454 recipe
 

I want to drop a 454 into my 72 C20
I Want to duplicate this Horsepower TV Episode basically perhaps some small upgrades with your input.
This currently only at the research stage, I have no block, no parts, Just a Big Idea and a Small Budget.
In the link above they used
Hydraullic flat tappet cam 228/238 @50
pullies
lifters
double roller timing set
Machined iron heads
pioneer brand balancer
dual plane aluminum intake
mallory HEI
Pro sidewinder distributor
8mm wires
750 cfm carb
mr gasket oil filter adapter
hit 409 hp 524 torque on dyno

Re: 454 recipe
 

In this episode they throw out the budget and install
lunati solid roller cam
lunati lifters
merlin single plane intake
RHS pro action heads 320cc 225In 185 ex
KB pistons
Eagle balanced crank
Eagle rods
clevite bearings
double roller timing set
melling hi volume oil pump
pioneer dampner
1000cfm holley
1.7 ratio rocker arms
custom pushrods
pertronix flamethrower distributor
8mm wires
with this combo they hit 532HP 561 torque
then theres a tweak of lighter distributor spring they get 622.5 hp
However they never say the cost and the Merlin heads alone are more then the first build up

Re: 454 recipe
 

My goal is more autocross than drag strip. whatever HP comes with 550 torque in low to mid range.
So my question to everyone here is what are the specifics i need to accomplish this?
What heads? what intake? what cam? ect...
I would like to go aftermarket aluminum heads instead of stock iron

Re: 454 recipe
 

You want to do this and autocross a C-20??

Re: 454 recipe
 

if you want to autocross dump the money into suspention and rear end

Re: 454 recipe
 

considering autocross style, not actually competing

Re: 454 recipe
 

well still autocross style would be lots of suspension work and lots of torque

Re: 454 recipe
 

thats what Im looking for:
1.how to get the most torque with the least dollars from a 454
2.then those saved dollars can buy all the suspension stuff that I havent even began to look at

Re: 454 recipe
 

A mildly warmed over 454 will put out gobs of torque. I would think autocross would want a lighter engine than a big ol' hog in front.

Gary

Re: 454 recipe
 

but i still want to put a bigblock back where it belongs

Re: 454 recipe
 

Don't forget that their dyno probably reads high for "wow" factor.

Re: 454 recipe
 

they must have used "peanut" port heads and a crappy intake, the HP # is about 80 HP low

Re: 454 recipe
 

keep in mind most if not all TV shows are 95% paid commercial endorsements

i'm in the process of assembling parts for a bigblock build// as far as heads from reading up and talking to hipo machine shops the overall impression i'm getting is that the work and money required on 40year old heads,oversized valves,sleeving valve guides even just simple basic port cleanup for the cost you're pretty much alot better off buying new right out of the box and performance wise far ahead plus if you go aluminiuum theres near a 100lb of weight off the front wheels


i'd like to find a set those dizzy springs that are worth 90horsepower:mm:

Re: 454 recipe
 

Yup thats what i was thinking seems they tend to use the lowest output oem parts to turn around and drop a insane set of heads and a nasty cam and a huge perfectly tuned carb on it for the second go around.


good show but gotta pay for it someway.

Re: 454 recipe
 

If you want torque out of a big block thats not real hard - don't think so much about the big trick stuff - even a 1990 454SS motor with a cam change and different intake would be tons of fun and a cheap build - they use the peanut port heads which flow well up to 4200 or so - perfect for autocross and standard street use
Start looking at crate motors, read the build sheets and pay attention to valve size, camshaft size, camshaft indexing, those are som eo the big keys
Be careful with aftermarket AL heads - many flow way to much for good street use - or the torwue monster you want to build.
Also - consider a stroker motor - much easier to get torque out a 496 than a 454

Re: 454 recipe
 

is this guy rob phillips a member here? he is my inspiration with a 496
**Correction 468

Re: 454 recipe
 

That's a mean little truck! The announcer said it was a 468. Did he mean 496? To throw a truck that big around is pretty cool.

Re: 454 recipe
 

im proably wrong and the announcer right because the post above mine said 496.. edited above

Re: 454 recipe
 

468 is a 454 bored 60 over i do believe

Re: 454 recipe
 

Yes, a 454 bored 60 is 468. Feel free to check out my build of my 468. This was my first big block build, so I copied an engine that Edelbrock built, minus the heads. It's under My '67 short wide. Good luck!

Re: 454 recipe
 

It's a whole lot less expensive to make a 460 or 468 as apposed to a 489/496. The 496 will have unreal torque but take quite a bit more $$$.