Buick Big Block Info Dump 

Nice to see a Buick big block. My uncle was a toolmaker for Buick. He raced a 455 Stage 2 stock car. I remember him picking me up at the train station in a Riviera 455 stage 1, auto trans w/a shift kit. When he jumped on it to get on I-75, the dash shook when it shifted. Great memories! His Wildcat years prior was stolen in the Buick City parking lot. R.I.P. Uncle Larry. You taught me a lot.

I have to say that is so cool to see an upscale GM engine swapped into the Chevy!

Gotta love Buick! They made some great looking cars that were comfortable and quick, too! A Riviera is pretty high on my list of dream cars- the hard part is deciding which one to pick!

These guys are a dying breed and a wealth of information . It's a pleasure to listen to these guy talk about engines that they know very well .

I built a 1986 Regal with a 1970 455 out of a 1970 Electra, stock th350 and converter, Moser 9" 31 spline track loc w/2.75 gears, ran 12.83 @108mph in the 1/4!

Damn, even Uncle Tony spoke of a Riviera Stage 1 that one of his customers owned decades ago, and how "brutal" it was. Weeks ago, I posted a comment under one of these Buick series of videos, telling about a '71 Riviera that I owned long ago, that was insanely fast with the most torque any of us ever experienced in any of the factory classic cars. My dad & several uncles were hot rodders & good mechanics. They all drove that thing & swore "this is no regular 455 Riviera". I asked Dallas about it in that comment, and he said that Stage 1 packages were indeed available on the '71 Riviera's. The damned thing even came with a factory posi rear-end. So I believe it must've been a Stage 1 package. I wouldn't race any of the faster cars in town from a standing start, for obvious reasons. But I would blow their doors off from a 40 mph roll-off. I kid you not. I drove it for about a year & sold it. It still ran great & used no oil. Wish I still had it.

Love the genuineness between the two of you! ❤

Thank you for posting this im currently working on a 1973 buick Riviera and this helped so much. I soon plan on geeting back to work restoring mt grandfathers car a 1970 Oldsmobile ralley 350 hurst shifter

Man I’d kill to see some stuff on the aluminum 215’s. I’m daydreaming of swapping a Rover 4.0 into my 2nd gen Camaro, would be killer to see what makes those gems tick!

How about a multi-part series building a stage 1 455 from dirty old parts to running? It might make a good winter project. You can show all your little tricks ect. Maybe uncle Tony can put it in an Apollo and see what she can do...

I'm loving the Buick knowledge my uncle inherited a 70gs stage 1 4 speed all this info is awesome to see what is factory on his car and what's not 👍👌💪

I'd like to see a sbb 300 stroker using a stroked 350 crank and 6.2 Nascar take out rods that are for the 1.850" rod journal size that will give you an extra .140" stroke. Will require custom pistons. And then top it off with a set of TA aluminum Rover heads. Out of the box intake max flow is 225 CFM, can be ported to 300. A solid roller cam would be a great addition to that build but to take advantage of all the extra air flow, a custom intake would be a great idea. It would end up as a 362 CID if you give it a .050" overbore. Can't wait to see this built. If you have any questions feel free to ask, I'll share everything you need to know to build the above.

let's see him run some buick stuff to your mopar stuff uncle. do some side by side comparisons. pros and cons who did what better and who did what worse etc

Yeah buddy!!! Gots me a '68 Wildcat 430, and two '70 Riviera 455's to dig into in the near future. Can't wait to move those projects along!

I would love to see those trick cylinder heads for a 300. Looking forward to it.

I always prefilled my oil filter when installing it. Yes you do spill some oil but you get almost instant oil psi after changing the oil.

Ford FE's have their end rocker arms hangin out in the breeze. Oh yeah, and 70 lbs intake manifolds too.

Something with the WONDERFUL : Buick 430 Wildcat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love the Buick talk

What I want to see next is you guys stuffing a 455 buick in my Triumph TR7. I'll provide the 455 and TR7, and even help do it.

Great tech session for the Buick fans! Love the 455 in my Electra

I knew this crazy small town cop that drove a 73 LeSabre. He was in pursuit through a construction zone and came down so hard the motor mounts squashed and the pan hit the torsion bar. He came in with a rod hammering the pan.

I was hoping we would get to go for a ride in the Buick Suburban.

I'm not really a Buick guy but this is SUPER COOL. These days I am a Mopar guy but in high school I had a 76 ElCamino that someone shoehorned an Olds 350R into.

Great detailed video Tony!!! These old big block are laying around in rusted out hulks all over America and people don’t realize the torque monster they are. They also don’t realize how easy they will bolt into a suburban or even a Camaro.

