Putting a 454 in a 280z, TH350 OR TH400??

m71 · Jun 1, 2004

the only cars i've ever seen go faster with a glide were traction hampered, small tired cars on nitrous or some other power adder. i'd say your's will fall under traction hampered dept.

Cable · Jun 2, 2004

Originally posted by m71:
the only cars i've ever seen go faster with a glide were traction hampered, small tired cars on nitrous or some other power adder. i'd say your's will fall under traction hampered dept.

I agree about the traction hampered dept.

Oh, I am building a 454 afterall. So, I guess I am going to be having even more traction problems.....its going to be wild.

Here's the basic combo, the * indicates item(s) that I haven't bought yet.

Bottom End:

-454, 4 Bolt Block w/ARP Main Studs
-Bored to 4.280" (0.030" overbore), Honed w/Torque plate
-Stock 454, 4.00" Stroke Crankshaft
-Stock Big Block Chevy I-Beam 'TRUCK' Rods w/3/8" ARP Wave-Loc Bolts
-TRW/Speed-Pro L2465F Forged Pistons (25.7cc dome volume) 10.0:1 Compression w/119cc Heads
-Plasma-Moly Rings
-Clevite 77 Main/Rod/Cam Bearings

Up Top:

-Pro Topline Iron 290cc BBC Heads, 2.19/1.88" SS valves, 119cc Chambers, Exhaust ports and chambers de-burred and mirror polished
-Crane Cams .620" lift Valve Springs
-Comp Cams 7* Chrome-Moly Retainers w/matching locks
-*Lunati Solid Flat Tappet Cam: .586/.600", 276/284 adv dur, 243/251 dur@0.050", ground on a 114 LSA and 4* advance built in (UltraDyne Design Specs)
-Oil Pin Solid Lifters
-*3/8's One-Piece Chrome-Moly Welded-Tip Racing Pushrods
-*1.72:1 Comp Magnum Roller Rockers
-*Victor Jr. or Professional-Products 'Hurricane' Single Plane Intake
-*750 cfm Holley Double Pumper Carb
-*MSD Billet Distributor
-Holley Firewall Mounted 55k volt Coil
-Crane Fireball HI-6 Ignition

Suspension/Tranny/Exhaust:

-Built TH350 Tranny w/Trans-Go Shift Kit
-Nissan/Nismo R230 VLSD w/3.69:1 gear ratio
-*10" 3000-3500 Stall Converter from ATI, Coan, Trans-Specialities, or GER
-*The car will have at least a 8 point roll bar installed
-*Fuel Cell in a can
-*Front adjustable coilover springs w/custom made 90/10 drag racing struts
-26x10.5x15 Hoosier QT DOT Slicks
-1 7/8" Shorty Headers
-Dual 2.5" Exhaust, w/Dynomax bullets and polished stainless-steel mufflers exiting under the roll pan

I have done some mockups and I will still be able to reuse the JTR SBC swap motor mount spacers and setback plates. The 454 will sit in exactly the same spot in relation to the firewall as the 383 SBC. The front of the motor will be approx 2" longer than the SBC, which actaully helps things like crossmember to damper clearence. Though it is true that a BBC weighes more than a SBC, it isn't by too much. Plus the increased power will easily offset the weight gain. I should make around 550-600HP around 6000 RPM and 550TQ around 3500 RPM on 91 octane gas. I know the motor will be good for mid 10's, traction permitting of course.

Cable · Jul 17, 2004

I just scored a posi (vlsd) rear for the car, its still IRS though. My current gear ratio is 3.54, the new diff has 3.69 gears and is much stronger.

The diff is from a Nissan Skyline (sold in Japan only). Its called a R230. The ring gear is 9" alone. Its a viscous limited slip, no side or spider gears, just a ring and pinion.

The CV's and axles will be custom Moser pieces.

Trust me when I say, the rear is the last thing I am worried about.

Pics:

Cable · Feb 9, 2005

Pics of the finished short block, thought you guys would like to see:

mr 4 speed · Feb 9, 2005

BBC in a 280Z

sick,very sick indeed

Cable · Feb 9, 2005

Originally posted by mr 4 speed:
BBC in a 280Z

sick,very sick indeed

Glad you like it Chris, the car suprised alot of people with the mild 383. I can't wait to see what happens with the 454.

The only concern I have right now as far as shoehorning the 454 is headers. However, I am fairly sure Sanderson's BBC 'Shorty' headers intended for a '62-'67 Chevy II/Nova will work.

We already did a mockup and my small cap distributor is less than an inch from the firewall. It sits THAT far back. We even broke out the 4 corner scales, did some rough calc's and the balance is still pretty damn good (about 55/45). Of course aluminum heads would help, but the funds won't allow that.

LXS · Feb 9, 2005

Boy do I sure wish you were my neighbor!!!! Ever think about moving to LA???

Cable · Feb 10, 2005

Originally posted by LXS:
Boy do I sure wish you were my neighbor!!!! Ever think about moving to LA???

Nope, hopefully Las Vegas though.

JIM · Feb 10, 2005

Is that the crank/rods/pistons I sold you?

Cable · Feb 10, 2005

Originally posted by Epistuff:
Is that the crank/rods/pistons I sold you?

Nope, different motor. I gave the set to my father for his B-Day and he is working on a 454 for his '59 Chevy truck.

I honestly wish I had waited, I'd kinda like that rotating assembly more than this one.

Oh well.

Lakerat · Feb 13, 2005

Funnest car I ever owned was a 73 260z with a bone stock 350 with a built powerglide. Loved stoplight racing with the 5.0 Mustangs. They never knew what hit em. Little did they know that if we were racing more than a block, they would catch me. 14 inch tire, 3:55 gear and 4800 rpm wont last much farther. Never asked to lift the hood, just a thumbs up as they slinked away.

Cable · Feb 20, 2005

More pics......

This was posted when I was still trying to confirm the pan's I.D. . Anyway, its a '66-'72 Corvette pan, 5 quarts, built-in baffles, trap door, screen/pickup bowl, etc. Pretty fancy stuff for a pan designed in the early '60's.

......and here are the headers I plan on using, they aren't Sanderson's.

Driver Side Header:

Passenger Side Header:

I don't know who made the headers actually. I do know they were made with top quality part and good welding. The flanges are nice and thick, welds are smooth and deep, and the bends are top-notch. According to my measurements, they'll fit. Soon I'll do a mockup with another 454 and some junk heads and see where I am at.

My father has had them for years. He bought them from a speed-shop (Super-Shops) that was going out of business in Bakersfield about 8 years ago. He wanted them for his '59 Chevy truck that he was swapping a 396 into. Then we decided to swap out the front end with a '70's Camaro sub-frame so he'd have all the modern disc brakes, suspension, etc.

So being that we went with the Camaro clip, these headers wouldn't work with any car/truck with the crossmember directly under the engine.

With a little Z that's not a problem.

Long story short, I was in Bakersfield on Friday and I remembered to ask him about the headers. He just handed them over with the agreement that if I couldn't use them, give them back.

If they work, they'll save me $350+

I am going to bead-blast them so they are clean and semi-rough to the touch. That way the high-temp paint will have something to hold on to when I spray them.

Whittaker · Feb 20, 2005

bluerebl,

After you blew that 383 I was sure to see another in its place. That car will be wild. I wish you were my neighbor as well. Very cool stuff.

Keep us posted.

LXS · Feb 21, 2005

That'll work!

And yes, please keep us posted!

Cable · Mar 19, 2005

Here are some pics of the Pro Topline heads I took as part of trade:

From the numbers stamped into the end of the heads, they are 290cc '502' replacement heads.

I have a S/A porting kit that I've been using to polishing the chambers and exhaust ports. I've also been using it to blend the seats into the bowls. I've also used a carbite cutter to remove several spots of flash on the exhaust port and several sharp spots that could cut someone.

Putting a 454 in a 280z, TH350 OR TH400??

Cable

m71

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Cable

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mr 4 speed

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LXS

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JIM

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Lakerat

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Whittaker

LXS

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