no problem. I took the car to work last wed. and 10 miles later the #6 rod broke and destroyed every thing else in the block. The only thing left undamaged were the #1, and 2 rods and pistons. I'm still not sure exactly what happened to cause the oil loss to the bearings but I know I can build a good engine. I've just had a bad streek of luck with this block.
I'll agree with the others that a 455 will get you your 13's without breaking a sweat. My buddy ran 14.6's with a completely stock (down to the egr valve) 72 455 in his 86 regal with a th-200-4r and 2.56 gears. It idled at 500 rpm and got 23-26 mpg. He later put his 3.89 lockered 9" in and ran 14.0's. However, you'll get alot of respect if you run some numbers with a 350. Everyone knows its alot harder and they'll be impressed by it. Throughout my time on this board, I've come to realize the weakest link to the 350 is the rods. I've also learned the newer stock rods are the ones to get, as they are the capscrew type. I think they started to show up in 75 or 76, not to sure. I think it all comes down to what you want. Do you want to get to the 13's with just a cam change or do you want to use the parts that you bought? I think you'd be in the 13's with what you have if you had a good bottom end.
That was Sonny Seal. He hit the wall at Norwalk, OH during Buick Race Day in May 2003. He ran 10's in that car, I think.
If you want a buick engine that will start walking away from your competitor, than i suggest you will want a 455. Even a stock one will leave the competion in the dust, depending on circumstances. In another case, if you want a good engine with decent gas mileage and good take off and sounds very nice with a proper exhaust system, stick with the 350 buick engine. Buick 350's also make very good Pro-street cars with some mods. -Cody
Thank you all for your replies. It seems that most of you think I should stick with the 350 for now. I know this is off subject but with a well built bottom end where do you want to stop revving a 350? 5500 rpm, 6000? Higher than that? Does it all depend on where the cam stops making power? Let me know if you have any insight on this.
If you are looking to do 13's and you already have some good parts for the 350 I would stick with it. I've had both in my Skylark and even though the 455 is awesome, a well built 350 would be nice too. I would really like the added security of the stronger block. I think with the newer style rods the bottom end is good for 6500 or 7000 rpm. I think a real nice combo would be a pro-charged 350, my brother is going from a built 464 to a 350 and I'm trying to talk him into doing that.
