A while back i posted a poll to decide what kinda motor i should build for my '79Z. I decided id go with a 454 that i knew was ina RV. I went to his house tha other to talk to him bout it and found out he done sold tha dang thang.:whine: So now im at a crossroads, keep lookin for a BBC, just git a 350 and build a 383 or 396 stroker, or try to find a 400 sbc. What yall think?

well i remember reading about it a while back.....if you decided to go big block, then you might as well keep looking. you obviously had thought it out before, and they arent all that hard to find, they are on craigslist all the time around me. that sucks though, keep us updated, hopefully you decide to go darkside still.

Im still thinkin bout findin a big block, but dont i gotta git new suspension parts for tha extra weight? I might just git a 350 and show yall my own personal dark side. Well there are 1 or 2 other members that have a similar combo, but not exacly what i got in mind. Yall might just call it tha grey side lol.

Weight difference cast iron 454 to cast iron 350 long block is about 170lbs. If you go with aluminum, heads, water pump, and intake you will get the difference down to about 70 lbs. I am also going try an r4 AC compressor instead of the A6 if I remember correctly this saves about another 15 lbs, the BB A6 brackets weigh a ton. Do a search on here there is great database on weights so you can do your on comparisons. From what I have read most guy's don't change anything.

For what you want the response will vary depending on who you ask. If you have the money for a BB, I say go for it. I don't, and thats why I have a SB (for the time being). Cubes is where it's at (I wanna build a 406 for my next engine) and someday I'd like a tubbed, 9", PG/400, nitrous fed Big Block'd 81.

you dont need to change the suspension. from what ive read and been told the suspension is fine even with the big block, ill find out though in a couple of weeks hopefully. but dont listen to what all of us say, figure out what you want for your car, then go that route, as long as its running it will be great!

Yea ya right and i aint got tha money for a BB right now, but i plan to try em in tha future. That is unless i like my SB too much.

Keep Searching !!!! :)

in stl right now there has been a complete running 454 going for like 750. it might not have upgrades and such, but still a running motor, just for an example.

I went the stroker route, now I wish I would've gone big block. Everybody and their brother has a 383. People are always trying to correct me when I say 388.

^^^388 is .060 overbore, right? What is a .040 overbore, 385 ??

typically,, if you purchace your 454 block core from a machine shop in pieces,, you can go ahead and plunk down for a 4.250 crank from the aftermarket,, and the machine shop will generally show you some le-way on price for the core IF you let them do your machine work on it.

that way,, you could do it in sections,, so to speak,, as you can afford it over some time. the block now,, to get started on the short block,, then the heads at a later date. it can work that way to commit to a monthly payment if you're truly interested in building one. some shops will work with you that way if you want to do one over time. bring them some $$ and they'll clean/mag,, then some more cash,, then they'll bore/hone,, then some more cash,, then they'll clean/mag resize some rods with new bolts,, etc......

the big decision with either sbc or bbc is the commitment from the get go.
come to the dark side!!!

I went the stroker route, now I wish I would've gone big block. Everybody and their brother has a 383. People are always trying to correct me when I say 388.

When you finally succumb to the shadow of the dark side... I might be interested in your stroker. ;)

Once you stick a fat block in it and get it running and absolutely smoke the modded LS1 WHILE spinning the tires,thats when you'll realize WHY you did it :bowtie: .

Would tha torque compensate for tha weight?

Once you stick a fat block in it and get it running and absolutely smoke the modded LS1 WHILE spinning the tires,thats when you'll realize WHY you did it :bowtie: .

No way i could do that without a good bit of $$$$. Or am i wrong?

Would tha torque compensate for tha weight?

Assuming the weight of a stock '79 is apporx 3600.

hp to weight ratio for a stock '79 is 20.6lbs per hp.

hp to weight ratio for a '79 with a cast iron BB with 500hp is about 7.5lbs per hp.

hp to weight ratio for a '79 with several aluminum pieces and 500hp is about 7.3lbs. per hp.

