Louisiana Classic Truck Club

Alriaght Mike i think you coulkd answer this the best but the rest do chim in...... Can a 454 be bolted up to the small block towers????? I am working on something as in a deal a 76 model 454 and turbo 400....I am going listen to the motor this afternoon.. I am not saying that is the route i am going but wanted to look into it... Never had a big block!!!! If i could bolt the 454 up to the small block towers what is needed? Unless some one would have a set of big block towers laying around....So Chim away guys!!!!!

Eric,

No it won't clear the exhaust manifiolds or headers, the big block mounts take a big dip for clearance. You have to have the right mounts, the motor will bolt in but as I said the exhaust won't clear. Another thing unless you get all the short water pump pulley's and brackets and are forced to use the 76 long water pump stuff it's not as neat a setup and the AC compressor is on the wrong side. You get into things like the fan shroud not clearing the alternator and the AC comp is real close to the master cylinder but it will and can work. Mounts are pretty easy to come by but the rest of is expensive. I don't want to chase you away from doing it because you will love the big motor if you decide to go that way.

Mike

Dawg, thanks for the input.....when i go to look at it ill snap a few shots of the brakets and that stuff and see what ya think.... I can get the who set up and the turbo 400......My brother in law has the set up and two turbo 400's what would you think would be a good going price....


Eric

Hard to say Eric, they usually don't go for a whole lot unless they are built you know. I would guess for the engine & tranny around 5 or 6 hundred tops but that's just me because I have spares that I don't have a lot of money in. It would depend on mileage, has it ever been rebuilt etc. etc. and I would pay more if it was something good. Find out what he wants for it and let me know. I wouldn't break the bank for a stocker unless it was real fresh. It cost more to build a bullet proof big block than it does a small block so if it's gonna need a rebuild you could get into a lot of money. I will tell you if it is a 76 motor it should have a good set of 049 or 781 heads on it but if it's up in the 80's it will have crap heads so if this is the case it's worth quite a bit more $ than something newer. Another thing, I missed out on a complete 454 not long ago cause I didn't get off my a$$ and go get it when the guy told me to, and he only wanted 200 bucks for it.

Mike

Well i know it has studs installed, guild plates,better springs, the motor has been gone through, has nice intake.....and i know its a 76 model.....I did n't get to go look at it but he told me if i want to hear it run i would need to go listen to it tomorrow becuase its coming out of the the truck they put it in.....ill try and get pics then.....


Eric

Sounds pretty good but just so you know all big blocks have screw in studs and guide plates.

Eric, let me rephrase that, all Mark 4 bigblocks had the screw in studs, generation 5 and 6 have pressed in studs,


Mike

Well i talked to him last night on the phone and he told me that it was a fresh motor with new flat tops in it healthy cam, new intake, something about the guide plates, new heavier springs, new meaty push rods..l.. He was thinking the motor was maybe even older...like 73 or 74....I was going to ride over there this morning and look at it and see if he left the keys for me to crank it... The numbers on the block on a big block would be in the back where the bell housing bolts up correct? Is there any numbers on the heads besides under the valve covers? My brother in law got the 94 dually from a buddy of ours that drag races from time to time. He had put the motor and tranny in there.. My brother inlaw is going to take a 98 vortex and from the dash forward and change it out so it will be on all computer. I told my brother inlaw what i was wanting it for and he said that all it really needs is some fine tunning and dressing up....It has lots of potental.....so we will see....

Eric

Sounds good Eric. The numbers are under the valve covers. just check the harmonic balancer, it should be like a 400 cause it's externally ballanced. You should be able to feel the counterweight. You'll know it's a 454 that way.

Mike

Is ther any other way to see if its the good heads???? I do not want to take his valve covers off...

Eric

Nope, sorry

Well be watching for pics i am leaving soon as i get off the computer to go look and i am going to bring the cam... for a few pics

You have pics in your email Mike

Aw, C'mon! No pics for us normal people? I may not know big blocks, but I sure does like me some pics!

OK Steven, since he didn't post them I guess I will lol. Eric that thing looks real good, I was expecting an old stocker. Do you get the carb and headers too? Those headers will fit your truck too.