Hi there.

My name's Chris. I have been involved in Buick muscle cars since 1989. In 1991 I put a used but happy Buick 455 in my Skylark, and in 1999 I rebuilt it top to bottom.

I have a problem right now that has always been around in this particular engine block, but I didn't know about it until my latest cam swap.

My engine block is a 1974 Buick 455, a "double scallop" block. I had it bored 0.030" over. It had a problem from the factory that nobody but the assembly workers ever knew about, it seems.

While swapping cams, I noted a "C" or possibly an incomplete "O" stamped on a lifter bore. It turns out that I require a 0.010" oversize lifter in that bore, from the factory.

The GM lifter that solves this problem became NLA (no longer available) in 1994. GM North America and GM Europe do not list this part as being in inventory, anywhere

I am a member of the Buick Performance Group, and a fellow member told me he had the same problem once, and had a Ford Small Block lifter taken down to .852~.853" on a centerless grinder


I am very much in need of info on these Ford small block lifters. A technical drawing would be ideal. I need to know what problems I can encounter having this lifter turned down to the correct size.

Also, if anyone happens to have an unused GM hydraulic lifter that is .853", i am interested in buying it. If you have 16, I am interested in buying all 16 so that folks in my club have a solution to this not extremely rare problem

Any info or insight is appreciated