Question for the VetteMOD engine guru's

1Michel

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Saint Joseph du lac, Québec
I'm not ready to do it yet ($$$) but I'm getting there slowly and like to know where I'm going when I bring it to an engine shop.
So here's what I want, I have a BB 454 original from my 72. I dont think it never was opened or played with.
I wont take any chances and have it rebuilded anyway.
I want to use the same block and heads since its a matching number car and I want to make sure any parts with numbers on it stay on the car. I want it to run on pump gas, dont mind changing everything inside, cam, rockers, lifters, pistons, valve springs ect.

What kind of hp's and torque should I expect out of this with those parameters?

What would you guys do with it?
What parts would you use? cam, springs ect ect.

I'd like to have you guys opinion on this.
 
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Intake manifold?

What RPM range are we talkin?

Porting?
 
Why build to a HP number, I find that a bit self defeating.

Build to the spec you want, how you want to drive it, mileage, manners, etc....the HP will be what it is. That doesn't mean you can't build the most HP to your purpose built engine, but I find when HP is the first question for a car that isn't a drag car, people are disappointed.

Deakins, who is on Natoinal Gaurd duty for a bit, builds race engines. These are $40, $50K motors. NO ONE EVER ASKS THE HP NUMBERS on his motors. They take them, run them, and come back and say they ran great, or need work here or there. If they don't worry about HP, why should you?

HP is just for bragging rights. It's all about the combination. Port the heads, work the valves, raise the compression, do as much as you can do with what you have. The cam will set the personality of the motor, pick wisely, and match the intake to your purpose.
 
ok I meant to ask what could be done with it.
Actualy hp's doesn't really matter,

It still has the Rochester on it. It probably wont stay on it.
RPM range? not too high since it will be street driven and will do a lot of weekend miles. will use a 5 spsd.
I dont want to spend tons of money either on it, want to do it only once.

Porting the heads? if it has to.
Intake manifold? doesnt matter.

Bragging rights? theres always someone who will come up with tons of hps to beat you to it. I didnt ask the question properly. (hey gotta translate everything here and I wont ask about the hps again LOL)

In other words all I'm askin is what would you suggest.
All I'm looking for is just an opinion.
 
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Do you know the head casting numbers?

If budget isnt an option I would get some Hyd roller lifters, run it too say 5500rpm, get a matching intake, and you might even be able to reuse the carb, headers and no less than 2.5" exhuast.

I will look up specific parts.
 
ok I meant to ask what could be done with it.
Actualy hp's doesn't really matter,

COOOLL!!!! Because if I see one more thread about "show me your dyno sheet" my head may explode!!!
It still has the Rochester on it. It probably wont stay on it.
RPM range? not too high since it will be street driven and will do a lot of weekend miles. will use a 5 spsd.
I dont want to spend tons of money either on it, want to do it only once.

Nice, now we're getting somewhere. As Guru mentioned above, if the block will accept a Hyd Roller, I'd go that way. I love what you're trying to do, keep it stock, make it run. Nice.
Porting the heads? if it has to.
Intake manifold? doesnt matter.

Well, head porting is an expense, but always a good thing to do. SO, it's not so much about power as it is expense.

Bragging rights? theres always someone who will come up with tons of hps to beat you to it. I didnt ask the question properly. (hey gotta translate everything here and I wont ask about the hps again LOL)
That's why HP isn't a good metric. You just get into a vicious circle of who's is bigger. And it all comes down to who will spend more money.
In other words all I'm askin is what would you suggest.
All I'm looking for is just an opinion.

Good, I'm never short of an opinion!!:yahoo::hi:
 
Cruiser/driver, pull the heads, and unless you KNOW the short block has a lot of miles on it, examine the walls/bore tops, for wear, bet they fine,....and then redo the heads, slap the sob back together, and stick DPFI on it for the fuel economy and driveability.....tune your cam for 550 ft lbs at idle.....

have fun smoking rubber like John Force.....

:1st::rofl:
 
Cool like I said it's just to get an education so when the time comes I'll know what I want.
Head casting no,
3999241....72......oval...OPEN... 454, 113cc chamber
Block is 3999289
 
Cruiser/driver, pull the heads, and unless you KNOW the short block has a lot of miles on it, examine the walls/bore tops, for wear, bet they fine,....and then redo the heads, slap the sob back together, and stick DPFI on it for the fuel economy and driveability.....tune your cam for 550 ft lbs at idle.....

have fun smoking rubber like John Force.....

:1st::rofl:

Thats an idea,
 
Oval ports are good. Porting will help.

Then get something like a new weiand street warrior intake, keep your quadrajet.

Get a good set of NEW hi quality rockers of the appropriate ratio, roller isnt necessary, but stock stuff is wildly incosistant.

Some retro fit roller lifters and a good roller cam probably in the 225-230ish at .05 range on the intake.
 
