Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific - introduction and question

new to the forum and love all the info you guys have to offer i own a couple of trucks a 67 swb and a 72swb chevy. any ways onto the question, i recently aquired a big a$$ 70s chevy dually (tall deck 454 and 400 trans) and my question is would you guys recomend swapping the 350/350 combo im running now for the 454/400?? of course i dont care about mileage. also the truck questionably getting this beefy combo has a 10 bolt rear right now sooo???

help is appreciated.

Theres no such thing as a factory tall deck 454 so the first thing I'd do is take a look at some casting numbers or pull the heads and measure the bores. If it's a common 366 tall deck someone swapped in you might as well make a run to the scrap dealer with it.

As for the rear, I ran an 11 second BBC car with an 8.5 ten bolt no problems.
You should be able to find a 12 bolt for it.

Yep tall deck would be a 366 or 427, the block (if a 427) is a good starting point to make a killer stroker package on the cheap.

LOOK HERE!

http://www.mortec.com/bbc.htm

Yep tall deck would be a 366 or 427, the block (if a 427) is a good starting point to make a killer stroker package on the cheap.

LOOK HERE!

http://www.mortec.com/bbc.htm

Except for the bastard intake (or spacers), distributor, pushrods. Those things are going to take a little budget out of the budget build just because they're not common parts.

Except for the bastard intake (or spacers), distributor, pushrods. Those things are going to take a little budget out of the budget build just because they're not common parts.

BS there are tons of Tall deck intakes around, in fact just about every Big Block intake on the market comes in either 9.8" or 10.2" deck heights at the same cost, MSD offers slip collar distributors for tall or standard deck, and a .400" pushrod is easy to come accross. That stuff is everywhere these day, the reason is guys like me who build 600 inch engines and use Merlin, Bowtie and Dart blocks....

You seem very informed about Big Blocks, how many have you built and owned :eyes:

You seem very informed about Big Blocks, how many have you built and owned :eyes:

never built a tall deck i could tell you I have, I can tell you I've built 1000 or I can tell you I built one. I can't offer you verifiable proof of my knowledge so what difference does it make really? I don't care if your impressed, I don't care if you think I'm an idiot. You truely are a name on a screen to me, thats it. "guys like me that build 600 inch engines". Good for you, I'm proud I really am proud of you, not as proud as you are of yourself but I am proud and impressed. You must be that kid in 4th grade that, when asked 'what do you want to be when you grow up' said I wanna build engines! and the whole class just jumped and fucking cheered for you.

never built a tall deck i could tell you I have, I can tell you I've built 1000 or I can tell you I built one. I can't offer you verifiable proof of my knowledge so what difference does it make really? I don't care if your impressed, I don't care if you think I'm an idiot. You truely are a name on a screen to me, thats it. "guys like me that build 600 inch engines". Good for you, I'm proud I really am proud of you, not as proud as you are of yourself but I am proud and impressed. You must be that kid in 4th grade that, when asked 'what do you want to be when you grow up' said I wanna build engines! and the whole class just jumped and fucking cheered for you.
LOL Your funny! Bottom line is why make an uninformed comment :confused: I have enough money to buy engines from anyone in the country but I chose to build my own, I have for over 15yrs. In that 15 yrs I learned if I dont know what I'm talking about I keep my trap shut so not to look like a chump or a fool.... Seems you need study up before offering insite on things beyond your realm of understanding.....


I'm done sorry for the BS in your thread moreisbetter..............

I'm done sorry for the BS in your thread moreisbetter..............

It's not BS. Read the question he's asking. It does sound like this might be his first big block build.

I'm just trying to give what I think is the best advice for what I read here. I don't think building a big inch tall deck is an easy starting point for someone new to big blocks. It might not be a big deal to you or me. But sometimes you need to think back 16 years ago when you were first starting out and realize this might be where he is now.
He needs to get back and post a little more. Now if the guy comes back and says he pulled the heads and found a 4.125 bore and had casting numbers for the heads and block and other misc pieces of important information we'd get a better idea of what he's capable of doing.

Thats the way I see it. I'm not saying I can't build something from what he has, so my knowledge with hands on shouldn't be questioned here. We just need input from him, let him check out the link you put up and post back. At this point I think what you'd like to build might be too much for him.

Agreed

ill try to get the casting numbers off it. the reason i say its probably a 454 tall deck is that its a replacement motor and a book i bought said something about there being just a few tall 454s and they wouldve been put into 1 ton work trucks sooo, anyways ill get numbers an let you guys know.

geez i hope its not some rediculously rare motor. haha

All you need to do is look at where the head meets the block. If the water pump is at that line it's a regular big block. If the head sits up more than 1/4" then it's a tall deck.

The casting numbers will help figure bore diameter.

I don't know where you're from but here in Florida I've seen a lot of tall deck 366's, they originated from the orange groves in various vehicles and even on pumps, etc. Seen them end up in other vehicles just because it's a big block.