What tech availability? It's an internal combustion motor, nothing exotic just more cubic inches, that would be my choice, 8.1.

 

I think he's talking about the 8.1L bbc straight from the factory, not the bored/stroked 454/496 bbc.

 

Hmm, would there be a big tech issue with an OEM 8.1, other than run of the mill ECM requirements or something similar?

 

re

i see there are not a lot of aftermarket items for these. induction is limited to oem

 

Why don't you just go to a GM crate motor, for instance their 720 horse 572, or anything in between, BB, SB, long block, short block, complete?

 

Id go with the 7.4L. You can always bore it out and stroke it if you really need more displacement. I dont see the need tho, a 454 should be capable of anything you want it to make, unless you happen to be building a 6,000HP top fuel dragster. Then you might want more cubes, but probably more than 8.1L. Since I doubt that's what you're after, the 454 would be just fine.

 

If you want the 496 I think you might be better off building a 496 out of a 454 rather than buying the Vortec 8.1L. I believe there were quite a few components that were redesigned in one way or another and could make parts interchangeability difficult.

 

CAUTION>> The only conventional BBC engine parts that fit/interchange with an OEM 8.1 are the bearings, oil pump, oil pan. EVERYTHING and I do mean everything, else is different. The 8.1 is a BBC in name only...