Hold out for the bbc. Ive had one in my car for about 12 years now 4 of which was with an iron headed 871 all with the stock 350 front suspension. 73 nova

Well yall, i think i found out what ima do. Find me a 350 and build it alil, maybe around 350-400 hp and drop it in. But while im drivin and racin this, ill be building a BBC perferably a 427. But since they are hard to find (& expensive when ya do), a 396 or 454 would be just as good.

Hold out for the bbc. Ive had one in my car for about 12 years now 4 of which was with an iron headed 871 all with the stock 350 front suspension. 73 nova

8-71 blower?

8-71 blower?
Iron headed 468 with an 8-71 blower. Dont get much heaver than that. Sorry for confusion

$2500 would put a BB under your hood. do the work yourself, spend $500 for an engine at pick-n-pull, budget $1k for the machine shop and another $1k for hard parts. go with the ls-6 pistons and a good cam, intake and headers. Yer golden!

$2500 would put a BB under your hood. do the work yourself, spend $500 for an engine at pick-n-pull, budget $1k for the machine shop and another $1k for hard parts. go with the ls-6 pistons and a good cam, intake and headers. Yer golden!

Any idea what kinda #'s a good BB would put down after that?

I expect around 425 to 440hp outta my build with stock iron heads. around 475 tq.

I spent a bit more than the budget outlined above. I didnt have to go with the roller rockers and windage tray;)

I expect around 425 to 440hp outta my build with stock iron heads. around 475 tq.

Lol Well that would just be tha start, cause if i wanted that much power i coulda kept to Small blocks. lol Well except tha 475 Tq. Idk but ive always paid more attention to torque than Hp, until recently. Recently ive been hangin out witta buddy thats into sbcs and when i told em Hp sells cars, Tq wins races he said bullshit. Dont git em wrong tho, he knoes bout buildin and racin cars. Been buildin and racin cars since tha 70's, so i tended to listen to him

Lol Well that would just be tha start, cause if i wanted that much power i coulda kept to Small blocks. lol Well except tha 475 Tq. Idk but ive always paid more attention to torque than Hp, until recently. Recently ive been hangin out witta buddy thats into sbcs and when i told em Hp sells cars, Tq wins races he said bullshit. Dont git em wrong tho, he knoes bout buildin and racin cars. Been buildin and racin cars since tha 70's, so i tended to listen to him

Just remember hp is just a math formula based on tq. Nothing more nothing less.

I emailed you about a Gen 6 for sale in Georgia. Good luck.
Build it as big and strong as you can afford or you'll wish you had.

No way i could do that without a good bit of $$$$. Or am i wrong?

Your wrong. The only weight reduction I have is a glass hood,no inner front fender panels,no heat/ac,and the impact crap in the front and rear bumpers...oh yea,and my front 2 seats are the cheap race seats.

I found my long block 454 for sale on ebay and had it dropped off at my house for around $3500. It has GM heavy duty crank/rods and forged TRW pistons. Bought a Pro. Products Hurricane intake mani. (cant remember,pretty sure it was less than $200),already had a distributor,I bought a 850 DP holley and the headers....those were the most expensive parts.

You see the ET in sig,on slicks. My buddy has a 2000 Z28 w/ all bolt ons including LT's,224/228 Comp cam,Zex 125 kit,12 bolt w/ 3.73's,and a 3500 stall (or somethin like that). His car has run a best of 7.14 in the 1/8...hasnt gone to the 1/4 b/c he doesnt have the balls. It was dead hooking on ET Drags and now we dont talk alot b/c he thought for sure it was going walk all over my sled :) .

Lol well.... sounds like ya gotta pretty fast ride. I was told tha small blocks will jump a BB out tha hole, but tha BB will catch back up alil further down tha track. Is ur car street driven GOT Rat? Im not sure if i wanna take them impact thang out tha bumper, cause if i hit sumtin or sumtin hits me my body or frame will git messed up easier. I heard i should take out tha front impact but leave tha back one on for better traction. ur opinion?

I emailed you about a Gen 6 for sale in Georgia. Good luck.
Build it as big and strong as you can afford or you'll wish you had.

