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468 BB Chevy - What is this worth?
- Thread starter ZombieK5
- Start date
How do you know it's a 468? Previous owners word?
I wondered the same thing. Its already .060 over? Some take them .100 if you sonic check them. 505 cubes with more stroke than a ZZ502. Torque Monsta!
tall deck it and go 555 cid . . . 
Im curious to what the numbers are on the stamping pad. Might help decipher it's origin. Could be clean too if they machined the deck during the rebuild.
Check the casting number on the left rear(drivers side) above the bellhousing, behind the head. That will tell you what you need to know. Stock bore is 4.25 with a 4" stroke for a 454. Its very easy to stroke it to 4.25".
Why stop there? You can make a 555 cid short deck these days, or bigger. Tall deck go at least 572, or bigger, 615 is a good number to shoot for....tall deck it and go 555 cid . . .
If you were buying a block anyway.Back to reality. With that block you can easily go 496, just depends on what year it is and if its a factory roller or not what parts you need to do it.
Why stop there? You can make a 555 cid short deck these days, or bigger. Tall deck go at least 572, or bigger, 615 is a good number to shoot for....
Back to reality. With that block you can easily go 496, just depends on what year it is and if its a factory roller or not what parts you need to do it.
I love that this engine thread turned into a "Might As Well" moment for everyone....
A long time ago, I bought a good "core" 454, to rebuild for my '72 Suburban... the machine work costs to reclaim the internals ended up being the same costs as buying a complete new 496 rotating assembly... @4X4HIGH did all the assembly and rebuilt the heads with larger valves.... and my "cheap" 454 became an expensive 496!!!!
Now.... that engine lives and breathes in the @NorCal69 Blazer project. Life is funny sometimes.
-G
You need gearing for Moab, its easy to overpower some climbs. Its not Madram on a hillclimb!
Mud, Sand, and Swamp need power. That said, never have I said, I wish I wouldn’t have put a BBC in my truck.
I'm kinda w/ Folken on this. You have a good working big block, if you want more power you're gonna be able to easily make more power with it, and more than likely more torque. Which these chunky beasts never have enough of. And you can still go to a carb setup if that's your wish.
Perhaps consider looking at what would be available to upgrade your BB for the same price as you're looking at the SB.
Perhaps consider looking at what would be available to upgrade your BB for the same price as you're looking at the SB.
EVERYONE, Bear with me. IF I took advice to keep the BB. What estimate could you give me about costs? I wouldn't go cheap but I want to keep it mechanical (no EFI or electric fuel pump - firm on this point).
Best Rotating Assembly?
Forged vs Cast crank and Pistons?
Bore over to what size (maybe to a 502 or 496)?
Head modifications to handle new block or new Brodix)?
Cost for a rebuilder to complete?
New carb recommendations?
Don't hold back, I know you guys won't!
$6,000 budget
Btw, I'm in Bucks County PA if anyone knows a rebuilder?
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Check out SuperChevy "FrankenRat" articles as a good starting point....
They took a 454HO crate motor and did bolt ons to show the progression of power that was possible. Once you know how much power you want, you can figure out hard it will be to get.
Honestly, if you were expecting to be happy with 400-460Lbs of TQ (with the 383)... even a mild BBC will get the job done.
I took all the articles and just plotted the TQ on a single graph to make it easier to follow....
-G
biggest things with stockish BBC engines is 3 fold from what i have read over the years .
lack of GOOD compression ratio for truck engines .
baby cams .
small valves in the heads .
bump the comp / ratio up to around 9.25 - 9.5-1 . might get this with head swap also for a 2 for 1 bump .
then put in a good low to mid range cam for gobbs of low / mid torque .
watch some engine masters shows for bbc builds on the cheep or budget for real dyno #'s / results . i have seen a few and was blown away .
lack of GOOD compression ratio for truck engines .
baby cams .
small valves in the heads .
bump the comp / ratio up to around 9.25 - 9.5-1 . might get this with head swap also for a 2 for 1 bump .
then put in a good low to mid range cam for gobbs of low / mid torque .
watch some engine masters shows for bbc builds on the cheep or budget for real dyno #'s / results . i have seen a few and was blown away .
Ill watch them.
Looking for a "pleasant" compromise. Decent torque and HP. I don't need to pull the space shuttle and I'm gonna race a C8. It needs to have good idle without stalling if left alone.
