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BIG BLOCK GUYS: Identify this block.

76zimmer

76zimmer

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He said the 427 is sold, but the 454 is still available:

1 80's 454 2 bolt from dually with 70,000 miles. Standard bore in good shape, run as is. Large oval port heads, no intake. $600

http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/pts/1360824101.html

what head #s should it have for large port ovals.

Is this a good baseline 5000rpm engine. Maybe new cam/intake etc.

Problem areas to look for?
 
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Can anybody help me out here?

Bore should be 4.251/stroke 4.00 right.

How about block #'s for this 80's 454?
Head #'s?
 
5000 would be pushing it on the stock rods and rod bolts........ well maybe not "pushing" it but thats about max
 
Also check the mains and rods crank oiling is the Achilles heel of a bigblock
 
Does 500$ seem reasonable for a good engine, NOT needing a rebuild, if it inpects ok? I will also try to take off the pan to check the bottom end, and take the heads off. Thats probably what I would offer, if all checks out good.
 
500 seems a little high but if it checks out I'd say its worth it
 
yellowK20 said:
500 seems a little high but if it checks out I'd say its worth it
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I'm going the other way...I think 500 for a core motor would be good. If it is in runable condition that's even better. Have you seen any other 454's on CL? What are they going for?

I payed $450 for a bare block/crank a few years back. It was at a swap meet, there were only 5 BBC's (it was the big Midland antique fest/swap meet). One was a short block asking $800. 2 others were very rusty 396 blocks, $400 each. The 4th was a 427 tall deck...not sure on the price. I know prices will vary, but around here BBC's go for quite alot. I lucked out and got a forged crank, it was a 2bolt main but that didn't bother me.
 
Now I realize your in MI but in down In NM,TX,AZ you could get the whole damn truck with the 454 for about 1000.00

I've never paid more than 300.00 for a used long block unless I could see it run or completely inspect it
 
yellowK20 said:
Now I realize your in MI but in down In NM,TX,AZ you could get the whole damn truck with the 454 for about 1000.00

I've never paid more than 300.00 for a used long block unless I could see it run or completely inspect it
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Agreed, Ive bought running, driving non rusty big block suburbans with 70k and no dents for 600.00, complete long blocks for 250, whole motors with acc for 500.00... I would buy one form a runner and pull it. To many stupid people, scammers, fake adds, misinformed, liars, plain bad luck.. see it run, pull it and go home happy.


People at auto swap marts are on their own planet often and they sell to a different crowd. Half the reason they show up with so much crap time after time is alot of it they cant freaking sell.

My last big block I sold to a guy for his chevelle, 3 bolt main, 30 over, rv cam, aftermarket pistons, rods, new oil pump, rockers, studs, new delco starter, alt, brand new Quadrajet from I5, new flex plate, new aluminum waterpump, new pwr steering pump, air filter, new plugs and wires, aluminum intake, new brass freeze plugs, a set of both factory manifolds and block hugger coated headers.. new fabricated tall polished valve covers everything was new and motor still had the crosshatches on the walls .. iirc he payed me 1200 or 1500 bucks.. there was that much just in parts bolted on the motor that were new.

They are only worth as much as someone will pay. In the rusty states Im sure its a whole nother ball game than here.
 
the only other 454 I've seen lately has been a 78 Suburban, can you imagine that in Michigan....but he wanted 2K for it as is, but I don't know if I'd even get in the thing.
Compared to putting a 383 together, I think this may be the way to go for me right now. He is more than willing to drop the pan and check out the crank/rod bearings, and he pulled the heads off it to check the bore, and he thinks it good to run as is. Of course thats always subject to the bore ga. He said it still has antifreeze in the block, so hopefully its sound. I'll check it out tomorrow night. He said the block is 1401544 which I don't see right away.
He said it has the peanut port heads on it, but would give me a set of 3986136 heads to go with it. I find these are described differently depending on what reference you check...Mortec says they are oval open chamber truck. The site Shawn refered to says they are Closed chamber truck. Anybody got any better ID on these?

I'll post up more when I see what its all about.
 
049 are your best oval heads.

I paid $200 for my last two complete 454s.

$300 is a decent deal here in Texas, but I can walk down to the 7-11 and they have them for sale.
 
I think the availibility down there comes into play beacuse there are so many more 2-wheeldrives you couldn't get a 454 in a 4x4 before 1981 and suburbans NEVER came with a 454 in a 4x4 so that combined with the rust issues might be why theres more in the south west
 
Very true. On that note, I have a stock intake and some stock heads off my 85 if you buy that 454. :)
 
What do you plan on doing with the motor? Going in a tow rig? Mud toy? Peanut ports would be good for a pulling motor, but not much else.


yellowK20 said:
I think the availibility down there comes into play beacuse there are so many more 2-wheeldrives you couldn't get a 454 in a 4x4 before 1981 and suburbans NEVER came with a 454 in a 4x4 so that combined with the rust issues might be why theres more in the south west
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I have only seen 4 complete 73-87's with a big block in them. And 2 of thoes might have been the same truck with a differnt paint job. It's way easier to find a 460 than a 454. Most of the heavy trucks got a diesel or 350...or the company went to Ford or Dodge. The boat cars that came with BBC's are either crushed, stuck in the hands of a stuburn owner or had their motor pulled long ago for something else. You'd think that there would be more of them around here, considering they were produced right down the road.
 
yeah 454's were kinda rare in Minnesota when I was growing up there too
My dad has a 91 V3500 he bought brand new but other than that I dont remeber very mny 454 trucks
 
toomany said:
What do you plan on doing with the motor? Going in a tow rig? Mud toy? Peanut ports would be good for a pulling motor, but not much else.
.
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It will be going in Iron Maiden(my blazer) I do plan on running mud, rocks, dunes, and anything else that gets in the way with it, so 5000rpm will be hit from time to time. It won't really be a tow rig though.
 
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