My low-compression 455 street engine, built with 99% stock parts. It would be hard to build a milder (or cheaper) 455.
1973 455 block bored +.030 for 462 cubes, no decking or line bore/hone.
TRW forged pistons, matched to the weight of the original factory pistons/pins. Pistons at zero-deck (zero to -.005"), same as factory pistons.
Stock un-rebuilt cast rods
with original bolts, std./std. stock 455 cast crank, no balancing other than the factory balance job.
1971 #66 455 114cc heads (no porting/port matching or milling) converted to 7/16" straight screw-in studs, 8.2:1 compression.
Crane 068 'Blueprint' cam, installed straight-up with Cloyes Tru-Roller timing chain set. Stock stamped steel RAIV 1.65 rockers, polylock nuts, stock 5/16" pushrods, Edelbrock 5758 springs, stock retainers/keepers.
Melling M54DS oil pump (pickup retained with 10-32 bolt tapped and loctited), HO Racing hardened oil pump driveshaft, 1973 baffled oil pan with HO Racing trap-door mod for retaining oil pressure on hard right turns. Oil filter adapter bypass plugged with 3/8 pipe plug.
1966 Tri-Power, stock including jetting with K&N filters.
1967 HO repro exhaust manifolds, full 2-1/2" exhaust with 17749 20" long Walker Dynomax Super Turbo mufflers.
Stock points distributor/stock coil ignition, HO Racing curve kit
TH400 trans/13" Continental converter, original 2.56 geared 8.2" 10-bolt open rear, 235/45-17 (25.3" tall) street tires. 1964 Tempest weighing in at 3780# w/o driver.
Dragstrip results: 13.899 @ 101.85 MPH going through the traps in 2nd gear, shifting at 5000 RPM. This was the only run I could get in at the crowded track that day, but I was glad to come home with a 13-second timeslip. Couldn't launch it hard, otherwise no traction. Pitiful 2.3-second 60' times, the Tempest was built for cornering and highway flying (saw 140 MPH once).
An honest 335 HP at the flywheel, runs on 87 octane.