First thing I would do is ask around to find out which engine shops near you are the good ones. Then pay them a visit and discuss going through the bottom end, new pistons and cam, and redoing the heads. They can give you a good number for the cost and a decent estimate of wait time. Add a month to the wait time
The main benefit of going big block over a small block is the fact that the big block is going to build the same or more power, but not be as radical as a similar power small block.
It's all in the advantage of larger displacement. You can build more power with less aggressive compression and limit the need for hi octane fuel or building it to spin to 6000-7000 rpm.
The big block isn't working nearly as hard to make the power as a similar power small block. That comes with more docile manners in idle quality and doesn't need a solid roller cam (and periodic valve lash adjustments). Turn the key and drive it.
My truck is about as close as one could get for a direct a-b comparison in the same truck going from a 5.3 LS to 8.1 big block. The 5.3 got the job done. Just suffered getting my big brick like heavy truck up to speed on hills and headwinds. If I beat on it, the 5.3 would perform but at a high rpm. Now with the 8.1 it's a whole new animal. I can accelerate using so much less throttle it's silly. Hills and headwinds don't bother it at all. It can haul ass and surprise many that think they can out run it. It's just a giggle factory now. No way would I go back to any small block, built or otherwise over a big block in a heavy truck like these.
I know the op wants to stick with a carb and no fuel injection like my example had, but the idea is the same the big block just builds more torque sooner and still would perform better with a carb over a small block with a carb.
$6k is a completely reasonable budget to build a really good big block with.
It's all in the advantage of larger displacement. You can build more power with less aggressive compression and limit the need for hi octane fuel or building it to spin to 6000-7000 rpm.
The big block isn't working nearly as hard to make the power as a similar power small block. That comes with more docile manners in idle quality and doesn't need a solid roller cam (and periodic valve lash adjustments). Turn the key and drive it.
My truck is about as close as one could get for a direct a-b comparison in the same truck going from a 5.3 LS to 8.1 big block. The 5.3 got the job done. Just suffered getting my big brick like heavy truck up to speed on hills and headwinds. If I beat on it, the 5.3 would perform but at a high rpm. Now with the 8.1 it's a whole new animal. I can accelerate using so much less throttle it's silly. Hills and headwinds don't bother it at all. It can haul ass and surprise many that think they can out run it. It's just a giggle factory now. No way would I go back to any small block, built or otherwise over a big block in a heavy truck like these.
I know the op wants to stick with a carb and no fuel injection like my example had, but the idea is the same the big block just builds more torque sooner and still would perform better with a carb over a small block with a carb.
$6k is a completely reasonable budget to build a really good big block with.
you might have a good runner once you check compression and see what heads are on by the casting #'s . if so you might just need to do heads up and leave the bottom end if its good oil pressure and no noises .
If it's in the budget I would replace the heads with an aluminum oval port set, it depends on the condition of your bottom end, and if this budget includes a new carb and intake, and what the machine shop charges. Be careful as these days the labor for heads, especially if they need new guides and/or valve seats, can easily be more than they are worth and most of a new set by the time you get new valve springs, etc.
If you get it align honed, bored, decked, etc it can easily be over a grand in machining. If you just hone the cylinders and polish the crank and put new rings and bearings in, that's a lot cheaper.
If that crank and bore is good, do you plan to replace it anyway so everything is new, or would you reuse it. If you want me to help plan the build I will, just let me know, be happy to help. If you prefer to buy everything from the local machine shop I understand that too. Its very important to find a competent machine shop, so you don't have a bad experience.
I could get you everything for the whole build, or just the cam and top end, or just the carb and intake, or nothing of course. You just let me know what you need help with.
If you get it align honed, bored, decked, etc it can easily be over a grand in machining. If you just hone the cylinders and polish the crank and put new rings and bearings in, that's a lot cheaper.
If that crank and bore is good, do you plan to replace it anyway so everything is new, or would you reuse it. If you want me to help plan the build I will, just let me know, be happy to help. If you prefer to buy everything from the local machine shop I understand that too. Its very important to find a competent machine shop, so you don't have a bad experience.
I could get you everything for the whole build, or just the cam and top end, or just the carb and intake, or nothing of course. You just let me know what you need help with.
If we go this route, I'd want NEW rotating assembly w forged crank and pistons. Would need to get it balanced or buy it balanced. Was gonna just get new aluminum heads and of course new intake and carb. Would go big so probably settle for making it a 496.
I'd love some advice and I'm currently looking for a machine shop around Philly