I'm not ready to do it yet ($$$) but I'm getting there slowly and like to know where I'm going when I bring it to an engine shop.
So here's what I want, I have a BB 454 original from my 72. I dont think it never was opened or played with.
I wont take any chances and have it rebuilded anyway.
I want to use the same block and heads since its a matching number car and I want to make sure any parts with numbers on it stay on the car. I want it to run on pump gas, dont mind changing everything inside, cam, rockers, lifters, pistons, valve springs ect.

What kind of hp's and torque should I expect out of this with those parameters?

What would you guys do with it?
What parts would you use? cam, springs ect ect.

I'd like to have you guys opinion on this.

I went through the same decision process last winter with my 70 454. I kept block/heads/intake/Qjet. I added a DUI HEI dist. All new internals including crank and hyd roller cam set-up.

It peaked at 532tqe and 463 HP at the crank with the dist crapping out at 5000RPM. With the new dist, It pulls strong right past 5500 and I figure I am seeing the extra 15 HP that I lost due to the old dist. crapping out on the dyno. I haven't gone beyond 5500 but a couple of times, but it was still pulling when I did.

I posted a thread of the build in the engine section with all the specs.

http://vettemod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139
 
It ruins my tune when my balls get wound tighter with today's prices....

:flash::rain:[/QUOTE]
Well the price of barell got down today, fuel prices should come down a bit.
 
I went through the same decision process last winter with my 70 454. I kept block/heads/intake/Qjet. I added a DUI HEI dist. All new internals including crank and hyd roller cam set-up.

It peaked at 532tqe and 463 HP at the crank with the dist crapping out at 5000RPM. With the new dist, It pulls strong right past 5500 and I figure I am seeing the extra 15 HP that I lost due to the old dist. crapping out on the dyno. I haven't gone beyond 5500 but a couple of times, but it was still pulling when I did.

I posted a thread of the build in the engine section with all the specs.

http://vettemod.com/forum/showthread.php?t=139

Ill look it up for sure thanks
 
I'm not ready to do it yet ($$$) but I'm getting there slowly and like to know where I'm going when I bring it to an engine shop.
So here's what I want, I have a BB 454 original from my 72. I dont think it never was opened or played with.
I wont take any chances and have it rebuilded anyway.
I want to use the same block and heads since its a matching number car and I want to make sure any parts with numbers on it stay on the car. I want it to run on pump gas, dont mind changing everything inside, cam, rockers, lifters, pistons, valve springs ect.

What kind of hp's and torque should I expect out of this with those parameters?

What would you guys do with it?
What parts would you use? cam, springs ect ect.

I'd like to have you guys opinion on this.

A machine shop may or may not ask you if you want the block decked. I was more interested in a squared away block than the numbers on it. Consequently, 0.015 wiped off the numbers. If you're interested in numbers matching, ask the machine shop if they can deck the block and salvage the numbers.
 
Is there anything wrong with the original engine ? If it runs fine, doesn't make funny noises or burn oil it might be worth storing it and just buy a long block, check out a few engine builders websites and call around for prices. There are long blocks on Ebay from $2099 and up....
Or do you want the numbers matching engine in the car no matter if it's original or not ?
I'm not a ncrs guy buy any means but I'd think that whenever you sell the car the untouched original engine will be worth some $$$$ I mean it makes a difference on a '72 BB... it's not a '79 SB like mine LOL
 
Is there anything wrong with the original engine ? If it runs fine, doesn't make funny noises or burn oil it might be worth storing it and just buy a long block, check out a few engine builders websites and call around for prices. There are long blocks on Ebay from $2099 and up....
Or do you want the numbers matching engine in the car no matter if it's original or not ?
I'm not a ncrs guy buy any means but I'd think that whenever you sell the car the untouched original engine will be worth some $$$$ I mean it makes a difference on a '72 BB... it's not a '79 SB like mine LOL

I dont think anything's wrong with it. It's been sitting in a garage since the 80's, speedo claims 48000miles on it but I doubt it.
By the look of things it was a bit neglected by the owner and it was a daily driver, joints on the half shafts and drive shaft were gone, tie rods, ball joints, control arms bushings loose things like that.
Took it apart because the frame was shot.
The engine was not seized and I'm pretty sure that with a little clean up work on carb plugs new oil and things I could of start it up.
I didnt try because I didnt want to damage anything.

I'm obviously not a NCRS either but I'm trying to keep those little things (numbers) intact. never know maybe later in life I'll want to take it and make it a NCRS thing.
engine should be a fairly easy rebuild and I plan to make it run.
 
I dont think anything's wrong with it. It's been sitting in a garage since the 80's, speedo claims 48000miles on it but I doubt it.
By the look of things it was a bit neglected by the owner .

Pull the valve covers and the oil pan, then rotate the crank and inspect the bores... remove and inspect the main and rod bearings, label all parts so you know where they go... maybe all you need is new bearings, maybe not even that... pull the intake and have a look at the lifter valley, might have some oil crud in there or under the intake ... pull lifters and shine a flashlight into the holes to inspect the cam lobes ... do you have an engine stand ?
 
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