Okay, I have a big heavy chev with big tires, it has a stock 1985 454 in it right now. I want to know some of the options I have for building this engine.

I'm looking for the different head #'s that I should be looking for along with other info like what cam to use and that. The engine should have 400 to 500 horse.

I can't go drop $10 000 at the performance store so tell me the best way to get some good tourque and power out of this bitch without breaking the bank.

If anyone has some good heads for sale let know.

Cheers
Don

Look for the 73-74 oval ports with the last 3 digits of 049 or 781. Those are the better oval ports. Put 2.19 intake and 1.88 exhaust valves in them. Not sure on a good cam. Get either a performer or performer rpm intake. There are some other good dual planes out there, also. I have been satisfied w/the Edelbrock intakes that I have used.

a good hyd/roller cam will make lots of torque, and you won't be adjusting valves everyday as oppossed to using a solid roller.

-Scott

Rodzilla is dead on about the heads, those castings are the best production ones to run.

Take a look at Crane part # 103072 cam/lifter kit. I used this cam along with a set of 049 heads on a 10:1 454 and it made TONS OF TORQUE!

IMO, the only way my combo could have been better is if it were a hydraulic roller, like Scotts_4x said solid rollers are a PITA.

I don't know what the BB's cost but i just bought a set of SB vortecs complete for $400 new. I dont know if the BB vortecs are as good as the SB vortecs though.

I was going to mention the Vortec BB heads, but I can not remember if the water jackets line up between the GenIV and GenVI BB's. It seems like it can be done w/a special head gasket. I can't find the article.

Originally posted by rodzzilla
I was going to mention the Vortec BB heads, but I can not remember if the water jackets line up between the GenIV and GenVI BB's. It seems like it can be done w/a special head gasket. I can't find the article.

Go for the Vortec BB heads. They have 98cc chambers. I was told by Burt Chevy here in Denver that the markVI head will fit a MarkIV block. They redesigned them and will flow 260cfm out of the box with small valves, and they fix the exhaust port on them so that they flow much better then the early heads. They should be in the 500hp range without putting big valves in. Call John at www.Elgincams.com and he can make you a killer cam for your combo.

Keep the advice coming this is exactly what I wanted to here, thanks for help. Anybody know of some good used heads that I can buy?

Cheers
Don

Vortec BBC heads still have small 'peanut' ports. I don't have flow-bench numbers, but it would seem the good old passenger car oval ports would flow better.

The Vortec heads also have non-adjustable rockers.

Originally posted by u2slow
Vortec BBC heads still have small 'peanut' ports. I don't have flow-bench numbers, but it would seem the good old passenger car oval ports would flow better.

The Vortec heads also have non-adjustable rockers.

Here you go. http://www.sdpc2000.com/cart.asp?action=prod_detail&catid=281&pid=215

BTW the Caddy 500 engine that is in my brothers Nova has Runners CC that is as small as the Peaunt Heads and the engine made 650hp. So large ports are not all they are cracked up to be.

I guess I'm wrong on the Vortec port size - damn brain - it remembers wrong :rolleyes:

I must be remembering how much smaller the Vortec ports were than the Gen VI marine rectangle ports :D

Anyways... you don't need big ports to build torque, and 650hp is probably plenty for a 4x4.

I know a bit about big block chevys.

I want to be the third (?) to say, Oval Port heads.

A hydraulic roller camshaft is going to cost about 3 times as much as a regular hydraulic cam, but it's a good place to spend money because it really fattens up the power "under the curve"

A good manifold/carb is the performer RPM and the edelbrock 750cfm carb. That's really a carter AFB and what's nice because it's tolerant of large angles. Like when you're going up or down a steep hill.

I suggest a set of hypereutectic pistons. Stronger than regular cast aluminum pistons and without the "piston slap" and expense of forged. You can get a set with a nice anti-friction coating from PAW for think about $450. Other than that, just recondition the stock rods and crank. Chamfering & crossdrilling is nice as well.

You can spend a ton of money chasing 500hp in a BBC, and you can catch it too, but in a truck it's not the right way to do it. You want a lower revving, big torque making MOTOR.

if you get a Comp Cams XR282HR hydraulic roller cam you'll have a nice 2200-5800 powerband.
Go for about 9:1 compression, a slightly smaller converter, around 2000-2500 stall and shorty headers.

Shorty headers are nice by the way, in terms of clearence.

You'll have a nice solid 425-450hp motor with over 500lb/ft of torque with plenty of grunt and enough stones to rev to 6000rpm with no ill effects and it wont cost you an arm and a leg.

That's my 2 cents. Well, 3 or 4 cents maybe...