Had me at big block, i'm a caddy bb guy. But love hearing about them all. Great job guys.

In a future episode Can You go over what is available in the aftermarket for high performance parts for Buicks?

You guys are the real life Krass and Bernie! I enjoy watching you guys talk cars.

The Ford FE is the other rocker shaft with unsupported end rockers you were trying to think of.

I HAVE ONE OF THOSE 4B4 INTAKE MANIFOLDS FOR BIG BLOCK OLDS . I BOUGHT IT YEARS AGO NEVER TRIED IT YET . I HAVE A 70 442 TO TRY IT OUT ON ONE DAY SOON . YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB . THANKS.

Drove a 67 gs400 to high school,such a sleeper.400 with the switch pitch super 400 and 3.55 gears,loved the air cleaner too kool

You 2 have fantastic energy exchange . Very complementary to each other. Tony gets himself reeled back in usually. If not Dallas just observe our beloved Tony going off the deep end , he gives Tony a moment. Then carry on !!! Great content gentlemen 🚹 👏

Dallas, can you talk about what aftermarket/factory upgrades people would make to the Buicks ? What parts you could get that would make a difference. Thanks from 15 minutes away from Flint

Thank you, and yes I am curious about the timing cover and block oiling mods? I have my 70' GS455, block out to rebuild, but I put a 73' Riviera stock block in it to keep it running. Another key point is my 1970 block was drilled out for my clutch arm pivot bolt, but when I put the 73' motor in I had to drill and tap it? Great series guys👍

It has been a while since I have seen anything on Big block buicks on youtube. Thanks! I have a 71 455 that is in a 225 2dr electra that has rotted rear frame rails from the salted winter roads up north. I picked up a real nice roller 79 F body camaro that I'm going to stuff the 455 in. Pretty much going to leave the 455 stock except for a refresh and a TA cam swap and edelbrock intake.

The rocker arms are unsupported on the ends on FE Fords. My old boss Kip Martin raced a 352 in a '64 Galaxie in SS/OA. He built ten sets of rocker shafts and stands that did away with the through bolt setup to strengthen the shaft. It changed the flex at the end of the shaft from around .020 to about .001 when using 750 lb springs for the roller cam. Buick seems to have actually put a little thought into their exhaust manifolds for a long time. Some of the old nailheads had tri-y style manifolds.

Love to cover the switch pitch transmissions up to '67, which were used in Pontiacs and Olds. Auburn cone posi units. My old '69 GS400 had one which worked great.

Impressed good job

Buick made good small blocks, and the big block 455. Nail Head!!

Thanks fellers,I dig it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great info, thanks guys!

Great video! I would love to see some Buick Small Block content now that you have covered the legendary Buick Big Blocks. More content on Buick oiling systems would also be great such as showing us how to set up an oil pump, port a timing cover and perform other oiling system upgrades. I have a Buick 350 factory installed in my 1969 Jeep Wagoneer and would first like to know what I should do to prolong it's life (oil system upgrades etc) and after that I'd like to hop it up a little bit. It's the factory two barrel engine but I obtained a '69 four barrel intake to install. I'm undecided on what carburetor to run, it's a street driven truck so I'm looking for good drivability, mileage, and low end to mid-range power... I've heard a lot of great things about the factory style QuadraJets but would one of those be too difficult for a me as a total carb newbie to tune?

All of this stuff is great. Unless you happen to live in an area like I do. Emissions control inspections as manufactured. Takes all the fun out of rebuilding, all of it.

You guys stickers worked on my car .I went from 11.76 to 11.57. And I got 2nd at Nostalgia race. Maybe I should cover the whole car and go pro.lol

One hour long (rather than an all day marathon) assembly video of any Buick engine. Then, maybe another vid on the details of the machining of the block and specs of the parts. [And... Dammit UT, I'm the guy who keeps bringing up the 273 sbm questions and NOT the troll with the same first name!] And, Dallas is my other hero now!

I cut the heat riser butterfly out of my manifold and welded the rod in to prevent a leak. I would like to take it right out, but it’s awfully hard to bolt a pipe up to a manifold that doesn’t have a flange lol.

Next if he's got one the 215 Aluminum Block. Although the Olds version with extra head bolts is likely stronger. The 215 is basically the root of the Buick Small Block.

Thank you for the awesome information on the Buick engines, Tony!! Any chance of you covering Oldsmobile engines next, along with what Joe Mondello (RIP) brought to the muscle car cruising & racing scene?

