Hey Guys, I have a 4000 lb 65 Impala. I have a 454 I am going to put in. It makes about 475-500hp the way it sits. My question is what HP,Trans setup,Stall, and rearend gearing combination do I need to run low 12's. :confused:

What are the engine specs?

I can give you the engine specs because he is my bro-in-law and I gave him the motor. Its got oval port iron heads of which I don't know the casting #'s. Its 10.5to1 comp with a comp grind .550/.550. Pretty mild as it sits now. I think what he might do is a head, cam and intake swap. He also would like to have an overdrive tranny and I keep talking him out of a 700r4 and into a 4L60e or a th400w/ a gear vendors or something like that... I'd also like to see him build a centrifigual blower setup w/efi... choices... choices...

If you are going to do it, do it right: 4L80E with a centrif blower and efi.
I'd wet my pants over that, and I have a solid roller 454 with a turbo 400 and a gear vendors.
EFI= computer controlled. 4L80E = computer controlled. I've seen/used (just to try it out) a 4L80E controller and when you can control lockup, shift firmness, shift rpm(!), etc, and have that into a tranny that can be built easily for 900hp, and the guy who did my cam runs a 7 second car with a 4L80E with 1250hp/1100 ft-lbs efi and centrif blower, shifts into overdrive at 6700 rpm to finish his 1/4 mile runs.
If I could have the efi 454 (or 540/555/572) with a 4L80E, I'd be happy enough. If you stick with the 454 try it out the blower, if you go 540+ (even a well built 496) I think you'd have more than enough to skip the blower. The guy who did my cam swap said my engine would crank out 840hp (engine) just by adding a blower on at my current 10.14:1 CR (intercooled). Thats a tough # for a streetable 540, but you can get an easy going 750hp big cube.. but if you have the 454 and are keeping it, consider the blower.
Personally, don't bother with a 4L60E. I have one in my pickup truck and I don't have alot of faith in it as a transmission.

Keep us updated.. a blown, injected, 4L80E big american iron car is a hot ticket..
The gear vendors I have works fine, but if it was as easy to go the 4L80E route as it was when I got the GV, I would have done the 4L80E.

matt (just my opinion)

I meant 4L80e not a 4L60... sorry.. T