The Official H-Body Internet Community

Anybody ever put a BOP 455 into a Vega? I've got an olds 455 t400 looking at stuffing it in. Have done sbc Vegas before

anything is possible with enough time/money invested. I would think right off the top of my head the width of that engine would be a concern.

A member here put a Cadillac engine ( I think the 425) in his, Doug in Arizona.

Like Megavega said its going to be tight

Old pic of a Vega with a Buick 455. I believe they cut the firewall to make it fit. Brian

just dont understand putting a giant, overweight engine in these little cars.im picking up another small block with around 675 horses and it weighs probably only around a little over 500 lbs and it only costs $5500 and it bolts right in. just my way of thinking art

When it comes to money, power and simplicity you can't argue that. I think the Caddy engine is lighter than a Buick 455 and if you put an aluminum intake on the Buick it is lighter than a standard SBC. I like them all Pontiac is just a pig though never put one of them in an H body

brian what is that 350 buick engine that only weighs around 450 lbs. is that a misprint or is it some type of aluminum engine.? cant believe a cast buick 350 only weighs in the 450lb range art

You see how old that list is? I looked at a couple more engine weight lists on the net and they say the same. Smaller bore (3.80) longer stroke (3.85"), deep skirt higher nickle content block. The timing chain cover which includes the oil pump and water pump is aluminum so that helps save some weight. I think its correct. Brian

brian that engine sure is light. just cant imagine how they saved so much weight. didnt think the aluminum timing cover-water pump(like AMC) engines would deduct so much weight. im gonna ask my buddy who is an engine builder about this. hows the family. one of those boys must be ready to go off to college soon talk soon art

Do it.

chevyart wrote:just dont understand putting a giant, overweight engine in these little cars.im picking up another small block with around 675 horses and it weighs probably only around a little over 500 lbs and it only costs $5500 and it bolts right in. just my way of thinking art

Why would you put a 675 HP engine in these little cars? So, impractical.
Why use the SBC when a Buick 350 is lighter and it too is a bolt in. Not sure what you're thinking, but just my way of thinking.

BTW, the heaviest of those giant. overweight engines is the BBC. Still, I'd like to put a 396 in my Monza.

chevyart wrote:brian that engine sure is light. just cant imagine how they saved so much weight. didnt think the aluminum timing cover-water pump(like AMC) engines would deduct so much weight. im gonna ask my buddy who is an engine builder about this. hows the family. one of those boys must be ready to go off to college soon talk soon art

Hey Art, everybody is good here. Hope all is good your way too! This Nov. my oldest turns 18 It sure goes quick.

125lbs lighter than the SBC it's hard telling where the savings comes from. Maybe your buddy can tell us?

Obviously none of us think exactly the same, somebody here is putting a diesel engine in their H I can just feel it!

675 hp just makes it safer for passing or possibly avoiding a accident. Honest honey, that's why I did it.

hey reso im a drag racer and the lightest engine with the most horses is the way to go, and you really dont want that extra weight over the front wheels. thats why i didnt understand putting those big heavy engines in the h-bodies, not to mention all the cutting and fabrication you would need to do just to get them engines in there. maybe it would be a good talking piece at the local car show. i dont really think there are lots of speed parts for that light weight buick engine. really dont know anything about and that 675 horse engine in getting is another engine for my 67 nova drag car. the vega has a 540 horse SBC(honest horses)(408cu.in.) and it runs on pump gas(10-1 compression) PS the 396 chevies are one the baddest ass engines that gm ever put in their cars. always liked them, but now im a small block guy art

The small block (350) Buick really is lighter than a sbc, and has more low end torque when built comparatively.

The weight savings is in less mass (less iron), which as Brian said, Buick was able to get away with because they used a high nickel content in the castings.

It's almost a direct bolt-in for an H-body; it's very similar to the 3.8 V6. Just has an extra set of cylinders hanging on the front.

doesnt one of our members(nicks vega?) have a buick engine in his vega. never heard of those engines before. just guess i cant see past the sbc engines art

wish i had seen this post a year ago........but better late then never. Pontiac is just a pig? well i have put a Pontiac 455 into my Sunbird. It makes my car original in that it is all Pontiac and in the last year that they offered a Pontiac motor 1978. I cant speak for the other 455 plate forms but i can for the Pontiac. It may not be everyone's brand but to call it a pig or a boat anchor is naive. In stock form we are comparing sbc weight of #575 to the #640 of the Pontiac. That's a difference of #65 and that is with accessories on. If you are using this as a street strip car more then likely you are not going to use all the accessories. (power steering, A/C) but even so of if its only #65 not exactly busting the scales. When comparing the performance numbers there are numerous examples on the web of building power with Pontiac's and for every budget. money is relative to any engine that is built. I have seen them turbo charged making over 2000hp. A Pontiac can easily be built using factory parts to make a 1 to 1 more and then some. The biggest thing that is over looked is that all the parts are interchangable with a few exceptions. For example take a good pair of heads off of a 350 plug them onto a 455 bump up the compression and be ready to pull some stumps. If we just compare weight alone you are not looking at the full picture and in my opinion comparing a 455 to a sbc is not even a comparison. one has the potential to have 85 cubic inches more power.(468 to 383) this to me is big block territory and all in a motor that weighs #65 more. The two motors don't even drive the same. While you are winding your mouse to make horsepower the Pontiac is making torque at just over idle. Lets not forget torque is what you feel, horsepower just sells cars. Check out my garage the motor in it is a 400 nothing fancy just an intake and a ram air 4 cam. The motor in the corner is a 1973 400 waiting for a 462 stroke kit. Hope to have it out on the street this summer.......looking for small blocks