Not to start an argument, but are you trying to say if I built an engine with a 4.5" bore and a 3" stroke it would produce more torque than a 350?

There is so much more to it than that, the 427 is a killer motor and would most likely outperform a comparably built 454 in his particular application.

Good luck finding one!

One more thing about a 427 over a 454... "Internal balance" (unless you spend the bucks for an internal balanced 454 crank...?)

Also I can build a 427 cheaper any day... No one wants a 427 because of the bigger is better attitude so the parts are much cheaper as I have found... Also I can twist the 427 higher and not pay the price for it either... It takes alot more money to get a 454 to turn the extra 1000-1500 rpm that almost any 427 will do no sweat... I turn my 427 to 6500-6600rpm every pass and 7000 is not out of the question at all... Build a $2K 454 that will do that...

. . . and doesn't 427 sound soooo much cooler?

__________________
1997 BMW M3 - 3.2litre Inline 6 cylinder

Thanks for all the input guys, I will find a 427, got nothing but time. My Corvette is a 63 that a previous owner turned into a 66, exterior and interior, including a 67 BB hood. I love the look, triple black roadster (original colors). Don't care much about correctness, just want a kick ***** corvette, so a 427 would be appropriate. The car has a nice 383 stroker in it now, which I will likely save for another project. Have been watching eBay and putting out feelers for 427 blocks or engines to rebuild. Haven't given allot of thought to the build, but probably won't go too far, unless I replace the drive train. Anyway, if anyone has a 427 laying around, let me know!

My vote is a 427. That is what's supposed to be in a mid 60's Vette.You give up a few cubes, but unless you are willing to modify your suspension or run sticky street tires, the extra cubes won't do you much good.

Just my .02

Good decision, you have what...a 3,000 lb. car with good aerodynamics? The extra little bit of torque from the 454 will do you less good then the added rpm / HP of the 427 when it comes to racing.

there is no replacement for displacement.

there is no rule in class racing as to how small you can build a motor. Only the max size. I dont know maybe chevys are different but Id give the 454 the nod.

No such thing as HP being opposite from torque.

HP is a unit of measure of work. Like Amps is to electricity
Torque is the ability to do that work. Like Volts is to electricity.

You'd never have any HP with out torque, hence the torque motor will always make more HP. The only way to make a smaller motor put out the same HP is to spin it higher, more RPM. RPM creates friction, therefore has limits.

Cubic inches wins hands down. Unless there is some sort of "super" cheap way to build a 427 that I'm not aware of.

could be. anyway good luck with it.

if I followed the logic in this thread, a 460 would be faster in my car and produce more HP than my 557 cid motor. I'd like to see that!

I always thought the 427 was like the classy high performance high rpm racing beast, and the 454 was just like a torque gobbler for ... torque stuff like towing.
Bigger does not always mean better. Seemed like the 454 came along when that oil crisis happened or something and the 427 lost sight because they were drifting towards econo and low-end torque no mo high rpm smokem c ya latta bye. I mean of course you can get a 454 to be super ****** but it seemed like GM created the 427 for racing. In my mind the 454 is over rated, with most people that don't know much about engines that's the largest they've ever heard of. So when they hear 454 "OMG, really wow". So if it were me I'd get the 427 because it's a "you blew his doors off with class" sort of thing. And just because "There's no replacement for displacement" sounds witty and it rhymes doesn't mean it has won every case.

It has nothing to do with which has more power (hp & tq), but where that power lies in the rpm band. A 3,000 lb. Vette needs more power as wind resistance increases then it needs to get off the line.

I respectfully disagree with you 427 lovers. If your logic holds then he should build a 396. 396's rev even better than 427's and make less low end torque which is a good thing, right? And 396's are all over the place for cheap!

I have had 396s, 427's and 454's. The 454 makes more power, plain and simple. And I can't wait to try a 496 stroker kit!

Why is the 383 such a good upgrade for the 350? More stroke, more torque, more hp, more power.

Think of the 454 as the "383 upgrade" to the 427. And the 454 is cheaper to build than a 427 (cheaper piston prices, cheaper engine prices). It is like getting a 383 for less than the price of a 350 (why not?).

With the right cam, a 454 will spin up to 6000 rpm without any problems. Sure the 427 can handle a little more rpms due to a slightly better rod/stoke ratio, but the 427 also requires more gear to get the car going. A 454 can even make a car with a 3.08 gear feel fast.

What gear is in your car? What transmission do you have?

