Ok, I have used the search feature and have come up with not a whole lot of specific info. Here is what I am asking, Give me specific recommendations on building my 454.

I am starting with a Gen V 4 bolt, bored .030. stock rods, stock crank, I found a set of 781 heads. I will do a minor port and polish on the heads. I am having the block decked. Im looking for recommendations on Pistons, cam, manifold and carb.

This is going in a 70 chevelle, I want as much usable street horsepower and driveablity on pump gas as I can get. Let the collective brains steer me in the right direction.

if i had it to do over again with my 454 i would give it more compresion ratio,go as much as you can.if you don't it seems to make a lot of noise with no ass.hope that helps.

With your 781 heads, have the port work done along with 2.19/1.88 valves to replace the stock sizes. Shoot for a piston that yields about 10.5:1 compression at best. Thats about the most Id typically want with an older iron head on the street. More is do-able of course if the buildup is right, but you mentioned that you want street manners as well. I dont see any need for more compression than that cause a camshaft that falls in the "streetable" catagory just wont require more than that, if that much to begin with. Any more comp would be starting to push the limits, and of course a cam thats large enough to call for a good deal more comp than 10.5:1 might not exactly follow your definition of streetable.

Not knowing you definition of streetability for sure, Ill start off a little modest and say to shoot for roughly 9.7:1 to about 10:1 compression and use a voodoo 268 cam with a performer rpm intake and a 750-800cfm carb. With roughly a 2400-2600 converter and a 3.42-3.55 gear, this would be a rockin street engine that has overall pretty descent manners and goes real fast(should easily run well into the 12's) and thats nice all around for a driver thats got plenty of get up. If you want to take it up a notch, go with roughly 10.5:1 comp(maybe a shade less, but not much), same performer rpm intake(use an air gap with the notched plenum divider) and an 850 carb with about a 3.73 gear and a tight 2800-3200 rpm converter. This is still do able on the street but depending on whose definition of streetable we go by, it may be getting a little edgy for some. Id say its a nice street/strip engine. As long as the headwork is of good quality, you could say that you have a hydraulic cammed pump gas 11 second car that isnt all that hard to navigate during street use. Not bad.

Thanks greg,, that is the answer I was looking for.. I want it streetable yet I also want to have fun at the strip. I dont want a sleeper, I want a nice lope to the cam, yet able to run pump gas. You gave me most of the answers that I needed. However,, I am putting in a 4 or 5 speed transmission.

With good port work, the cam you recommended,a performer RPM , 800 DP and a 10.5:1 compression piston, what would the estimated torque and HP rating be on this engine?

As I stated, I want it streetable yet be able to go to the strip for friday night test and tune and turn decent #'s. How fast can I go without a cage, I want to avoid that? I heard through the grapevine that anything under 11 here has to have at least a 6 point cage.

I went with only 9.6 to 1 compression in my "502" and a 230/236 I/E Crane hydraulic roller cam. I still add a couple of gallons of 110 when I race as I sometimes get a touch of detonation with some tanks of pump gas at the track. It is very street friendly and we plan to take the 69 SS on a 2000 mile vacation starting later this week if there is no rain in the forcast.

I would suggest throwing in a 4.25 stroke crank for a "496" and keep the compression at about what I have. I run in the 11's on street tires, with A/C, P/B, P/S and 1300 watts of stereo, leather and at about 3900 pounds.

Mike, Do you know the trowbridges? or the Niemans? I own a hardwood floor business and I have done ALOT of work on Fox Island. How often do you go up to bremerton?

I maybe way off here, but I was thinking the gen IV heads would not work on the Gen V blocks ?? You might want to check before you get too deep into the build. Something about the water ports.

The gen VI block will work with gen IV heads, Ive done that.

Anyone on here know for sure?

Actually, check out this link. Here is another TC member that has the voodoo 276 cam in a 454 big block with 781 heads. He has got sound clips and its just dang nice sounding.

http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90933&page=1

As far as power estimates go, it really depends on how those heads turn out. I will be pretty modest and say 440 horses and 480 on the torque. Torque should peak around 4300 and horsepower should peak around 5700. That too can change depending on the heads. He actually went with about 9.7:1 comp. I remember Harold saying he likes a minimum of 10:1 with that cam, so thats where my figure of 10 to as much as 10.5:1 came from. If you were to go less, it wont really hurt much at all as far as what a half point of compression really does to overall power production.....I was just keeping in line with what the cam notes say.

Mark IV heads on the Gen 5 block is iffy - may or may not leak coolant into the lifter valley. There are some semi-closed chamber heads very similar to the early -215, -290 and -063's that came on Gen series blocks that will work if you can find 'em. HTH

With good port work, the cam you recommended,a performer RPM , 800 DP and a 10.5:1 compression piston, what would the estimated torque and HP rating be on this engine?


A 454 built as mentioned will basically produce an honest 480-490 HP at the crank,and torque about 525-530 ft./lbs torque.

Although it is not recommended to use mark 4 heads on gen 5 blocks, it can be done using a special head gasket, however the name escapes me at this time. I am building a gen 6 BBC with mark 4 heads. I have a book called "building the gen 5 and gen 6 BBC to stock specs". Great book for these engines. The name and maker of the gasket you need is in there. I ordered mine on-line for about $17. good luck.