So basically what I'm seeing is that I shouldn't get any worse mileage than what I'm getting now.

I say try it and see how it works.... Because big blocks are FLIPPIN awesome

Well w/ 4.56 & 37's your right on the boarder of good mpg & back to stock gearing. So with a BBC your only gonna get more HP/TQ which ya can't beat that! I would throw a Comp Cam extreme 4x4 cam in it & depending on your head casting numbers you could have a nice BBC going. I run a 468 w/ big heads & big cam. I will never go back to a SBC again. With the burban tank in there thatll be a plus. My setup is 468, TH350/NP205, 60/14 w/ 5.13's & 39.5 TSL's. There's some other tips & tricks to BBC's that'll help ya as well. Let me know if ya needs some help or have any questions on builds. I did all my own work to mine when I was in college, bored, honed, line honed, lifter valley work & clean up.
If you want 1/2 the HP/TQ then go w/ the 6.0! People get all hot & bothered by them but when you look @ the horsepower & torque output.......they are way up in the rpm band. There output is also what a BBC makes @ or around idle!!!!I have the 781 heads that I planned to have reworked for the larger valves. It's just hard for me to dump a lot of money into this engine when I could get a 6.0 that'd be more reliable and already fuel injected for probably the same price.

Hmmm, valve lashput a ring in it, square it in up in the bore with an inverted piston about 3/4" down measure the gap with feeler guage, then push the ring down to the bottom of the stroke (about 4.25") from the deck, square it in the cylinder and measure again...the difference is roughly the taper. IIRC a 454 is less than .003 for taper...also check the very top of the cylinder to measure the gap where the rings haven't worn the wall yet...roundness can be checked with a ring and shining a flashlight against the bore from underside to see if there is any small gaps between the wall and the ring. If there is, rotate the ring 90* and try again. Should be no light shining through between the ring and wall.
Oh and those 781's love a 2.19/1.88 treatment with a good sized cam.....here is what I got in mine: http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=468&sb=2
Not once have I said, gee I wish I wouldn't have put a Big block in my truck!

Actually, I'm a fan. Something about a little rocker clatter that makes me happy. Might have something to do with years of drag racingNot an issue
I think that's blown out of proportion
I've run my Vette usually up to the 6800 redline at least 500 drag runs plus a few thousand miles street driving and it's never been more than .001 from the spec lash. That is one the reason I didn't shy away from the mech lifters for the BBC in the Maiden, the other reason came from my head/valvetrain guy. I've checked this engine twice and the 5500 limit I've put on it shows me it isn't worth worrying about.
I do use a flat tappet additive in all my flat tappet engines too.
Take it a fat bottom girl never took advantage of youThings escalating quickly, eh?![]()
