454 ls7 motor
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Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 28
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454 ls7 motor
Ha, my dad has a 454 ls7 motor that he bought as a teen and never put the motor in anything. He's giving me the motor to do what i want. Im a total newbie to gearhead world and still learning, but what should i do with it? Will it fit in my 86 coupe. I think im looking at 450 hp. My dad is a motorhead to the max and thinks it would fit in my car. What do you guys think? What are the drawbacks to doing this. i would like to be able to drive the car on the road not just the track.
got to love the us muscle.
got to love the us muscle.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: sw Ohio
Well if the engine has been sitting this long, it will almost certainly need to be rebuilt. No it will not fit in your '86 without extensive modification of the engine bay and a high rise hood. Iroc57 did this mod to his C4 which he recently sold if you want to look up how he did it.
Last edited by Demonic85; Apr 16, 2009 at 10:30 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
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I would not put that engine in a C4. That engine was meant for the 1970 model year but never released. Buy yourself a 1970 car with a bad engine and build the LS7 Corvette that Chevrolet never did.
From my point of view, the C4 already has its super motor - the LT5. Put the LS7 where it belongs - in a C3.
From my point of view, the C4 already has its super motor - the LT5. Put the LS7 where it belongs - in a C3.
Corvette Enthusiast
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From: So. Cal.
2025 C7 of the Year Finalist- Unmodified
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Ls7
I would not put that engine in a C4. That engine was meant for the 1970 model year but never released. Buy yourself a 1970 car with a bad engine and build the LS7 Corvette that Chevrolet never did.
From my point of view, the C4 already has its super motor - the LT5. Put the LS7 where it belongs - in a C3.
From my point of view, the C4 already has its super motor - the LT5. Put the LS7 where it belongs - in a C3.
Or a 70 chevelle
Melting Slicks
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From: backwoods upstate ny
dream car
big blocks 454+ c.i. make gobs of torque that NO small block can touch...back/day when GM built both big block and mouse motor vettes, you could easily tell which you were in without any other input than s.o.p. as soon as the 'loud pedal' was pressed down...not a simple drop-in to put a big block into a c4 but many have done it...will NOT endear you to the ''wrong-bolts-in-your-hood-your-car-sux'' crew but the other 99% of car guys will drool.
DO IT.
DO IT.
Safety Car
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From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
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that is true if the dates and stamps line up to what he is saying. but they made a bunch of thoes motors to be sold over the counter. my bet it is just a run of the mill 454.
if the op can give us all the numbers stamping on the block, and the numbers on the heads( you have to remove the valve cover to see them) we can get a better guess as to what he has or think he has
if the op can give us all the numbers stamping on the block, and the numbers on the heads( you have to remove the valve cover to see them) we can get a better guess as to what he has or think he has
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
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From: Taylor Michigan
Or make One of These,
big blocks 454+ c.i. make gobs of torque that NO small block can touch...back/day when GM built both big block and mouse motor vettes, you could easily tell which you were in without any other input than s.o.p. as soon as the 'loud pedal' was pressed down...not a simple drop-in to put a big block into a c4 but many have done it...will NOT endear you to the ''wrong-bolts-in-your-hood-your-car-sux'' crew but the other 99% of car guys will drool.
DO IT.
DO IT.
.......[turn the volume up}http://s238.photobucket.com/albums/f...t=68RedLS7.flv
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 68
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From: Sydney NSW
BTW: If there's any doubt as to LS7 or not, if the engine number format is T----XCH then that's a crate LS7.
Keep us posted as to progress!
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 79
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From: Canton Oh
A Rat motor in a C3 is just another C3 w/ a Rat. Now a Rat in a C4 will be something that is rare and a real gear head could do it, as it's been done before. They make a kit to put a 9" solid rear end in the C4. If your car is super nice maybe you could find another car. You can find some real nasty C4's one without engine, trans, & Rear would fit the bill.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
That Camaro is awesome, would take that over a Vette any day of the week. Saw a perfect 68 Chevelle convert (SS clone) blasting back and forth by here today with a stout BB and 4 spd....Man, aint nothing like a big block that winds out. 
Pro
Joined: Mar 2009
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I would contact Grumpy Vette, at the digitial corvette forum,,,,He from everything I have read is the BB man when it comes to C4's. He is also very willing to help anyone that needs it. He has a post on there about putting a BB in a C4. It does require some wrangling but not as much as you might think. I believe he has a sticky there about it. Might be worth looking onto......
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Ft. Wayne In.
I use to have a 72 Chevelle with a 70 crate motor in it. The # on the pad was 10612 xch. Was it a standard 450 horse engine or something more? The guy I bought the car from put the crate engine in, he said engineers from G.M. would come to the strip to watch it run because it was one of the 1st and an experimental engine. It ran real well on the strip, but wasnt ment for the street.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: sw Ohio
Iroc 57. that car was sweet. The problem with putting a big block in a C4 is that it throws off the weight distribution a LOT.
