Hey fellows, I could sure use some advice from ya'll about my 454.

I have a 454 out of an 83 model motorhome. It's bone stock with an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, 750 Edelbrock carb, all in a 70 model short bed 1/2 ton truck with 3.08 gears and turbo 400.

I know the heads are the poor peanut port castings. 236s I think from memory.

The truck runs very weakly. I've always been a small block guy, and a 350 with a little cam and 600 carb will outpull this thing.

The problem is, this engine has 30 thousand actual miles on it from new. It's very sound and there is no way I can justify a full rebuild in the name of performance. I know my problem stems from stock cam, poor heads, and dismal compression ratio.

What I want to do is up the performance a lot without a full rebuild of this bottom end. I'm willing to change heads, cam, and induction though.

I'd sure appreciate everyone's opinion about what parts to run.

I forgot to add, this truck had 3:73 gears previously, and I still was dissapointed with it's performance then too , but I really needed better freeway manners. So, going back to deeper gears isn't an option for me.

change the cam and heads, put some headers on it at least 3 inch, and that truck should go pretty good. my truck had 3.43's and it hauled a lot of me in it. Course my 454 is not very stock. Yhe above should help a lot, till you are ready for a build. MY 3 cents!

You can see my old truck at http://www.sharkbait.ws
press the fast and sexy button, then the photo button, then the 76 stepside button, the motor there is now in my wagon.

P.S. If you are on dial up you will be there a long time!

Well, I had gathered that a cam and head change would improve the power.

The question is what cam, heads, and induction would work best without breaking the bank too much.

If this were me, and it isn't, I'd drop on a set of L-29 Vortec heads modified with decent valve springs, the valve rotator eliminator shims and the ARP 3/8 X 7/16 rocker studs and re-use your stock type MK IV rocker arms and guide plates. Consider Mr Gasket steel shim Mk IV head gaskets, and a cam along the lines of 220-230 degrees duraton at .050. You will gain another point of compression and a modern detonation-resistant combustion chamber. Don't get a split-pattern cam, the exhaust port of the L-29 heads is superb. (The intake could use some help.)

A Performer RPM and either a Q-jet or 750 Holley would be fine. An 850 will be OK too, just higher priced.

If you're lucky, you could get the heads used at a junkyard pretty cheap. Don't even consider adding larger valves, you'll hurt power I'm sure. The exhaust seats are hardened inserts and ought to last pretty well. Steel shim head gaskets are dirt cheap,and if your pistons are .015-.020 in the hole (like most) you get proper quench, too. You will need to drop some bucks on the special rocker studs and the thick shims under the valve springs.

If you don't like the L-29 heads, any old style closed chamber heads will boost compression, but be careful about the non-hardened seats.

Don't forget to re-curve the distributor, too. No more than 32 degrees total advance with the L-29 heads. Add whatever vacuum advance you want in addition to the 32 total.