Buick 455 is the ultimate torque monster On the street of all muscle car engines Best 455 of all bop’s in stock form and Iam a Pontiac guy!!

I'd love to see the lightest buick big block planted midship in an xj-s. Now that could be a touring car.

I'm a Buick lover, I had a 71 Wyoming highway patrol lesabor my dad's uncle gave me, his son gave me a 74 4 door I put the 430 from the 71 in the 74 just before I moved to Vegas when I was 19, was very good friends with guys that set up the 1/4 miles track, I ran the old girl several times just setting up the clock and the guys couldn't believe that old 4 door ran 12,90 in the 1/4 mile,one diehard Buick guy came over and was talking to me, he noticed the valve cover!!! Then proceeded to argue with me that it was never produced!! It had the ribs from inside to outside but in center was raised.......430 pi!!!! All I did was pull the frozen 350 out and put engine, trans,drive line and rear-end from the 71, truthfully was first swap out of all the drive train for me, I was 15 but drove car from 16 till 24, nothing could touch it street or track in my class!! All stock, cast everything, only thing I did was take the hood off, I got tired of opening it to prove all stock! I've been told that they never made A police inercepter Buick, but the valve covers had raised 430 pi that matched the rest of cover! It was a old blue and white Wyoming highway police car!!

A friend in high school had a 70 or 71 Buick GS Stage 1 or 2 can’t recall. It had independent rear suspension, like a Corvette. Only Buick had that option, couldn’t get it on the Grand Prix, Cutlass, or Chevelle or Monte Carlo. That car was fast and rode like a dream.

I've got a 500 caddy in my k30 and I luv it, almost 550 tq at 2200 rpm. It's a good feeling doing a burnout with <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="296">4:56</a> gears and 35 12.50's and I'm not even in the secondaries.. almost diesel like torque. Been thinking about <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="187">3:7</a>3's because of gas prices though, it's got the torque to turn em

I bought a 82 regal years ago it has a 68 350 4 barrel from a special in it I'm really considering putting it in my 87 regal 82 and 87 both barn finds car's same paint colors and interior

Once again another vijeo I will watch over and over! couple questions ; ! Bullet Holes? Nail Heads? Grand National and Regal Turbo Charged V6 Hoopla? What do those terms mean and all tge nitty gritty nerdy knowledge that goes with them?

Would like more on the 350s. I have a new, never installed 79/80 Buick 350. My high school auto shop won it at GM trouble shooting contest back then. I bought it in 89. It's still never been ran..

Please BBB swap a foxbody and hurt everyones feelings

Awesome video! Now lets hear about the Buick 350 :)

A nice white gsx sitting in garage then a wicked ass burnout down the road lo

These two work well together

Staten Island in the 80's? Holy sheet, we could have smelled each other's landfills. I live on the edge of the Hackensack meadowlands in NJ along the tpk.

i've been cobbling and hording Oldsmobile and Buick kajiggers up the frigsake for a few forevers. i like the W's lot but i have a hard on for 442 stuff. i guess i'll be letting it all go in a few more years

Damned Buick 455 oil pans...installed a 430 from a Riviera into an Electra back in the 80's, had to swap the pan because it was Riviera motor. Got motor installed and sounded like a bad rod knock. Ended up dumping the car off to a buddy who pulled the dang motor again. When he checked the rod bearings - they were all fine. Turned out that one rod bolt was hitting the fricking oil pan- he could see a little scrape mark. He pounded the pan out a bit and put her back in the car....it purred like a kitten. He flipped the car and made a grand on the deal....I was quite p.o. 'd.

I would like to see a nail head buildup for horsepower. There are a number of nail head performance parts and Centerville auto has a recommended head porter that can flow the heads to a big block 455 CFM. They also have camshafts, valves, springs, roller rocker arms and other engine parts. Thanks, Robert Stump

You know, I know, together, Tony, we know exactly why I always say, CRUSH IT!!

My buddy had a set of Mondello Olds heads he did for the Pikes Peak hill climb

Great video!

Id like to see all the buick stuff yall can give. any, and all.

I have a 430 Buick Electra with the 67 style nice manifolds. So you can add Electras to the list of what came with em .

my love is the 350 sbb i would like to see any tips on building a fast street 350 motor

You guys KNOW what most of us wanna see, lol. A Buick 455 stage 1 package.......put it in any old Skylark, or whatever you can afford......and let's see that baby run at the track.

Best street/race cam like stage 1 or 2, The different carbs cfm, Are the ram cars overrated, I've only see one stage 2 car different hood scoop and it look like bbc heads. Also the buick 350 is a little rocket also.

Please do a rundown of the towpig suburban

Hey Uncle Tony, I need to learn more about the 225 Buick-designed, Willys/Kaiser manufactured Dauntless Jeep motor!!

Fun fact, I haven’t heard them mention it but the SR-71 Blackbird relied on 2 Buick 401s to start it. A special trailer with straight-piped 401s attached together thru auto transmissions with belt drives jump-started the compressors in the Pratt & Whitney engines that powered the Bird.

Had to machine buddys block for a thrust bearing behind the cam. It pushed so hard it tore up the block.

Right on

Buick big block is the only engine that when I hit the gas feels that torque is more than I need, I have stage 1 upgraded to some stage 2 specs. custom design heads valves and carb spacer by myself. I also did custom jets and rods on carb to have better gas mileage on city and good power when I need to leave everyone in dust.

I'd love to see a similar series of videos on the Buick Nailhead!

you have inspired me to rip out my 305 and rebuild a buick 350.

You have a buick motor in a suburban I have a 430 I need to use in my suburban also what did you have to do as far as mounts for the engine install? Much appreciated 🙏

I would like to add that the Stage2 package came with the Stage2 camshaft & pushrods; Holley 850 cfm mechanical-secondary carburetor; a set of <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="661">11:1</a> or <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="721">12:1</a> forged-aluminum piston set; GM <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="247">4:7</a>8 - 10 bolt gears; edelbrock B-4B aluminum intake and finally a set of the real Mickey Thompson Super Scavenger headers that were painted Orange- prior to the release of the Stage2 cylinder heads.

Not gonna lie, I'd love to see stuff about Dynaflow transmissions, most of the info I've gotten off the internet has been a bit confusing, and in a format like this it'll be a lot easier to comprehend

I’d love some stuff on the 300cu in Buicks! I picked up a 65 skylark with a 300/st300 and would love some info

I wish you guys were around when we were in highschool choosing what we wanted to build. If somebody someday invents a time machine, I'm sneaking you both in front of the line. Those later rockers were simply not getting enough oil, if the shafts themselves didn't provide oiling holes. Ideal would be to supplementally lubricate the 161s through later-type pushrods. No kidding. So Edelbrock was casting Stage II intake manifolds for GM? I'd like to see something on the dual-vane torque converters for the THD-400s and maybe something on header types

I would like to see how different externals would improve 🐎power vs torque. What is the difference between stage 1 and stage 2 , in performance terms?

Thank you so much. Do you like the 76 blocks and do you like the ta performance timing cover thanks agine

Hey Tony, why don't you go find us a 472/500 Caddy guy?

Hell yes!

did you ever make a video porting the timing cover? I'm currently working on a 71 455. it's been sitting over 30 yrs but I believe it only has 40k original miles

Build a mild street Buick employing all the tricks you need to do to make the engine live a long life.

I'd like to see how you fix the oiling issues with the big block Buick 400 or 455

A couple things that were left off in this video: The Stage 1 package also came with a different distributor and a more aggressive transmission with the designation "BB" along with 3.64 gears. The Factory Stage 2 option also included a more aggressive cam, round exhaust port heads and headers to match...not just a B4B intake. Great video!

uncle tony i have a 73 apollo...with the original buick 350 in it i would like to wake it up ...its a good runner as is....but....ask dallas what factory parts i could use for this purpos...a while back i grabbed a 69 4bbl intake for it....but thats it im still shopping...scrounging...for stuff.. this is a numbers matching rust bucket with 69k on it

I miss my 350 Buick. Once I hit second gear I just pulled away from who ever I was playing with. What do you know about Buicks Stage 3 (experimental) program?

Talk about the GS 340 stuff ,much overlooked motor they came with a glide behind them it's a high revving motor as long as you have taken care of the oil starvation issues . It runs like a 327 but better !LOL As a a kid i drove to Kenne-Bell and picked up all my parts because they took month to deliver stuff back then 80,81 LOL Kenne Bell was Synonymous for slow turtle style shipping ! That's why i drove out and just picked up what they had in stock ! LOL This is way before they went ford stuff LOOL

Small block build!!

Its great to see you no your Buicks, i live in Australia building a 455 .040 up so 468ci looking at putting it into my1977 C20 pickup, i see at the start of the video you put a 400ci, what info do you have on the truck what engine mounts did you use ect. any info would be great Regards Rossco

Hello from the UK, anything on the 215 would be appreciated, the Rover versions of this V8 are about the only V8s we have access to here, on a budget.

A detailed look at the switch pitch.