454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

I’m in the process of rebuilding the 454 out of my ’77 dually. The stock cam is trash and I’d like to replace it with a nice R/V cam and I’m looking for suggestions. I’ve been eyeing at the Edelbrock Performer Series, but I’m open to anything, as long as it’s mild (the truck is my daily) and 50 state legal (I have to play nice w/ the CA emissions Nazis).

Also, I’m looking into the possibility of upgrading to an Edelbrock Performer intake, which brings to mind three questions. First...I’m still going to run the stock Quadrajet and peanut-port heads. Will that intake jive with those parts? Secondly, on an otherwise stock 454, will I even notice a difference, or am I basically spending $200+ on a pretty piece of aluminum with no real-world redeeming value?

At the end of the day, my goal is to have a nice, streetable 454 with a touch more power and throttle response for daily driving and towing duties.

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-3761/ im gonna use this as a manifold, but for a cam i still dont know what im gonna use. like you said a rv cam will probably be best for your application.

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

I'm more curious on if an aftermarket intake will yeild any noticable difference in power/response. I don't want to spend $225 just for the sake of having a piece of shiny aluminum under the hood.

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

On my Caprice with a 350 I wiped the cam so I put in the Edelbrock performer cam, intake and carb and my butt dyno said it was worth it. I don't have dyno/quarter mile/mpg info to prove anything tho. Heads are were the real difference is on stock gas crunch motor

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

What heads do you have?

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

he has the stock peanut heads. and what carb is on your sled jason?

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

Yes it will make quite a difference. The port runners on the performer intake are shaped different than stock to gain airflow. This is importnt when your putting in a cam that has a differnt lift and duration. Buy your intake and cam to match as the manufacturer suggest for best power. Then put some headers on to make sure the extra air is pumping out as efficiant as possible.

New heads can gain you serious power but its serious money too.

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

It's a Quadrajet. However, I'm unsure of any specific model #.

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

Nice. Thanks for the info.

...and no, I'm sticking w/ the stock heads.

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

Then he shouldn't go overboard on the intake and cam.

The 454SS guys seem to like a Comp 264 hyd-roller conversion, though I stuck with a flat-tappet GMPP stick in my Sub (and went to Vortec heads at the same time.)

I was astonished at just how small the ports are on the peanut-port heads; don't think they've got much on a '60s Ford 289/302, and they're a whole lot smaller than, say, a Taurus SHO 3-liter V6 ports.

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

What about ignition? I have an HEI distributor on it already. Would an MSD ignition do me any favors, or should I save my $$$?

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

I think a good HEI is more than enough

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

Yeah...that's kind of what I've been reading.

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

JASON...77 WAS NOT A FANTASTIC YEAR FOR H.P. IN A 454. (I'VE BUILT & REAR WHEELED DYNOED A COUPLE OF THEM) ECONOMY IS NOT AN OPTION, SO WE WON'T DISCUSS IT. THEY WERE BUILT FOR TOURQUE THE BIGGEST STUMBLING BLOCK WILL BE YOUR HEADS. THERE PEANUT PORT & ARE DESIGNED FOR TORQUE & NOT H.P. (THEY HAVE SMALL VALVES) EVERYTHING WORKS IN CONCERT WITH ONE ANOTHER. THE CAM PUSHES UP ON THE PUSHROD,PIVOTING THE ROCKER ARM WITCH IN TURN OPENS YOUR VALVES. YOU CAN ONLY GET SO MUCH FUEL INTO THE CYL.s PAST YOUR VALVES (AGAIN THERE SMALL) & ANY UNBURNT GASSES WILL JUST BE EXPELLED THRU YOUR EXHAUST. YOU WANT EFFICIANTCY. THERES NO CHEAP FIX ON THESE MOTORS IF YOU WANT TO SEE A NOTICABLE IMPROVEMENT IN H.P. OR TORQUE. PARTS FOR THESE ARE EXPENSIVE. COMPARED TO A 350, THEY ARE ABOUT TWICE AS EXPENSIVE. YOU CAN FIGURE ABOUT $2000 - $2500 TO DO THE TOP END. LOOK IN THE BONEYARDS FOR AN EARLY 70s SET OF 049 HEADS OUT OF A CAR. THATS THE LAST THREE DIGITS OF THE CASTING # & CAN BE FOUND UNDER THE VALVE COVER. POISH UP THE RUNNERS, & REMOVE A MINUMAL AMOUNT OF MATERIAL WITH A DREMAL TOOL OR DIE GRINDER. YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE EM BIGGER (MUCH), YOU JUST WANT TO SMOOTH OUT THE CASTING MARKS & MAKE THEM SMOOTH SO THE INTAKE & EXHAUST GASSES FLOW SMOOTHLY & EASILY. THEN YOU CAN PUT A CAM, CARB & INTAKE & HEADERS ON IT. ANY GOOD CAM UNDER .500 LIFT (PERSONALLY I HATE COMP. CAMS AS THEY'VE RUINED A COUPLE OF MOTORS FOR ME BY NOT HAVEING HARD ENOUGH LOBES)IS SUFFICIANT FOR A D.D. YOU WONT NEED ANY BIGGER THAN A 750 CFM CARB. EITHER. (REMEMBER THE FUEL GOING OUT THE EXHAUST THING?) AS FAR AS THE INTAKE... WELL MOST OF YOUR IMPROVEMENT WILL COME FROM WEIGHT LOSS. ALUMINUM INTAKES SEEM LIKE THEY ARE ABOUT 100 LBS. LIGHTER. IF YOU STICK WITH YOUR STOCK INTAKE, USE THE SAME POLLISHING TECHNEIK AS YOUR HEADS. I EVEN POLISH UP NEW ALUMINUM ONES. IT'S FREE & HELPS ALOT. HEADERS HELP ALOT, BUT IF YOU STICK WITH THE STOCK EXHAUST MANIFOLDS,USE A LARGE DIA. EXHUAST TUBING (2 3/4 OR 3") WITH AN X OR H PIPE WITH LOW BACK PRESSURE MUFFLERS. ALL THIS WILL BE GOOD FOR ABOUT 100 EXTRA HORSES & PROBABLY 80 FT. LBS OF TORQUE. REMEMBER... YOU DRIVE TORQUE & SELL HORSE POWER. NO ONE EVER SEEMS TO UNDERESTIMATE THEIR HORSPOWER. ECONOMY.... FORGETABOUTIT. YOUR PUSHING A 4500 LB BRICK SHAPED VEHICAL DOWN THE ROAD AT 70 MPH. HOPE I DIDN'T COME OFF AS OVERSIMPLFING YOUR SITUATION. THIS IS JUST MY REAL WORLD EXPERIANCE. (NOT WHAT I HEARD, OR THOUGHT BUT WHAT I'VE DONE):chevy: JOHN

Re: 454 in a '77 Dually-Intake & Cam Compatibility Questions
 

Cool. Thanks.