350 to 455 questions

Going ahead with my 455 swap. 72 Riviera 455 into a 71 Custom.
If I remember right the motor mounts use the #2 and #4 holes from the front. Yes?
Can I stretch the 350 harness to fit the sending units and starter?
Will a 350 2BBL throttle cable be a problem?
I am planning on using the Riv exhaust manifolds. Will need new exhaust, but will the Riv manifolds cause any problems?
Have a fan shroud, frame pads and mounts. 455 flex plate drilled for TH400 and TH350. Complete brackets. 800Cfm Riv Carb. Belts and hoses. BBB distributor. What else?
TIA
John

 

Looks like you have it covered. I had to piece my exhaust together. Wouldn't mate up with my old exhaust. Not sure if the Riv manifolds are different than the ones I have(Electra) My 350-2 cable is hooked up, looks like it shouldn't be a problem and I didn't have any trouble with the wiring harness. Plan on firing it up on vacation next week.( I think I've said that a hundred times). Oh yeah, you forgot Band-Aids. Putting the frame pads on are PIA

 

Do you have the A-body oil pan? Riv manifolds are the same as any other BBB.

 

A 3/8's universal with electrical tape around the joint so it doesn't flop around will aid in the install of the frame pads. I did mine without too much trouble and was able to install all the bolts. If you are considering replacing ball joints, the bolts are really easy to get at when the lower control arm is removed. I wish i would have known that when I did mine as I did replace the entire front end shortly after the 455 install. Something to consider. Brian

 

Oilpan will cause problems, not enough space.
And maybe you have to hammer the firewall a bit, had the same with a 455 in a Chevelle (no, not my idea....... )

 

a 1971 Skylark Custom, I am assuming?
(Plenty of Buick models had the tag "Custom" after the model name, such as Electra 225 Custom or Le Sabre Custom, and the "Custom" doesn't indicate anything more than a "GL" suffix might on a new car-just determines some options that can and can't be had. For example, there were no convertible Skylarks in 1970 that were not "Custom" Skylarks, as far as I know)


The 455 is designed to fit into the A body, there should be no problems with fit.


I used a '74 Riveria engine in my '70. I had the 350-2 and the throttle cable bracket from my 1970 350 bolted right to the 455's stock manifold. i never had any binding problems or a situation where the cab;e wasn't long enough. I never even gave it a second thought and never had any troubles since 1992, when I put the engine in, and I don't expect any- it's still the original throttle cable in my car.


The oil pan should fit within the frame rails of any 1971 Skylark. Zero issues with that Riviera oil pan from '74 that is on my engine this very minute. The pan does not hit the crossmember. Now, REMOVING the oil pan, that's another story. I don't think I could get the pan off with the engine in the car. I could unbolt it, but I do not for a second think I could get the pan out.



Erik- I'm curious, why the problems with the 455 in a Chevelle? What year was the Chevelle? the '68 to '72 A body frames are the same. Maybe the problem was that the Chevelle was a pre- '68 model or a post '72?

 

i put the 350 throttle cable in my car and i did not fully open the carb secondaries. it was not enough travel. it only took me 4 years to figure that one out . also get a short tail shaft for that TH 400. the th 400 with the long shaft places the drive shaft at a sharpe angle and it can damage the tranny (it warped my tranny's outer casing).

other than that..everything is ok. just get a big block fan shroud and the seven blade fan for the water pump.

john

 

I wonder if there was a situation where either

1) different plants used different cables, or
2) some Skylarks came with 2 barrel carbs, but also had the 4 barrel cable?o No: