omegaman

any rebuild should involve the oil mods and should be done by an experienced BUICK or Rover engine builder. you let a Chevy guy build it and it will probably blow up within a thousand miles. Chevy guys are used to allowing WAY too much clearance on the bearings, and Buick MUST have less than .0025" on all main and rod bearings. Chevy guys also don't know how to check clearances in the Buick oil pump.

if you're going to do a block over bore, now would be a good time to bump static compression to at least 10:1. and, of course, squaring and zeroing the deck height is always a good idea.

if you want to progress beyond that, aluminum intake and headers would probably a combination of best hp / dollar and simplest to do.

"the engine I am looking to put in is a 68-70 Buick 455 BB. "

just a few points to clarify. there was NO Buick 455 prior to 1970. the 1967-69 BB engines were either 430's or 400's. all BBB's have 5 bolt valve covers.

there is a Buick engine that begins production in 1968, but it's the 350, a member of the small block Buick family. because of the extremely long stroke and tall deck height which makes them very wide, Buick 350's are often mistaken for a big block. all Buick 350's have 6 bolt valve covers.





"I of course will have to rebuild the BBB. What pionters could you give me in rebuilding the motor to make big HP at a more affordable level?"

the first things on any Buick engine are:
1 - distributor recurve, HEI conversion if it's still points
2 - carb refurb, especially if it's the original Q-jet
3 - headers and full dual exhaust
4 - cam