Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific - 454 is in 95 Z-28

I got my 454 BBC in my 95 Z yesterday. Of course you can tell by the photo's I went in through the bottom. This payed off really well because I had to lift the car about 4-5 times to do some modifications on my firewall on the drivers side. It wasn't too bad. Only took me about 5 hours and that was having to make room for the bigger motor too. Putting an LT or LS-1 back in this way shouldn't take an hour or so.

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is that the engine's final resting position in the last photo???? If so that looks like a NIGHTMARE! that far back underneath the dash.

Yes thats the final resting place for the engine. It doesn't sit any further back than an LT or LS motor. The only bad thing is if I need to change the distribitur I'll have to drop the k- member, trans and motor.

Sweet....

i dunno maybe its just the angle of the picture...or that it doesnt have the radiator or fans and im just seeing that big empty space in front of the motor. How much clearance do you have between the carb and the cowl?

The space looks big because of the radiator and fan not being there. Once I get those in there and hook up all my hoses, gas lines and MSD it'll be a little more crowed.

I've got just enough room to get my carb in there. But I'm going to have to losen the six bolts holding the K-member on so that I can get it in there. The studs on my intake is what's making that difficult.

Why dont you use bolts instead of studs for the carb? Or just take the studs out, slide the carb in, and the screw the studs back in? Thats what i had to do.

Yeah I figured space might be an issue, especially after I saw those studs. Looks like a pretty sweet project man. How much room do you ACTUALLY have in there with that big rat between the shock towers. I can imagine header installs/spark plug/wire changes to be a MAJOR pain in the tail. I guess its nothing a 12 pack of beer and a couple bloody knuckles cant handle.

if you had been able to go efi, the 4 barrel t-bodies are about 1/2 the thickness of a carb. and definately pull the studs and put in bolts, or put the studs in after the carb if you must have them. and if you don't plan on spinning the motor past 6500rpm, i'd swap the intake for a lower profile Edelbrock Performer RPM standard or "air gap" dual plane manifold. that will net you a bit more clearance as well as more bottom end grunt if it's not a high winder. and don't they make a low profile dist. now? may be worth looking into if you have to drop the motor again. either way, congrats on getting it in there. that's further than most of us got with our bbc/sbc swaps! lol. keep us posted on further progress.

Why didn't you go with a crank trigger ignition system? No distributor to mess around with that is inaccessible while the motor is in the car.

Why didn't you go with a crank trigger ignition system? No distributor to mess around with that is inaccessible while the motor is in the car.

Probably because they are way overpriced and unnecessary if you buy the right distributor. My mallory unilite has already went out and it took me 5 min to replace the ignition module. I can chage every internal in it in 10 min, without ever removing or lowering the motor. Much better deal and you dont have to look at that gaudy mess on the front of the motor.

Awesome!

Thats kinda how my small block is, but I thought the carb on a big block sits more forward than a small block. Looks good, did you modify the air box or get rid of it completely.

THAT IS BAD ASS
Nicely done man

THe carb does sit back a little but I think it has a little to do with the way the intake is made.

As for the distributer I thought about a low profile one, but the one I've got is in perfect shape and I can make it fit so I figured why spend the money on that when I can put it else where and to better use.

Im a big fan of Crank Triggers. Im gonna be running one as on my BBC build which is coming along slowly.

what modifications did you make to the firewall?? any pics??

What are you going to be running for Headers?

-john

I just had to beat in on the firewall right behind the drivers side head.

I'm trying to figure out the headers right now. I'm going to possibly try the Hooker 2455's one more time. I'm also trying to design a set of equal length headers on my AutoCad 2006. Designing and drawing them is the easy part making them fit and be equal length is the hard part.

Wht do you mean one more time? did you have bad luck with them in the past?

How extensive was the modification to make them work?


thanks,
-john

I tried to install the Hooker 2455's this Thursday. They wouldn't fit in there. I've been told that they will work but theres some mods that needs to be done. I'm trying to figure out exactly what needs to be done to make them work. I just don't want to go cutting on a brand new set of headers and then be out a $150.

How was your fitment with the tunnel?

I tried to install the Hooker 2455's this Thursday. They wouldn't fit in there. I've been told that they will work but theres some mods that needs to be done. I'm trying to figure out exactly what needs to be done to make them work. I just don't want to go cutting on a brand new set of headers and then be out a $150.


Where was the biggest fitment issue? the K member or the steering linkage? If its the K memeber would it be possible to notch out the area needed for it fit?


