Help with 454 decision, picking up today.

[deve05]

In my search for a big block to build one piece at a time I had found a 427 tall deck, took some advice and passed up on it and now I found this guy selling two 454 bare standard deck blocks for 325 each.

One is a 445 casting number, the other one is a 959. I have pictures of both blocks and I don't know which one is which or which one is better, but I did notice something I'm not familiar with. The orange block(pictures attached) has 4 bolts in the three center caps and only two on the outer caps. The black one has 4 bolts on every cap. How come???

Of course my rookie noob ass is gravitating towards the one with 4 bolts all the way around, but should I be choosing a specific casting instead? Both are same price.

Thanks in advance for any help.

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[Slow build jim]

The black one says 454 sleeve on it in yellow . I would ask questions.

 

[deve05]

The black one says 454 sleeve on it in yellow . I would ask questions.

Yeah they all need sleeves. Which I don't really care about cuz I know a machine shop that does quality work at decent prices and I phoned them and they said 180 to resleeve and 500 for a full cleaning and inspection. And all the other blocks with 4 bolts within a 100 mile radius that I've found are 600 +

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[deve05]

Yeah they all need sleeves. Which I don't really care about cuz I know a machine shop that does quality work at decent prices and I phoned them and they said 180 to resleeve and 500 for a full cleaning and inspection. And all the other blocks with 4 bolts within a 100 mile radius that I've found are 600 +

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Correction, each block needs 1 sleeve.

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[bucket]

The orange block has bosses for a roller lifter retainer, like a Gen6 block. But theres no oil ports in the pan rail. That one must have been a crate motor. Have you looked up the full casting numbers?

 

[deve05]

The orange block has bosses for a roller lifter retainer, like a Gen6 block. But theres no oil ports in the pan rail. That one must have been a crate motor. Have you looked up the full casting numbers?

I have not. Don't know how...

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[deve05]

The orange block has bosses for a roller lifter retainer, like a Gen6 block. But theres no oil ports in the pan rail. That one must have been a crate motor. Have you looked up the full casting numbers?

These are the two full numbers

Block #361959 Big Block 454 4 Bolt
Block #14015445 Big block 454 4 bolt

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[bucket]

They are both 70's-80's truck blocks. The orange block is interesting, but that's the one I'd pick. A roller cam swap would be cheaper and simpler.

http://outintheshop.com/faq/casting/castings2.html

 

[deve05]

They are both 70's-80's truck blocks. The orange block is interesting, but that's the one I'd pick. A roller cam swap would be cheaper and simpler.

http://outintheshop.com/faq/casting/castings2.html

Would you be able to explain why? Honestly I'm gonna take your advice on it, folks in this forum have never led me wrong. But I'd like to Learn...

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[metal tech]

from looking at the lifter bores the orange block looks a SBC not a BBC. the black blocks lifter bores are staggered which all BBC's have. Check with a tape measure 4.00 vs 4.25

 

[HotRodPC]

I'm not up on the different big blocks in the later years, but by the longer studs on the main bolt studs, I'd be thinking those studs are for a windage tray to keep oil in the pan. That one could possibly have been a marine engine. They'll sometimes do that so when the boat is planing with the nose high in the air it's still going to be able to pick up oil.

 

[deve05]

from looking at the lifter bores the orange block looks a SBC not a BBC. the black blocks lifter bores are staggered which all BBC's have. Check with a tape measure 4.00 vs 4.25

You were actually 100% on that. The guy didn't know what he was doing, after looking at the block for a bit I realized why it seemed so strange, and then I asked him to send me a picture of the side of the block and it was a 350 SBC, not a bbc.

The whole thing ended up being a huge waste of time. Drove 2 hours to pick up a block and the seller stopped answering. Waited around for two hours and when he finally answered said he wouldn't be available for another four hours. I cut my losses at that point and head for home.

Now I'm 6 hours and 120 dollars in gas into this and still no block. I thought BBC were more common than this. But everyone within a 100 mile radius is asking 1000+ for 4 bolts or selling cheap, tall decks, or cheap motors that need sleeves or have cracks that were welded. If only I could find a stock bore 454 bbc. I'm wanting to stick to the factory bore so I don't want something that's already .030 or .060 over already. [emoji19]

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[metal tech]

this may help a little. I use car-part.com to search salvage yards for parts along with craigslist. Just gotta keep looking as new trucks can be added daily. I'm not sure what your end goal is, but a 2 bolt main BBC can hold 650 HP. Yes a 4 bolt main is nice but realistically unless you simply plan to beat on it every time you drive or race it a 2 bolt will live. I have a 2 bolt MKIV block that I am adding a 4.25 stroke crank to and it's going into my 85. With ported 781 oval ports and a hyd roller cam, 500 hp and 500+ tq will be fine with the 2 bolt block.

 

[deve05]

this may help a little. I use car-part.com to search salvage yards for parts along with craigslist. Just gotta keep looking as new trucks can be added daily. I'm not sure what your end goal is, but a 2 bolt main BBC can hold 650 HP. Yes a 4 bolt main is nice but realistically unless you simply plan to beat on it every time you drive or race it a 2 bolt will live. I have a 2 bolt MKIV block that I am adding a 4.25 stroke crank to and it's going into my 85. With ported 781 oval ports and a hyd roller cam, 500 hp and 500+ tq will be fine with the 2 bolt block.

So I'm looking specifically for a 4 bolt because I'm a "do it right, do it once" kinda guy. I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm new to the old school project car stuff and I'm going off what I like and what my research has led me to believe. My truck is a really long term project to be completed over 3 years. I want the truck ready for when I graduate college. I'm looking for a 4 Bolt specifically because I have a perfectly sound and running small block in my truck. So as I repair and restore the body and frame, that engine is going to stay in the truck and I'll be building the 454 on an engine stand. I'm planning on building an engine that will handle a power output of around 1000, but that I'll be running only 600-750 through it. But then again I may do that and then feel I want to add a blower or centrifugal supercharger later. So since I don't know where the power road will take me, I'd rather get the right block and build it right the first time even if it's more expensive and takes me longer to finish.

The only reason I'm skeptical to pay $1000+ for a block is because of all the stories I read on forums of people getting 4 bolt bbc for around $500-$600.

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[deve05]

this may help a little. I use car-part.com to search salvage yards for parts along with craigslist. Just gotta keep looking as new trucks can be added daily. I'm not sure what your end goal is, but a 2 bolt main BBC can hold 650 HP. Yes a 4 bolt main is nice but realistically unless you simply plan to beat on it every time you drive or race it a 2 bolt will live. I have a 2 bolt MKIV block that I am adding a 4.25 stroke crank to and it's going into my 85. With ported 781 oval ports and a hyd roller cam, 500 hp and 500+ tq will be fine with the 2 bolt block.

I went on that site you mentioned. car-part.com

And I'm either doing it wrong or finding a block on this site is going to be a nightmare. It doesn't have a keyword search, and doesn't have a year range option. So the only way I see of doing this is knowing what vehicles came with 454's in them and search one by one year by year. Am I missing something?

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