Anyhow, I still recommend to forget the BBC and build a 406 sbc with vortex heads. Vist Chevyhiperformance.com to get the formula for a 450hp/525ftlb 406 sbc. Then all your stuff will bolt up and the new engine will make BBC power for cheap and without any weight or size or expensive sbc to bbc transplant cost penalities. Plus the sbc gets 50% better MPG than a bbc!

Or, have you considered installing a late model 6.0 liter LS1 with OD trans. Six liter LS1 complete engines and trans sets with low mileage can be had for 3K (less than a good rebuild plus accessories for a bbc). Plus the LS1 gets 50% better MPG then an old style sbc.

I agree with 454C10. If you're in any kind of heads-up competition, you're going to lose every time with a 427 with equal parts. I don't care how fast that motor "spins up" (which I think is kind of a misnomer anyway) the 454 is going to make more power at every RPM with every revolution that it makes.

This is kind-of a silly argument, as mentioned before. Bigblocks are heavy, inefficient motors. The only real point of them is to stuff cubic inches in, so given that, if you're going to build a BB, get as many cubs out of that block that you can if performance is your concern!

K

I agree with you, this is getting to be a silly argument.

Since there is only one engine that is best suited for all applications it kind of makes you wonder why the Auto Manufacturers waste so much time and money developing different ones. Maybe we should let them know so they can save money.

Basically if I took a Briggs and Stratton lawnmower engine with a 2.5" bore and stroked it to 100" I could blow all the 454's off the road.

I will be sure to back off the throttle next time I run up against a 454. I sure wouldn't want to hurt their feelings by smoking them with my puny little 5.4.

I still say that in my opinion the 427 is a better suited choice for his application.

Interesting analogy. Did you know that when you step up voltage you step down current? (and vice versa) Thats why Hi tension wires carry high voltage, with (relatively) low current. By stepping up the voltage at the transmission source, high current in transmission lines (and power loss) is avoided. It's just like a transmission in a car.

@js
Anyway,
My 65 Vette has:
396, Solid lifter L88 2nd design cam, H/S roller rockers, Oval port heads, Holley street dominator single plane intake, 850 CFM DblPmpr w/50 cc reo, factory TI ignition, Tubular headers welded to stock side exhaust, Muncie 4 spd, and 4.11 rear. This engine revs to 6500 in a heartbeat, and has so much torque that 1st gear is practically unusable. I can light 'em up while rolling in 2nd without even touching the clutch. Having a car similar to yours, I would highly recommend this configuration. Unless you plan on modifying your body for larger tires, more is not going to do you any good. I think that the RPM/Internal balance advantage makes the 427 a better choice for your Vette. I used 396 since that is the original engine for 65 (L78/425HP). If I had a 66 I would have used 427.

The only problem is on the highway, the rpm is a little high, ~3000@0MPH, but L88 cam@3000 thru headers and sidepipes sounds waaay cool and for me A to B is more important than gas mileage or high speed cruising.

BTW,
That TRW fiberglass monospring for the rear is the best suspension improvement money I ever spent. If you don't have it, add the rear sway bar too. You won't believe how flat you can be in a turn.

That is the part I like the best...

What I love is this...

L88 pistons .030 (full floating), truck rods (bushed), 6233 steel crank, 454 two bolt block... Found for $300.00 + another std. 454 two bolt block $85.00 + pair of 781X casting heads $100.00 + 2.19/1.88 valves $125.00 + comp springs $75.00 + intake (Performer RPM) $100.00 + timing set $50.00 + cam and lifters $150.00 + ARP bolts (rod & main) $75.00 + Grade 8.2 head bolts $35.00 + 3/8ths Chrome moly pushrods $60.00 + SS 1.8 ratio roller rockers $200.00 + rings & bearings $175.00 + Gaskets $40.00 + ALL machine work heads included $600.00

Cost comes in at roughly $2200.00 ($2170.00) of course other externals but that is also with any other engine... (headers, water pump and so on...) Oh and still have another extra block...

But mind you stock block, stock heads (slight modding) this setup makes... well you add it up but this "heavy, inefficient motor" pushes a 4000+ lb brick through the air at 12.5 @110mph and I drive it to work or for beer and get way more looks than the little SBC used to do(nothing like the sound of a BBC either)...


Besides everyone has a 454... big deal but say 427 and they tend to squirm...

Your forgetting the Hotrodders Golden Rule!!

Double the estimated price to get the real price because that is the way it always works! Hahahahahaha.