Thread: Need 454 engine advice for 73'nova!

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Hello, I want to put a 454 on my nova(Street&Strip car!) the car was originally a 350 powered car! What I want to know is what kind of 454 should i go with, for example what year block should i be looking for? Are early 70's 454 engines a good choice! Is it important if I find a 454 with oval or rect port heads, or a block that has 2 or 4 bolt mains? please help me know what kind 454 engine is the most desireable! Thank you for any replies!!-Danny

Most of the blocks commonly available are 70's truck. Nothing wrong with these. They are two bolt blocks that are fine for a street car. If in doubt install main studs instead of bolts and you will be ready for serious horsie power.

The cast crank will take all a serious street runner can give it.

Use a good piston, K B makes a piston with short dome, shoot for 9.5 compression. Big block chevies do like to break rod bolts, so replace them with good ARP types and resize them. The good 3/8 bolt rods will take a lot of H power and street rpm. I've used them in an old econodigger that saw lots of rpm.

The desireable street heads are the early seventies oval ports. The rectagle port heads are somewhat rare on a rebuilder type motor and are not needed for a streetable car. Most of the desireable casting numbers need hard exh. seats installed for reliability and most hot street engines opt for the 1.88 stainless exhaust with the 2.19 intake valve. USE GOOD SPRINGS! As big blocks have been known to drop valves. This is due to the large intake valves, guide wear and not enuff spring.

Big blocks like split pattern camshafts and the more lift the better. Keep the effective duration down below something like 230 deg. A good 4bbl aftermkt intake and a 700+ cfm carb. An aftermkt distrib and headers will make a potent street runner.

REmember to flip your heater core and redrill the box. Otherwise you will have broken heater tubes all the time. Use a BIG radiator. and power disc brakes. That stock rear won't last with good bite'n tires either.

BEEN THERE MANNNY TIMES!!

A block like that won't fetch over $75.00 around here. A broken starter hole is a problem, but then sombody F**%%** messed it up and now the only way to use it is to buy a custom race type starter with the extra holes. Or pay mucho dollar for a correct repair.

hi, i had a problem like that with my circle track car, i was running stick...i bought a early type blowproof bell and changed the starter cone ...to an early 60's model ...then the started was bolted to the blowproff instead of the block...it all depends how bad you want it and how much you want to spend...their are ways around it..
good luck on what you decide.

hello guys, Well Im going to buy a complete good running 454bbc from what i think is a 1985 gmc pick up or 1 ton 4x4 Im not sure, but the engine is all there!. What can i do with the rear of my nova to handle all the power from the big block? right now there is a 8.5 10 bolt posi rear end and im not sure if I should be looking for a better rear? Also im thinking of putting good camshaft that has that real aggressive big block idle!! but im not sure what camshaft or what duration or lift to chose to get this tipe of sound? the motor is going to be street/strip not all out racing. Im thinking of looking at comp cams or Isky camshafts they seem to be good brands. Thanks for any replies!!Danny.

Try a 12 bolt posi maybe 3.73 gears or so . Try Jegs or Summit if you want . You could probablly find a used one out a Z-28 and re- condition it. I like Crane Cams Extreme Energy Cams they have a broad torque range. Try not to over cam the 454 . 268- 272 duration is plenty for the street. Low end torque is where the big blocks really take over!!!!

The stock 10 bolt rear ends will take a surprising amount of abuse. Of course, lots more torque might do it in. If funds are limited, I would pass on the rear end for now, but figure on replacing it sometime with something heavier. I agree, 3:73 gears are good for the street/strip. I run them in my Chevelle, not to bad on the street with a TH400. On the cam, dont go overboard for a rough idle, it will sound nasty, but will run like crap and you'll be dissapointed. Duration mentioned above is about right, or advertised dur. from 215 to maybe 230 or so. If you want a lumpier idle, get the LSA (lobe seperation angle) at 108 or 107 degrees instead of the normal 112 or 110. But, talk with the cam tech guys about what you have first. If it's a stock block, your comp. ration is going to be wayyyyyy low, and a big cam on top of that will kill you, you wont be happy. Any of the cam company's are good, I prefer Howard's cams in Wisconsin...good, personal customer service. Good luck.