I am trying to help someone find out what kind of 454 he has and so far CWA has come up as a 1974 454 TH 400 4 BBL Corvette. Would anyone know if the smogger motors in the vette still got performance stuff? Or what kind or crank and rods? I don't have casting numbers yet. Thanks guys for any info. Aloha Mike


EDIT!!! wrong code it shoud be CWR....sorry

I show CWA as the chevelle 454 in '74 behind a 4speed at 235hp. The Corvette 454 in '74 with a th400 should be CWR or CWS at 270hp.

Thanks Mike, I'm trying to see if the Corvettes got good parts or if they were sent out with cast parts and junk heads. The guy was told it was a Corvett 454 But maybe the seller is just BSing him.

You never know untill you can get a good look at the back of the crank. One would think the Vette's came with a forged crank though?

Mike have him look at the flange on the back of the crank to see if its cast or steel. A thin line is cast and a flatter line is steel.

I messed up the code it is a CWR Corvette eng. It is in a 68 Camero and running so it is hard to see if it is forged. I'm hoping the resedent Corvette genious or Doc may know.

So far as I know, 74 Vette's got generic assy line engines.
Some little-known guy from the mid-West cornbelt set the world on fire in 1975 by thumping lotta people in Stock or Super Stock with one of these smogger engines.
The fella was John Ligenfelter. By 1974 you should be looking at having 049 heads on the otherwise lackluster engines.

Thanks resedent Corvette genious. What valves come with the 049s and what kind of crank would you expect?

More than likely a 74 454 will have the 781's. Those motors ran Ok with a cam change. I remember the "LAST 454" series in Super Chevy years ago. They had a 454 in a 74 Malibu and got it to perform very well in that 4200lb behemoth.

Thanks resedent Corvette genious.
Now ya done it, we'll never get his head through the door now:sad::D

Thanks resedent Corvette genious. What valves come with the 049s and what kind of crank would you expect?


049's have 2.06 intake 1.72 exhaust. Most likely it will be a 3039 casting on the crank. Which is a cast piece, i've seen MANY of them, in fact Webfoot has 2.

if your real lucky you'll have a 7416 forged steel crank. My first big block was a 1973 1 ton truck motor that had 049's and a forged 7416 crank.

I guess you will have to let him stay outside and eat unless it's in a barn.

781 and 049s ran 1973-84
my 049s are dated I and J 72 for early 73 model cars (fall 72 build)

Doc has a larger 454 collection than me but I can state certainty that the Vettes got nothing special in 74

Kind of what I was thinking. Vetts went more status than performance during the fuel and smog years.

Now ya done it, we'll never get his head through the door now:sad::D

Obviously it doesn't fit in the 'vette anymore... at least judging by the number of times I've seen it at the track.:D

Numerous excuses to follow.:p

781 heads here on a 1974 engine out of a '74 454 Caprice with tow package.

They cleaned up quite nicely with a port, polish and bigger valves.

Hi John, is that a cast crank 2 bolt?

Should be a 2 bolt 289 casting block(it's possible that being close to the transisiton to the 959 block that it could be a 959) with either 781 or 049 heads. It will have the thumb rods. The chance for a steel crank is minimal but it's still possible they added a little upgrade, no likely though.

So, I'd consider it just like any other core 454.

Hi John, is that a cast crank 2 bolt?

Yes on both, Mike.

Thanks Guys ALOOOOOHA:thumbsup: