454 or 427 ?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,079
Likes: 315
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
If you are asking about original factory production...the music died in 1969 when they stopped making the 427. The 454 in 1970 was nothing more than a stroked 427...an attempt on the part of the Chevy factory to compete for sales with the 455 GMs and the 440 Mopars in the muscle car wars. Sure...they made a few solid lifter LS6 Corvettes and Chevelles...but the glory days were over.
Go for a ride in a real L88...just squeeze the pedal to the floor in 2nd gear and hold on for the ride of your life! Nothing beats the sound of a 13.5 to 1 compression solid lifter 427 gulping down huge amount of race fuel and hitting 6500 rpm thru side exhaust. Nothing.
If you are asking about potential for making power...there is no replacement for displacement. Why mess around with an old engine? Just go buy a GM 572 crate engine at 720 hp....
Go for a ride in a real L88...just squeeze the pedal to the floor in 2nd gear and hold on for the ride of your life! Nothing beats the sound of a 13.5 to 1 compression solid lifter 427 gulping down huge amount of race fuel and hitting 6500 rpm thru side exhaust. Nothing.
If you are asking about potential for making power...there is no replacement for displacement. Why mess around with an old engine? Just go buy a GM 572 crate engine at 720 hp....
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
Likes: 247
From: San Jose CA
Go for a ride in a real L88...just squeeze the pedal to the floor in 2nd gear and hold on for the ride of your life! Nothing beats the sound of a 13.5 to 1 compression solid lifter 427 gulping down huge amount of race fuel and hitting 6500 rpm thru side exhaust. Nothing.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,123
Likes: 433
From: Gladstone MO
C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
427 makes pretty quick RPM. 454 has an a** load of torque. I've got an LS-7 454 in Ol' Red and it's a blast to drive. Years ago it had an L-88 in it. It was fun too. If it hadn't disassembled itself when the cam broke, it'd still be in there. Either one, if you jump on the go pedal, you better be ready.
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Pro
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 571
Likes: 5
From: usa
Go for a ride in a real L88...just squeeze the pedal to the floor in 2nd gear and hold on for the ride of your life! Nothing beats the sound of a 13.5 to 1 compression solid lifter 427 gulping down huge amount of race fuel and hitting 6500 rpm thru side exhaust. Nothing.
cept for that SOB in that fastorange67 camaro with a 327 screaming @ 7700 rpm :grin:
cept for that SOB in that fastorange67 camaro with a 327 screaming @ 7700 rpm :grin:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 93
From: Bellmore NY
If we are talking regular streetable stuff, not exotic huge compression motors, the 454 is my choice.
Any BBC is great, and I have nothing against the 427...but apples to apples that 454 is going to make most people happier. Yes, a 427 can be built to lay the spank down on anything else out there, but a similarly prepped 454 for regularly street duty is going to knock your socks off.
Once apon a time I had a solid lifter 396 in a 67 Chevelle. It ran mid 12s. I drove a friend's 427 powered 70 Chevelle 4spd car. It was a nice driving car and had appropriate boogie factor for a slightly modified car. When I put my 454 in my 67, it was like no comparison to the other 2 smaller BBCs I had driven. BIIIIG torque and tons of midrange. The motor was not super radical [9.86:1 cr] other than the .629 solid cam.
If I found a good running 427 for a decent price, Id buy it. If I also found a 454, or was deciding to build one of these motors, it would be a 454.
Any BBC is great, and I have nothing against the 427...but apples to apples that 454 is going to make most people happier. Yes, a 427 can be built to lay the spank down on anything else out there, but a similarly prepped 454 for regularly street duty is going to knock your socks off.
Once apon a time I had a solid lifter 396 in a 67 Chevelle. It ran mid 12s. I drove a friend's 427 powered 70 Chevelle 4spd car. It was a nice driving car and had appropriate boogie factor for a slightly modified car. When I put my 454 in my 67, it was like no comparison to the other 2 smaller BBCs I had driven. BIIIIG torque and tons of midrange. The motor was not super radical [9.86:1 cr] other than the .629 solid cam.
If I found a good running 427 for a decent price, Id buy it. If I also found a 454, or was deciding to build one of these motors, it would be a 454.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,781
Likes: 15
From: Oxford Ohio
It's interesting to read the "what engine" threads. It always seems to be the bigger or the faster quest that most are on.
I'm guilty of it myself.
I'm building an engine for my 75. Without stepping back and taking a look at my real goal, I went from a nice, normal, strong driver to an Aluminum block and heads, .903 roller liftered, roller rockered 440 inch small block that for 75% of my driving will be way more engine than I need.
So I asked myself, why not back up and save 3/4ths the cash and build the calm strong driver engine. Well............screw it, the 440 just sounds like fun and looks so cool.
I'm guilty of it myself.
I'm building an engine for my 75. Without stepping back and taking a look at my real goal, I went from a nice, normal, strong driver to an Aluminum block and heads, .903 roller liftered, roller rockered 440 inch small block that for 75% of my driving will be way more engine than I need.
So I asked myself, why not back up and save 3/4ths the cash and build the calm strong driver engine. Well............screw it, the 440 just sounds like fun and looks so cool.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 6,664
Likes: 162
From: columbia city in
If we are talking regular streetable stuff, not exotic huge compression motors, the 454 is my choice.
Any BBC is great, and I have nothing against the 427...but apples to apples that 454 is going to make most people happier. Yes, a 427 can be built to lay the spank down on anything else out there, but a similarly prepped 454 for regularly street duty is going to knock your socks off.
Once apon a time I had a solid lifter 396 in a 67 Chevelle. It ran mid 12s. I drove a friend's 427 powered 70 Chevelle 4spd car. It was a nice driving car and had appropriate boogie factor for a slightly modified car. When I put my 454 in my 67, it was like no comparison to the other 2 smaller BBCs I had driven. BIIIIG torque and tons of midrange. The motor was not super radical [9.86:1 cr] other than the .629 solid cam.
If I found a good running 427 for a decent price, Id buy it. If I also found a 454, or was deciding to build one of these motors, it would be a 454.
Any BBC is great, and I have nothing against the 427...but apples to apples that 454 is going to make most people happier. Yes, a 427 can be built to lay the spank down on anything else out there, but a similarly prepped 454 for regularly street duty is going to knock your socks off.
Once apon a time I had a solid lifter 396 in a 67 Chevelle. It ran mid 12s. I drove a friend's 427 powered 70 Chevelle 4spd car. It was a nice driving car and had appropriate boogie factor for a slightly modified car. When I put my 454 in my 67, it was like no comparison to the other 2 smaller BBCs I had driven. BIIIIG torque and tons of midrange. The motor was not super radical [9.86:1 cr] other than the .629 solid cam.
If I found a good running 427 for a decent price, Id buy it. If I also found a 454, or was deciding to build one of these motors, it would be a 454.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,548
Likes: 379
From: Woodinville WA
I agree with the comment about 13.5:1 427 motors. I've had bunches of both - and yeah, the 454 will make more power... but the end of the day, one is a truck motor the other is a race car motor.
With that said, there are enough situations where it really doesn't matter (the extra 27 cubes) - I have the timing slips to prove a 454 Camaro I had was faster than the 427 Camaro, but the 427 always felt faster...
build the motor that makes you hear sing (unless you're racing, then build the one that will suck the doors off your competition).
With that said, there are enough situations where it really doesn't matter (the extra 27 cubes) - I have the timing slips to prove a 454 Camaro I had was faster than the 427 Camaro, but the 427 always felt faster...
build the motor that makes you hear sing (unless you're racing, then build the one that will suck the doors off your competition).
Pro
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 571
Likes: 5
From: usa
doesn't the 427 have a shorter stroke, which in turn allows it to wind up faster ? where the 454 with a longer stroke has more torque and mid range????
kinda like a 327 will wind up quick and scream to 7k plus, but a 350 has more torque but not like the high RPM's
of course talking mostly stock form
kinda like a 327 will wind up quick and scream to 7k plus, but a 350 has more torque but not like the high RPM's
of course talking mostly stock form
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 925
Likes: 7
In a street application with mostly stock stuff, you're not going to be noticing much of a difference, if any, between the acceleration of the 2 engines. Under the same circumstances, you will notice the torque difference on the street. Both can rev to 7000 plus, but that's not street driving.
Torque is what you feel with the seat of the pants dyno, but either engine is a thrill.
Torque is what you feel with the seat of the pants dyno, but either engine is a thrill.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 7,215
Likes: 1
From: Orlando FL
for the street car, all things equal I would build a 427. They rev quicker and have the cool factor of being a 427.
you can build a 454 and do the same things. It is 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.
In the end the 427 raps quicker and it is
you can build a 454 and do the same things. It is 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.
In the end the 427 raps quicker and it is
