[64r1]

Any help or suggestions would be very helpful. I have the chance to buy a 427 truck motor tall deck,its complete carb to pan(30k miles on it). A friend is selling it to me pretty cheap imo(500.00), but i have concerns cause i know there has to be alot of modifications done to perform the way it needs to in a pass car. I have a 64 chevy impala and would like a big block , but i don't have the money for extensive modifications.What are the cheapest options that can be done without going into the bottom end? I wanted to just drop it in for now but what kinda performance could i expect with a stock truck motor? Excuse my ignorance for the last question and my lack of knowledge.I cant break the bank on it but it was just something that came up and i would love a big block.I haven't purchased the motor yet, thats why I'm posting this thread. If anyone has any feedback ,thank you.

[delawarebill]

i would do just that.. put it in the car.. and just see how it runs for u.. it should do very nicely the way it is without mods... for $500bucks u got a steal. so just drop it in and run it and see IF u really want to do something or not....

[techinspector1]

Just be aware that headers could be a problem. The heads are 0.400" further away from the block than on a conventional BBC, so off the shelf headers probably won't work. If you're using power brakes with a vacuum cannister on the firewall, it might be in the way of the driver's side valve cover, requiring moving the motor to the passenger side of the car by a small amount.

Here's a virtual build I did a while back that may interest you....
Cheapo BBC 505 tall deck grunt motor

[BOBCRMAN@aol.com]

A bone stock tall deck bolted into a passenger car will be a very disappointing experience.

These motors are made to produce torque and operate under 3500 rpm. Thus, the cam makes no horsepower, the heads make no horsepower, the intake sucks and has dual thermostats to contend with. Stock exhaust manifolds won't fit anything but a truck chassis. Distrib and carb are "governed". Water pump/Pulleys fit nothing other than a truck

Now, if you throw away everything but the crank and block you now have a basis for a high horse 427+ hotrod motor.

Find a mid to late seventies, clapped out, 454 pickup truck and get the engine and trans from that. A much wiser, cost efficient, decision.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by 64r1

I have the chance to buy a 427 truck motor tall deck

OT, but any chance you could post a few photos of it here on the forum?

[cobalt327]

TD 427 in a '68 Chevell SS (manual brakes ):

[64r1]

yea i was trying to *Bob, just cant find one. I don't have any pictures yet , don't even have the casting numbers. So basically because of my budget limitations its not worth it? I mean if i get it I dont want throw alot money into it right NOW. I am a bodyman not an engine guy and i have a ways to go on the body and update everything else(brakes, wheels tires, etc.).This was just presented to me by a friend who is selling the big block so I wanted to ask questions before buying it,then realizing that it wasnt a good decision.Just thought for 500.00 I couldnt pass it up. I know from some of the research and posts that it will require alot of attention to perform like i want it to in my impala.As far as right now being that money is tight does anyone recommend buying it and just putting it in for the time being? or am i just totally wasting my time? e.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by 64r1

yea i was trying to *Bob, just cant find one. I don't have any pictures yet , don't even have the casting numbers. So basically because of my budget limitations its not worth it? I mean if i get it I dont want throw alot money into it right NOW. I am a bodyman not an engine guy and i have a ways to go on the body and update everything else(brakes, wheels tires, etc.).This was just presented to me by a friend who is selling the big block so I wanted to ask questions before buying it,then realizing that it wasnt a good decision.Just thought for 500.00 I couldnt pass it up. I know from some of the research and posts that it will require alot of attention to perform like i want it to in my impala.As far as right now being that money is tight does anyone recommend buying it and just putting it in for the time being? or am i just totally wasting my time? e.

My thoughts are offer the guy $350- $375 for it, then store it away.

Even if the heads and block are no good (and the heads are n/g anyway, from a performance standpoint), the crank and rods ought to be worth about that. If he says no, no big loss.

But I wouldn't install it stock. It needs heads and pistons and rods, at least. Rods need to be longer than stock to allow a standard deck 427 piston to work.

Also need an intake, the aforementioned TD headers, a carb, a dist, you get the idea...

