454 Big Block Chevy Build

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Powerhouse Ranch

3G Connoisseur
Joined
Jan 6, 2021
Posts
1,465
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2,629
Location
PA
First Name
Luke
Truck Year
1980 & 1988
Truck Model
C25 & V15
Engine Size
454 & 350
nothing too fancy (but to me it is) factory 454 big block in my '80 GMC paired with 4 speed tranny

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EDIT: sorry the picture is so small, this site likes to screw me sometimes
 

Kevin S

Junior Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2017
Posts
12
Reaction score
19
Location
Japan
First Name
Kevin
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
GMC C2500 High Sierra, Colonial Yellow
Engine Size
BBC 454, manual SM465
I did this recently. 1979 454 in a longbed 2wd. Plan was a torque motor. One year ago and doing fine.

Isky roller 208/218 114LCA with about .500 lift (EFI coming). Torque build. Makes good power off idle, 1600 cam starts noticably helping, 2200 strong and flat torque curve which peaks at 2900RPM. Also chose full roller rockers, ARP bolts etc. Did not skimp on parts.

Used stock Oval port heads, could have re-used the peanut ports because I am not needing much over 3500rpm, but these heads flow strong up to 5K. My engine builder, Chuck McDaniel of C&M in Tonganoxie KS did all the work. He is the big block man, builds racing motors for the monster trucks etc.

Currently Edlebrock dual-plane intake. Edlebrock Pro Flo4 coming soon. New vaccum advance distributor, oil pump, etc.

Thorley Tri-Y headers. Expensive but they fit nice, make great torque, thick & quiet, ceramic coating really keeps the underhood heat down. Quality part. Also sprung for 2.5" SS duals, Flowmaster 50's the longest/quietest, turned out behind rear wheels. I'm old and don't value the noise. Sounds great under load though.

After the build I took it to a dyno ($75 for 3 pulls) to get a baseline for the build, went from a 205-250 stock 380 (?at crank?) to 260hp/390@wheels which I was told figuring 20% losses with the manual drivetrain works out to about 325/450 at crank. Pulls strong and super happy 2200-2900rpm. I am geared a bit high so I "need" to drive it at close to 80mph... ;)

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AKguy

Full Access Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2019
Posts
543
Reaction score
892
Location
Alaska
First Name
Randy
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
K30 Crew Cab Silverado
Engine Size
460
Those Tri-Y headers fit the K series alright?
 

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