I need to build a torque pig for my c rewcab1-ton. It’ll haul and tow, so I’m after max grunt. It will be for my ’97 truck, the computer/intake has already been taken care of. The 350 just ain’t got enough grunt and I know that a 383 won’t do it either.
I have a good 2-bolt 454 block but no crank, etc. so I’m thinking of stroking it to a 489. I can get a Scat cast stroker crank, internal balance, and a set of Scat capscrew rods for just over $500 and I’m figuring on Speed Pro/FM hyper pistons for another couple hundred. I have a nice set of 781 heads that need little other than a good valve job. I also have a good set of hydraulic roller lifters, so that’s the way I want to go.
Keeping in mind that this needs to be a torque hog, how do I get there? I assume I can blend the bowls and clean up the short turns along with a gasket match and make the ‘781’s work for a 489 much like peanut port heads work for 454’s. I don’t care for it to ever see the high side of 5K, but I know that torque at reasonable cruise rpm’s (2000 – 2500) makes for a good hauler. I’m thinking the cam needs an LSA of somewhere around 114 for the computer to be happy and I keep ending up at about 215/220 duration at .050 with as much lift as I can reasonably handle. The truck has 4.10 gears with 31” tires and gets about 17 highway/12 city and cruises right at 2250rpms for 70mph.
Questions, comments, lucid insights, criticisms and sarcastic remarks are welcome, but I’d really like to hear from folks that have done similar builds. I know that a truck question is off topic but I know a lot of you guys haul, so I figured this would be one of the best places to ask. Thanks in advance for your help!

I need to build a torque pig for my c rewcab1-ton. It’ll haul and tow, so I’m after max grunt. It will be for my ’97 truck, the computer/intake has already been taken care of. The 350 just ain’t got enough grunt and I know that a 383 won’t do it either.
I have a good 2-bolt 454 block but no crank, etc. so I’m thinking of stroking it to a 489. I can get a Scat cast stroker crank, internal balance, and a set of Scat capscrew rods for just over $500 and I’m figuring on Speed Pro/FM hyper pistons for another couple hundred. I have a nice set of 781 heads that need little other than a good valve job. I also have a good set of hydraulic roller lifters, so that’s the way I want to go.
Keeping in mind that this needs to be a torque hog, how do I get there? I assume I can blend the bowls and clean up the short turns along with a gasket match and make the ‘781’s work for a 489 much like peanut port heads work for 454’s. I don’t care for it to ever see the high side of 5K, but I know that torque at reasonable cruise rpm’s (2000 – 2500) makes for a good hauler. I’m thinking the cam needs an LSA of somewhere around 114 for the computer to be happy and I keep ending up at about 215/220 duration at .050 with as much lift as I can reasonably handle. The truck has 4.10 gears with 31” tires and gets about 17 highway/12 city and cruises right at 2250rpms for 70mph.
Questions, comments, lucid insights, criticisms and sarcastic remarks are welcome, but I’d really like to hear from folks that have done similar builds. I know that a truck question is off topic but I know a lot of you guys haul, so I figured this would be one of the best places to ask. Thanks in advance for your help!

I'd really like to hear the responses from as as I plan to do the same with my Suburban, but more for better MPG. The plan is maybe a pair of '215' heads for the small efficient chamber with the flat top pistons and a hydraulic roller cam that peaks around 2200rpm....as with the 4L80e and 4:10 gears is right around 70 mph like yours. But I'm no expert so I'll let the brains here at TC get specific.

I wish my rig got 12/17 mpg:(.............

I just rebuilt a 350 for my '99 Suburban. We zero decked it, cleaned up the bowls and short turns in the Vortec heads and bumped the cam to a stock LT-4 (about 8* more intake and exhaust, close to stock lift). I broke it in, changed the oil and took it on a 2500 mile trip with 5 people and luggage. We got 19.1mpg on the highway, haven't checked the in-town stuff yet but I suspect around 14 - 15. Most of the newer Chevy trucks (pre-plastic bumpers anyway) with smaller engines and lighter vehicles aren't getting as good as I did with my SBC. Kinda makes me feel good about my decision to stick with the V-8's I knew a little bit about.

Find a wrecked 6.6 turbo diesel and allison trans and swap it in pulls my 15000 lb. boat very well steep grades 45 mph no heating issues best towing truck I've ever owned. 2002 K3500 dually

My issue with deisels is that if I have trouble with them, there's very little I can do. An injection pump rebuild costs almost as much as I'll have in this engine. I recognize their economy and great torque but I have to have something that's feasable to fix.

looks pretty good to me. if your cruise RPM really stays above 2000 you might drop back to a 112 LSA. Jusy watch out for getting too much CR. with this short cam and iron heads you could easily get into detonation, have to retard the timing and there goes the power and mileage. Look for around 9:1 static.

I know that the pump is expensive but if you keep the fuel clean there are few problems no ignition to worry about or carb tuning or detonation. It would be an involved swap but if you are pulling heavy and often that would be the way to go. 52K and one injector nozzle so far (early on warranty) pulling 7 tons often. Just for thought you have most of the other stuff already. I go through brakes more than anything. Good luck