stingraygene

friend has a 88 chevy truck he might consider selling me the engine. he said a shop who rebuilds race engines told him that it was the good 454? it was rebuilt with only 18,000 miles on it and trans went out so he bought another truck. He said the block had something like 'high performance' or output or something like that on it. I read here somewhere that there is a tall block and short block.. and I'd want the short version? I am thinking on buying it for a later day swap because of low mileage and the race shop rebuilt it and does have bumped up cam and head work. I can get it for about $700-$800

ratflinger

Okay, I think you need to do a little more homework before you jump into this. However, since you asked.

Yes it will fit in your C3, they came with 454 from the factory.
Tall decks only came in bigger trucks not pickups, and they maxed out at 427. Don't believe there ever was a tall deck 454.
It's what's inside the block and not what's stamped on it that matters, unless you are going over 1000hp or putting a 6/71 on it then about any good block will be fine.
Same with 2-bolt vs 4-bolt mains.
Does the engine run?
Race shops build a lot of crap too, and shoving a dremel tool down a runner qualifies as head work.

stumpshot

I saw a tall deck come out of 3/4 ton chevy pickup once. Difference as it was explained to me is: water pump bolts on a short deck will be almost in the head mating surface. Tall deck: they will be about 3/4" down from the head. Only experience I'be had with them.
Research the differences and check the motor out carefully befote you install or run it.

cv67

There was nothing special abotu the 88 454. Depends on how the shop built it.
Does it have oval ports or the peanuts? Roller or flat tappet cam? Provision for fuel pump?

My 90 TBI 454 was one gutless wonder.

ronarndt

If you are planning on a later engine swap, your friend's $700 454 truck motor is a good buy. I have a 454 block that originally came from a one ton truck in my 68 convert that I have modified to increase performance. Despite your friend's claim about a "race shop" rebuilding the motor, I would have someone with experience partially disassemble and inspect the motor when you get it to see what was actually done to rebuild it. Check if the cylinders were bored, what oversize and what pistons were used. Stock pistons from the truck engine will give only about 8:1 compression ratio. Check if main and rod bearings were replaced and standard or undersize? What kind of connecting rods? Does it have the original cast iron small port heads or were the heads swapped for better performing cast iron or aluminum heads? What intake manifold? Lots of other stuff to check to get your starting point but the price is right and you can take your time getting the motor ready before doing the engine swap.

Hemi John

Tall deck block is .400" taller deck than passenger car block. "truck" engine is not referring to "pick up truck" but actual truck application.

First thing you want is casting number and date off the back of the block on top by bell housing flange. And casting number off heads. Post those and go from there.

stingraygene

Thanks on info... I'm going to think on it. I haven't even driven the 350 in my car yet.. car was un-driveable when I got it. ( long story) - But I'm working on making it road worthy piece by piece. new core done- new hoses done -and now replacing vacuum hoses.

derekderek

The tall deck blocks were 366 and 427 cubic-inch only. Engine you are talking about says hi perf, that means it's not a tall deck. The guy said this is the good 454. Probably means it is the mark 4 style engine. Same design as the 65 396 through the 89 454. So essentially you cannot tell it apart from a correct big block engine in a Corvette except by casting numbers and date codes. What year is your Corvette? does it have power steering and or air conditioning? You could probably get away with cobbing together the water pump, pulleys, brackets and exhaust that come with the truck engine. But it would not be correctly done.

HeadsU.P.

Just one issue with any tall deck in any car is, the valve cover may not clear the booster.

stingraygene

my car is 71 without AC but does have power steering. it is a automatic .. I'm thinking on buying it for later day swap- but not sure how many 'later day' swaps in store for me as I'm going on 66.

woodlawnmill

I converted my '72 L-48 to 454 years ago My car is 80K orig. miles loaded: A/C, power windows. steering and brakes, Automatic trans. Tilt-tele leather. Would I do it again? NO! You will need BB radiator and expansion tank,shroud and extension piece(tough to find) ,clutch fan, brackets if A/C, etc. Carb? distributor?. . BB hood, all the many foam air seals around radiator and hood (VERY important ) Perhaps in a low option 4 sp car. with no A/C. I went ALL correct GM for the conversion. Car runs hot, in the passenger area esp. I would have built and balanced, with some mild head work, the original #'s match SB instead MUCH better driver than the BB. Great price on the 454 motor but...

All the Best,
SW '72 L-48 coupe,'72 L-48 roadster,'72 LT-1 coupe, '70 L-46 coupe, '70 LS-5 coupe C-3's Owned in the past now just the '72 L-48 coupe conversion

ratflinger

It could be done with a lot less trouble if the OP didn't care to necessarily do it with standard GM parts. DeWitts radiator with electric fans takes the place of all the factory mess, a hood is just a trip to Ecklers. Brackets are readily available as aftermarket also, Alan Grove comes to mind. Carb and distro are sitting on the shelves of Jegs, Summit, etc.

OP - only 66, you should have a long time to enjoy your car, but you need to make a decision. Either go with the BB & jump right in the deep end or stay with the SBC and work with it. If you split your time you'll never really get there. I will say that SBC parts are a lot more plentiful and generally cheaper than BB parts.

stingraygene

I assume because the 454 is TBI that is why carb and different distributer? - Thanks

TimAT

The block I'm using started in a 1-ton pickup-- 454, 4-bolt mains. Now it's .060 over and stroked to 4.25. So far it's done well.
Using a tall deck block can be done, just not really easily. The deck as mentioned above, it .400 taller. With that, the heads are further apart, putting the headers/exhaust in a different place. A BBC is tight in a Corvette to start with, but add a tall deck and things really get snug.
Chevrolet never built a "Tall Deck" 454. Tall deck blocks were (production) only 366 and 427's and installed in 60,70, and 75 series trucks.

cv67

Remember pulling those out of industrial trucks many years ago I thought they were 427s (Was young)....plus the GMC blowers on busses, cool stuff.
We used to throw that stuff out left and right.

ratflinger

Unless you want to deal with retrofitting a computer the TBI has to go. So you would need either an EFI from Holley (or similar) or a carb & distro.

derekderek

You could use the carb and distributor from the 350, plus the intake under the tbi adapter, at least to piece together first version.