-john

94 Z28 TORCH RED

In Progress...

468 BBC - N20 - M6 - Pro Star XPs - MINI TUBBED - Strange 9in, Full Spool, 4:30s - PA Racing upper\lower As - K Member - Billet LCAs\ Adj PHR - QA1s\ HALS - BMR - S&W 10pt - 10 Gal cell - Aeromotive - Autometer - Glasstek - LGM - Weight Reduction and much more...

Shootin for 600+ RWHP off the Bottle

Founder - JPM Engineering

Any pics of your car/setup?

Shawn

The K-member didn't seem to bother it on the passenger side. Just need to beat in the firewall right at the heater box. On the drivers side I've been told that you have to redo one tube to work around the steering linkage.

What k-member did you use? Have you made any more progress yet? Any more pics?

What k-member did you use? Have you made any more progress yet? Any more pics?

Thats a stock K-member. I just made my own mounts for the BBC.

I have not started on my project i wont to know that i wont run into a lot of troule and have to spend a lot of money

It depends on what alot of money is and what you have to work with. If your starting out with a bolt on LT-1 like I did, then I think its the way to go.

#1 If you build up the LT-1 or LS-1 you've got to rebuild the trans and change out the rear end anyway.

#2 You can build a stronger Big Block for less money than the small block. Most LT/LS builds I've seen run around $5-6000 for a 400-450 hp build. I sure a 650 hp build on motor alone will be way up there.

#3 If you can fabricate and mod things your self its not that bad. I made my own K-member and also modified it so that my headers would fit too. I'm going to make a new trans bracket and move my torque arm off of my trans too.

Considering what is spent money wise on any other build up compared to this I actually think I may come out cheaper this way than to have built up a LT/LS motor. I'd be alot less aggravating but the reward wouldn't be as great.

just call lemons and order a set and do it right the first time. no disappointments.
www.lemonsheaders.com

I got the Hooker Headers to work by notching the K-member and beating the firewall a little. I can't complain about it. I'd be nice to just spend $700-1000 dollars on a set of headers but I can't see spending that much on headers for a street/strip car. I'd like to have the nicest and best of everything but sometimes that isn't possible.

if you got hooker headers to work.i am going to try them to -i don't know about the k-member

I'm gonna try the hookers as well,for 150.00 u cant go wrong the way i see it.I'm good freinds with a guy who owns a repair and exhaust shop so I think we can make em work.

Spanky,


ill post some pics up here in a little bit, I aint got much to look at at the moment everythings in pieces lol. Everythings gutted out of the car to make way for the cage and wolfe SFCs. The motors at the machince shop getting squared away so as soon as i get that back I can mock up the block and intake and carb to figure out where I need to cut the cowl etc then I get to start bolting and wireing everything back up.


-john

I take it you dont have emissions ;)

Looks fantastic! When you get her running, you need to shoot some video! Keep us updated!

Are you looking into true duals?

Would love to see video, props on a good looking car.

Thanks for the compliments. I have safety inspections on my car but not emissions. I'm going to run an x-pipe and probably dump before the axle, but if thats too loud inside the car I'll go on out the back.

CWALDT can a 700R4 trans be built to handle that much HP and if it can how much did you $$$$$$ the 9''rear is kool what gears

Yes the 700R4 can be built to handle the 650 hp. I spent $1500 on this transmission. His screen name is Zeeya on here. I'm not going to be racing this car every weekend. I'll probably go to the track once or twice a month and then just drive it on the road on nice weekends. This is kinda just a project for fun. I figured up the amount of $$ I'd spent on the LT-1 to get as much hp as the 454 BBC and it was alot more. Once I get out of college this year I'm going to build me a 4 gen BBC car thats track only.

the reason i'm asking you question i'm building my 4th gen BBC for the street to i'm not going to drive it much know way but i'm going to go to the locale track when i can i steel wont to know what gears are you using in your 9in i wont to try 410s i am us to 373s i know it got a lot to do with what tras you us ???? what do you think ??????? is 410s to much for a little street us

I know the word is USE not US

put 4.10s in it i daily drive on 4.30s

by the way you suck at spelling:)

looks sweet i am thinking, about doin a stroker 454 in a 02 camaro.

I have a 496 planned out for my '98 WS6 if everything goes as planned and everything doesn't cost too much. Starting to price some of the stuff needed and looking into what all has to be done to stuff this baby under the hood :devil: .

great job a bbc in a 4th gen is priceless