Calling all Oldsmobile guys

[PARKERRS]

I've got a cousin who inherited a '69 olds 442 from his dad. He is 30 and his dad bought the car new, I'm 43 and remember all of the cars history. It came with the 400 and 4 speed, the man just drove it everyday and only hired the repairs neccessary to keep it going ( he isn't a car guy, just liked the car that good). In '81 he took the car to the local votech and let the class rebuild the engine, some student didn't check all the rod bolts when torqueing them and on the way home from picking it up a rod went through the block. So much for the correct engine, they removed all of the fresh parts and heads and put them on a 455 short block and that is what it's been running since. About a week ago it started to knock so his son who is trying to learn and be a car guy has pulled the engine and is ready to build it. I'm a chevy person and that is what I know about as far as casting numbers and how to extract power, but an Oldsmobile engine is an entirely different animal like a Pontiac engine is a world of it's own also. I'm looking for suggestions for a good strong streetable combo. The casting numbers on the block show it to be a 67-72 455, he hasn't gotten me the head casting numbers yet, but they are the factory heads off the original 400 for the 442. He has an Edelbrock performer intake for it also. I need to know suggestions on what to look for head casting wise as well as piston suggestions (it has dish tops in it, and I was thinking a set of TRW forged flat tops are always the good choice for a stout driver chevy small block) also any insight into cam and any suggestions on a better valvetrain. Like I said I'm used to small block Chevy and have done one or two Pontiacs so I know this is a different animal that I have no knowledge base with, I'm trying to help him out and teach him a little so any assistance is appreciated. Upon teardown the knock turned out to be a broken pushrod and explodedlifter which wiped the cam lobe, after all of that loose in there and the car has been running this engine for 26 years it's time to build it and make it right.

Tommy:dunno:

[Scott Parkhurst]

Go check out www.realoldspower.com

They have several well-dcoumented engine builds on there at several different power levels.

I'd go with aftermarket aluminum heads, but that's me. It all depends what exactly they want this car to do. There are enough 455 builds listed on the board I mentioned to suit almost any tastes, and plenty of good engine builders, too.

I could tell you what I'd do, but I like making crazy power while sacrificing smooth idle, vacuum, and noise levels. What I like may not be what you like.

If you need any help after checking out the Olds board, let me know. I'll do what I can to help you.

~SP~

[67bird]

I would recommend that you spend $25.00 and buy Joe Mondello's book. If the heads are C, or D castings keep them. With a little port work they are the best cast heads they made. I would recommend better rod bolts, and doing the mods that are outlined in the book. Find yourself a good set of forged pistons. The cast crank is good for more power than you will ever need. The oiling system is the week link in these. At high RPM the rod side clearance goes to nothing, hence why I said do the mods in the book. Stay away from the w-30 type repo cams unless you want a good exhaust note for cheap. They make power, but are old technology. The performer intake is basically an aluminum version of the cast intake, it is good for a street engine, but you can find torker intakes for these fairly cheap on ebay. The other recommendation is spend the money on a good adjustable valvetrain. You will need it with better cams. If you do decide to run a w-30 type repo cam you can run the stock valvetrain stuff, just be sure that the heads aren't resurfaced excessively. I guess to some up, buy the book. Then put your money in the oiling system mods. Then look into the valvetrain. Intake wise you will probably not need more then a performer or torker depending on rpm range of cam. Stock rods are decent only in the mods are done to them and the oiling system is worked on. As for cylinder heads if you have the original 400 heads use them will alittle pork work and you will have all you need. I would keep the quadrajet if you still have it. Send it to Cliff Ruggles for a rebuild. He is in Mount Vernon, OH. The only other upgrade would be get rid of the points. If you have the original distributor keep it, and get a conversion kit (pentronix or similiar). Exhaust wise if you have the original exhaust mainfolds (the true dual type) I would use them as well, maybe with a little port matching. I wouldn't cut to much on them as origianls are rare and even though they make repo's now originals are worth alot of money. You may also want to check out **** miller's sight as he has had several Olds combo's in the engine master's challenge with good results.


One other note on pistons. Double check you dish as with those heads and dish you are probably somewhere in the 9.0:1 to 9.5:1 range with a stock gasket.

[GIL442]

Call or go to www.rocketracingperformance.com there heads are 300 more than edelbrocks but flow 70 cfm more

[ammoyer]

There's good casting number info at www.442.com (http://www.442.com) some folks don't much like Mondello's reference book for detailed info. The good "W" car heads are the D's & F's and are worth some serious coin. Make sure you check the casting numbers also and not just the big letter. Good luck.