[BIG BLOCK DREAMS]

I HAVE PURCHASED A 454 MOTOR AND 400 TRANS. I HAVE A 65 MALIBU SS ORIGINALLY A 327. I WANTED, TO BASICALLY MAKE A MODEST STREET ROD, NOT A QUARTER MILE DRAGSTER. I,VE NEVER BUILT A MOTOR BEFORE BY MY-SELF. BUT I KNOW THE BASICS PLUS I WORK W/A LOT OF MASTER TECH'S. I WAS WONDERING IF ANY BODY COULD LET ME PICK THEIR BRAIN???

[gpeak]

UMMM........what is the question?

[Super Streeter]

You can go far with just about any bigblock.If you want something that will burn a lot of rubber and outrun anything late model in a straightaway,you dont need much.I need to know what your 454 came out of and what it has.You can use just about any shortblock even a no frills pickup truck bottom end to make good street power.If the engine needs to be rebuilt go for something like this.Rebuild it as a .030" over block and have the block decked about .015" unless the machine shop feels it needs to go more,have the machine shop notch the top of the bores to clear the biger intake valves if that isnt already done.Use whatever stock crank and rods the engine came with but have them reconditioned to performance specs.Have the rods redone with new aftermarket rod bolts.Replace the pistons with Speed pro LS6 replacement pistons,{#2399 I think},with street type gapless rings and have the assembly balanced.This combo will give you about 9.2:1 with most late style open chamber heads,or you can bump it up to 10.25:1 with closed chamber early heads.I recommend the later heads.Seek out a set of large oval port open chamber heads from a smog era passenger car application if you dont already have them.Dont use peanut port truck heads.Have the heads properly fitted with stock replacement 2.19" intake valves and a good 3 angle valve job.If you really want to break the bank and want to save some weight,you could splurge for a set of GMPP aluminum oval heads.At $1800 a set they are about the best bargain in complete aluminum bigblock street heads.
How much cam you run is kinda up to you.If you want something with a little lump and yet still very drivable run a 280 Isky mega cam.If you want very mild with almost no lope,run a 272 degree Crane.The isky will be worth about 25 hp in the combo.
If you need to run it under a stock hood,you could run a performer intake on it and soup it up some by cutting the plenum divider to make it similar to an RPM manifold.If you have the room,the RPM air gap is the best choice unless you need to drive the car on a regualr basis in the absolute fridgid cold.Top it off with an 800cfm double pumper and some 1 7/8" promary tube headers,and an aftermarket HEI ignition and you will have a street combo that will be hard to beat.This is an Honest 465 hp combo with the Edelbrock heads,or about 450 hp with the reworked stock heads.Either cam you choose will work better with at least a little convertor.The minimum I would run for best performance with the 272 cam would be a satuday nigh special type unit such as one of the many 2000 rpm stall units that are available.The sky cam will really wake up with a good 2500 stall behind it.Either combo will rock with a stick.Either combo should be very comfortable with a super powershot system on it too if you like to scare your passengers even more.Good luck.

[78 monte]

Evan a stock truck 454 w/ peanut port heads will be a cool motor with headers,an intake and maybe a mild cam,if all your looking to do is cruise and occasionaly lay 400ft of rubber on the street.
They have more torque than God.My uncle has a truck motor w/ a RV cam,3 duece 69vette ovalport intake and headers on it infront of a stick tranny and 3.55s and you can let the clutch out with your foot off the gas and it will just grunt allong without stalling.I dunno what kinna 1/4 times it would run but for the cruiser/tire burner/fun thing it kills a smallblock.I know cruiseing at street rpms then opening up the three little pigs will snap your head back nicely.