I got that, and appreciate it, but i aint got tha funds right now. Ima savin up to buy a DD so i wont hafta worry bout gas mileage in tha Z.

Lol well.... sounds like ya gotta pretty fast ride. I was told tha small blocks will jump a BB out tha hole, but tha BB will catch back up alil further down tha track. Is ur car street driven GOT Rat? Im not sure if i wanna take them impact thang out tha bumper, cause if i hit sumtin or sumtin hits me my body or frame will git messed up easier. I heard i should take out tha front impact but leave tha back one on for better traction. ur opinion?

Haha,yea it runs very well for what it is,thanks man.

Usually the SBC jumps outta the hole if they are N/A or N2O cars (weight factor...gotta get that $hit movin!),but I havent seen many forced induction SBC get away from the F.I. BBC's.

Yes my car is street driven,I just be careful to not pull out in front of someone or rear end somebody lol. My car has ladder bars and coil overs in the rear so i get good traction anyway,Ive never heard about leaving the stuff in the rear for traction. It might help if your running stock leaf spring type suspension.

I think weight is weight..dump it and I would just find a way to get better traction via better tires,launching differently,fine tuning the rear suspension,etc.

Haha,yea it runs very well for what it is,thanks man.

Usually the SBC jumps outta the hole if they are N/A or N2O cars (weight factor...gotta get that $hit movin!),but I havent seen many forced induction SBC get away from the F.I. BBC's.

Yes my car is street driven,I just be careful to not pull out in front of someone or rear end somebody lol. My car has ladder bars and coil overs in the rear so i get good traction anyway,Ive never heard about leaving the stuff in the rear for traction. It might help if your running stock leaf spring type suspension.

I think weight is weight..dump it and I would just find a way to get better traction via better tires,launching differently,fine tuning the rear suspension,etc.

I was planning on putting adjustable ladderbars out back and some trick springs (if they dont mess up tha streetability of my Z). But i still would like to keep a full interior. Plus my BB wont be FI....or will it? ;) I was thinkin N20 to help it git off tha line better and as insurance just in case. Any suggestions? Oh, and BTW would i need a cowl hood or could i keep tha factory hood. Trying to go with a sleeper kinda look, save tha paint and wheels/tires.

I was planning on putting adjustable ladderbars out back and some trick springs (if they dont mess up tha streetability of my Z). But i still would like to keep a full interior. Plus my BB wont be FI....or will it? ;) I was thinkin N20 to help it git off tha line better and as insurance just in case. Any suggestions? Oh, and BTW would i need a cowl hood or could i keep tha factory hood. Trying to go with a sleeper kinda look, save tha paint and wheels/tires.


to keep the stock hood with a BB you gotta use the right motor mounts and also use a low profile intake, like a torquer II. it can be done, obviously they put a BB in the early second gens with a stock hood, but with upgrades on the motor you probably want a better intake, which means cowl hood, or you CAN use the stock hood, just cut a nice circle hole in it:confused:

to keep the stock hood with a BB you gotta use the right motor mounts and also use a low profile intake, like a torquer II. it can be done, obviously they put a BB in the early second gens with a stock hood, but with upgrades on the motor you probably want a better intake, which means cowl hood, or you CAN use the stock hood, just cut a nice circle hole in it:confused:

Thats what im planning anyway, makin my scoop functional.

Thats what im planning anyway, makin my scoop functional.


lol, then why ask about the hood anways?? what sort of function hood are you shooting for?? have you decided yet what you are going to build motorwise?

lol, then why ask about the hood anways?? what sort of function hood are you shooting for?? have you decided yet what you are going to build motorwise?

I was just makin sure that if i did build a BB that a cowl wasnt needed, if it wasnt i was gonne keep tha stock one and make it functional. I think that ima git a 350 and build it alil (350-400) and just race/cruise around with that while i build a BBC. When tha BBC gits finished ima go ahead and pull tha SBC out and drop tha BB in. Hopefully my plans wont change. If i dont go with a BB im gonna build a 396 SBC stroker. Either way, ill be a handful to tha newer cobras and ls-1s, modded or not.