454 swap ?????

[jescates]

When I get back from overseas, I plan on putting a 1978 454BBC into my stepside. My dad is giving me the engine but he doesn't have any of the pulleys or brackets. I know that I will need to change the motor mount towers to big block ones. What I need to know is what brackets and pulleys will I need. Is there a difference in water pumps like the small blocks. IE: short or long pump? What other things should I consider? Trying to get all the info I can before I start. Thanks Jay

[highboy_04]

what do you plan on doing with the 350 thats in it now. i have most all of the pulleys and water pump and all that.

[jescates]

Well, when I get back....that is going to be about 15 months from May 25th, I plan on pulling the 350 out. It's pretty much a boat anchor. It's a 76 block that has been bored .060 over already. It's pretty shot. My dad has a 454 that I want to put in the truck. Just don't know what pulleys to get. I plan on putting power steering in, but that is about all. So I am going to be on the lookout for the MM trees and all the pulleys.

[Longhorn Man]

I think the stock set up is the short pump...either way you go, it'll cost so much it'll make you cry.
If you go the used stock parts route, then you'll be better off getting them all from the same vehicle.
The easy route would be aftermarket...nice pretty stainless or whatever, you'll pay out the nose, but they'll be right, and it'll all go together nice and easy.

[highboy_04]

well since the motor is free then why not spend a little on nice shiny water pumps and stuff.

[Tx Firefighter]

I did a big block swap on my 70 model, and Longhorn Man is right, I blubbered like a little girl at what the parts cost. Seriously, it will make you wish you'd kept the small block. Plan on 2 thousand bucks for all of the little trinkets to make the 454 look factory installed. That's not including the engine, that's just stuff around the engine.

I have a 7 thousand dollar lawn mower and a Snap-On addiction, so it's not like I'm a cheap bastard either.

[Hooter]

i was lucky that the 454 i got had all the brackets and pulleys on it it, the motor came out of a 70 Biscaine cop car, and the motor mounts I had saved from a 72 big block truck, the only thing I had to do was run the wiring to the alternator on to the oppisite side of the engine. Then I bought some bigblock headers and had to drill a hole in my quadrajet in order to make the throttle rod work with it.Your best bet would be to find something with a blown up big block and nab all the stuff of it, I believe even some brackets out of an commercial truck with a 366 or 427 tall deck would work

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Hooter

i was lucky that the 454 i got had all the brackets and pulleys on it it, the motor came out of a 70 Biscaine cop car.........the only thing I had to do was run the wiring to the alternator on to the oppisite side of the engine........

The 70 model car had the long water pump bracket setup which is not technically correct for our trucks. The truck used the short pump brackets which puts the alternator on the driver's side like the small blocks and inline 6s had. The short pump brackets and pulleys for our trucks are hard to find and much more expensive. With the correct brackets, there is no need to modify any alternator wiring.

[CPNE]

We found a complete donor 72 402BB w/A/C. Unmolested original, but rusty with no box. $500 for it all, which included a few other trinkets we scavenged including OE AM/FM, tach dash, PS, PB, swaybar, etc. This was a 1 ton longhorn Cheyenne

Deals are out there, but you just have to get lucky sometimes. Like this deal, the guy called me out of the blue becuase he had seen me advertising parts and pieces and wanted to know what it was worth. Of course I told him what it was "worth" to me

[jescates]

Thanks for all the reply's. I figure I got my work and my wallet cut out for me when I get back. That is the fun part about this hobby though.