EDIT- I see where you say it has only 30K on it. Guy probably won't go that low, tough decision. Might be worth it.

But if it was 30K in a dump truck hauling mill slag, might not be such a deal.

[64r1]

Yea I hear ya. Thanks for all the input everyone, and it is appreciated. I cant really spend the money on the motor to have it sit or just for the block and crank because of budget concerns.I was hoping the big block would fill my want and get the car just rolling.I talked to one of the guys at the shop I work at he said the samething. Now, if i had around 10,000.00 i would jump on it! But as it seems i don't haha. Anyways when i was talking to him he has a set of 454 heads(don't know any numbers) that he would be willing to give me, fresh out of the machine shop ready to go. I guess maybe i can find a pass bbc with a good bottom end.anyone have one??? Well, thanks again!

[Double_v23]

I think if you wanted some HP and some pretty surprising performance I would do several things....

1. Cam swap (nothing crazy just a decent flat tappet with some added lift and duration)

This is the most important thing because as stated before this is set up for TQ only.

2. Shop around for some cheap BBC heads...Just about any oval port heads will support 450 hp. Just watch out for peanut ports. Deals can be found anywhere on these "mediocre" oval port heads. Ideally you will find some with 100 cc or so chambers to bump up the compression a bit like these...http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BBC-C...item2c5386b86b


If you do these two things with a little help from your friends you will have less than 800 bucks in this motor and it will run pretty dang good. Once you have these things you can drive the car around with the stock intake and carb and when you get a little more cash throw on a cheap intake and find a 750 carb and it will really wake up the whole package.

If you can't spare 800 bucks to do this then you might as well just forget ever considering a big block, cause this is as cheap and quick as it gets.

[Double_v23]

If you found yourself falling into some cash, you could shop around for some better heads like 781's or 042's which are some pretty good oval ports and can support 500+ HP, you would get yourself some .400 longer connecting rods, and some standard 427 pistons that are two valve relief flat tops. This eliminates tons of weight from the rotating assembly. The 427T cranks are forged so I would reuse that.

But if you fell into a few hundred extra dollars on top of that. You could buy a cheap 4.25" stroker crank, along with the +.400 rods and .060 over stroker pistons, you would have a 496 CI big block. Stick a nasty cam in it, a 850-950 cfm carb and a big intake on it and you will have more power than most sane people can handle on the street. You would still only be into it for around 5000.00 As long as you didn't try to spin it past 6500 RPM it would last plenty.

I have personally done this last step and made over 550hp on pump gas with an 850 carb.

[64r1]

see I want a big block as my final power plant but this motor came up in conversation so it surprised me for the most part. As far as spending money on a bbc i know they cost money and they arent the cheapest thing to build but like i said i wasnt ready for the big block just kinda sprang itself upon me and I could get 500.00 no prob.Just was kinda wishing it was a passenger motor now cause money isnt there for a build right now. Well my dad has a friend with a late 80's rv going to go by and see what the numbers are on the block hope its a light truck 454 not a dagum td truck motor.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by 64r1

Well my dad has a friend with a late 80's rv going to go by and see what the numbers are on the block hope its a light truck 454 not a dagum td truck motor.

It will be a std. deck, w/peanut port heads, most likely.

[64r1]

Yea ? well, my buddy has some stock 454 heads off a light truck he will let me have, they fresh out of the machine shop, don't know what heads they are. Could i do what double v23 said and swap those heads and get headers and a cam for the 427? then later on manifold and carb ,distributor,etc? would that make sense? or should i just keep looking for a standard deck being that I'm not looking for a total build at this juncture? I do apologize for my ignorance but i don't know so i ask questions.Just don't want to tell my buddy no on the motor then find out I could have just swapped heads and put a cam in it for the time being.

[Double_v23]

If the guy wants a similar amount for the motor in the RV then go with that. It has several benefits....

1. it is a 454 so making power is easier due to the larger displacement.

2. You won't need special belt lengths or accessories or pushrods or rod lengths when you rebuild it.

3. Some of those 454's in RV's came with forged cranks.