455
Pontiac V8 455
Big Block, Bigger Plan — 455 for Pontiac V8s
Starting a build on a 455 means you already have the bore and the 3.25" mains, so a Crate Engine Builder Kit is mostly a question of how much stroke to put under it. The kit arrives as a complete engine in pieces: machined block, balanced rotating assembly, cam and roller lifters, heads, intake and your choice of carburetor or EFI.
Butler builds the 455 around two strokes, 460-474 cu. in. at 4.250" and 487-501 cu. in. at 4.500", both in the 450-550 hp range on pump gas, plus a top end and rotating assembly package for a 4.181" to 4.211" bore if you are supplying the block.
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1. Two Strokes, Both on Pump Gas
The 455 does not need help making torque, so the kits are aimed at making it reliable and streetable at a displacement the factory never offered.
| 460-474 cu. in., 4.250" stroke | cast or forged crank with H-beam rods, rated 450-550 hp, with Butler built heads, an Edelbrock intake and a Comp cam. The most common 455 combination Butler sells. |
| 487-501 cu. in., 4.500" stroke | a forged crank and 6.800" H-beam rods, also 450-550 hp. Half a liter past a factory 455, and the point at which main cap and clearance decisions matter. |
| Either induction | both kits are specified with a carburetor or EFI of your choice, so the intake and ignition are matched to the fuel system you are running. |
2. What Is Actually in the Crate
A builder kit is not a parts list you assemble from a catalog. It is one matched combination, machined together.
| Block | a 400, 428 or 455 Pontiac block with a 4-bolt main and main stud upgrade available, dipstick tube installed, through the Butler Process. |
| Rotating assembly | crank, 6.800" H-beam rods, Butler forged pistons and pins, Total Seal rings and C77 race bearings, balanced. |
| Valvetrain and oiling | Butler billet gears and chains, a high volume oil pump, a BP/Comp hydraulic roller cam with roller lifters, custom pushrods, roller rockers and a damper. |
| Top end | Butler built heads with a choice of CNC porting, and the intake to suit the induction you picked. |
3. Supplying Your Own Block, and What Happens Next
Plenty of 455 owners already have a machined block or a shop they trust. The top end and rotating assembly package is built for that.
| 461-474 cu. in. package | a cast or forged 4.250" stroke rotating assembly for a 4.181" to 4.211" bore with Ross forged pistons, Edelbrock RPM heads in D-port or round port exhaust, and a Comp cam and hydraulic roller top end. The block is not included. |
| Before the first cut | every builder kit ordered online is reviewed by an engine tech, and you receive a formal itemized build sheet before machining begins. |
| Confirm the application | the review exists so the kit matches the car and upgrades happen on paper. |
| Plan the assembly | kits ship unassembled and are built by you or your shop. Butler works with shops around the country and will help yours. |
Bring the chassis, transmission, converter or gear, and the fuel you intend to run to the first conversation. On a 455, compression and cam timing are what make big displacement drivable.
Not sure what your Pontiac needs?
Call our tech team at 866-762-7527. Tell us your engine, heads, car, and power goal, and we will put the parts together as one combination that works.