383 to 454 swap! Parts list help needed.

[SSC's76]

So I'm going to retire the 383 from truck use to serve light duity in the bird.
I have been planning to do this for a few years now.

I have a GenVI 454 that I'm building to drop into the truck. I had to get a few additional parts like a new crank since the old one spun 1 rod bearing and it was going to take .60 to clean up. Also ordered a nice tame GMPP HO roller cam, a flywheel, electric fuel pump and water pump. I should have all the engine parts here by the 6th.

Now doing some reading when looking for my exh options I came accross a swap header and mention of stock BBC mounting brackets and such. I was under the impression the 454 sits in the same spot as a SBC and uses the same engine mount/bracket as a SBC?? This kinda has me scratching my head a little since I need the engine in the same spot so I can use my bellhousing mounted Z bar setup since the GEN 4 and 5 engines dont have a pivot pin hole cast into the engine block.

I still hope I can scrounge up the BBC pullys and brackets I had laying in wait for the past 8 years.

Any insight here would be great! I just want to get it all togather before I set aside a day to swap it over.

Build pics soon!

[rcbildr]

I was told the engines sit in the same spot and use the same mounts. I'm doing a swap that is going the other way...removing the 454 and installing a 350. I'll be doing this swap in a week or two.

[Jonboy]

My 73 was an origianl 454 truck, but acquired a 350 somewhere along teh way. The engine mounts were never moved. We put a 454 back in place, and never touched the mount, or the trans mounting.

[AirMale]

Big blocks are the same length as small blocks from the motor mounts to the rear of the block. Use the same mounts too. What headers are you planning to use?

[DirtyLarry]

Hey, SSC PM me with your email address and I will send you an Excel spreadsheet of part numbers from when I did my Gen VI 454HO swap. My recipe might be different than what you plan as I used 1996 – 2000 L29 C/K serpentine brackets and accessories.

Heck, since we live in the same town come on out to Pueblo West and you can see the truck first hand.

[SSC's76]

Sorry Ive been slamed with work again so no time for anything but work and sleep.


I'm just using some cheap flowtech headers. I was going to use the BB chevell manifolds I had from my 66 but there gone. I did a quicky mockup and took some measurments. It looks like these headers will work with the 3 speed linkage. I guess I'll know for sure when it drops in. I'm still waiting for the machine shop to get done with the rods also ended up taking the heads down also sine they failed the solvent leak check. I had a few valves bubbling on one head dident bother to check the other since it's going to be the same. I did take a few pictures but the camera sitting in my tool box at work. I'll post them tomorrow.

[hiway]

It's my understanding that a BBC will sit right in on the sbc mounts but, it'll sit a little higher than the factory installed did. I think factory BBC trucks had a different "saddle" or whatever that the mounts sit on. It's the bracket that goes from the frame top to the crossmember. Hopefully another member will chime in....

[SSC's76]

Rememberd to nab the camera. Yes that is how much the crank wore down. Nasty stuff.

[SSC's76]

It's been real bad latley but I managed to get it togather. For some reason #4 and #7 rods got swaped. The machine shop told me, but my brain doesent seem to be working this month. Seems I marked the wrong ones no big deal, problem solved. I put the finishing touches on it today. Tomorrow I'll have the rest of the brackets and it will be 100% ready to drop. So far Ive got $1500 total into it and that should be everything including fluids and belts ect. Seems kinda high to me because im use to SBC prices where parts are cheap and this would be a healthy full rebuild. I guess this is good for a BB with everthing new or referbed except the pistons. The pistons were in great shape and still had the teflon coating on them. I'm just glad the engine was free.

[84slopwaggin]

Hotdog your on your way. I have hopes of having a bigblock swb one day as well. I also want a small block S-10 for fun.

[liljon285]

Originally Posted by AirMale

Big blocks are the same length as small blocks from the motor mounts to the rear of the block. Use the same mounts too. What headers are you planning to use?

WHOA WHOA WHOA! You got a 550ci and your only running one carb. that thing is huge it looks like it wants two lol. Beautiful engine man, I wish i canstick a bbc in my truck.

[SSC's76]

Well I guesss this is going to be more trouble then I thought!

Got it fired up last night, shook real bad but sounded real nice. Went in today and wired in the electric fuel pump and let it run for 10 min, still shaking. I knew the clutch wasent working right and figured I might have bent a finger or two going in even though it droped right in. Pulled the tranny and the flywheel bolts are hitting the clutch. This engine uses a different clutch. I had to order the clutch should be here tomorrow. I fired it up with the clutch and trans out to see if the vibe went away. Nope! Seems these Gen 6 engines use 97-00 ballancers and flex/fly's only a quick call to the GMPP rep and that was figured out. I swapped the ballancer back to the stock and fired it up, smooth as can be. Now I'm waiting for the clutch and I should have a truck again.