Keith

Does anyone know BBC engines? My dad has given me a 1973 2 bolt 454. It has a cast crank, and is standard bore. I would like to rebuild it and stick it in a early Nova. This project will probably take place over next summer, as I need to save some $. Does this sound like a good plan?


.030 overbore, 10:1 forged pistons
AFR 295cc CNC ported oval port heads, Solid roller springs
Comp Solid Roller: (110 LSA) 236/242 @ .050 .639/.646 with 1.7:1 rockers
Stock crank, Clevite 77 bearings, rebuilt stock rods, with Wave-loc bolts
Main studs, radiused oil entry on #5 main cap
Single plane intake, 750 double pumper, BG or Holley
Comp, Steel roller rockers

Probably some kind of cross ram would be in it's future.

sunsetz28

iTrader: (1)

About all I know about BBs is they kick ***. I'm sure someone in here would know though.

BigBronco

iTrader: (2)

all though it is a two bolt, and is not the strongest, run a nice forged crank, and then bore .060. a nice solid roller 468 would be a torque monster. some nice forged Keith Black pistoms or some from JE or even lunati would be nice. Hell that is a good motor to be handed to. take it and run. just make a bad *** 11 second nova out of it. It will not take much. how bout a little giggle gas to go on the motor also!

NMPD

Yeah, Id think the only concearn is that it's a 2 bolt main, not a 4 bolt. Like was said earlier...good grab, and its not hard to make it Stink fast!

boos2

you can convert it to a 4 bolt for strength. Milidon makes a conversion kit, it does require some machining

Keith

Would the conversion to 4 bolt mains be necessary at the power level I will be at?

Just Floor It

I have ALWAYS been told and read, that 4 bolts are better for high performance.

Hope this helps

BigBronco

iTrader: (2)

well the question is what is the power level you want to acheive? if it is around 600+ the conversion would be better for your longer lasting durability, and just to make sure it doesnt grenade on you! good luck.

boos2

Depends on how much you want to risk. My brother in law is running a 454 with GMPP heads, cam (sorry don't know the specs of cam) Air gap intake, and a 100 shot on his 68 camaro and I believe he only has a 2 bolt. It is a 454 from an '80 one ton truck. No problems yet. Still trying to get dialied in though so it hasn't been beat on too bad. We keep having other problems.

AAron

with a stock crank, it probably wouldnt matter much but if you are gonna build it why not build it right. a solid roller set up aint cheap. id spend the money on the bottom end and just go with a good solid tappet

Keith

So then, if I were to spend the money on a forged crank and rods(which seems lke the right thing to do), with the 4 bolt conversion: should I go with the stock stroke, or use a 4.25" stroke?

AAron

more torque is usually assosiated with a longer stroke, and a bigger bore is usually with horse power. so you want HP bore it, or if you want TQ stroke it.

boos2

You could do both if you want, just depends how much you want to spend. Since you area already planning on buying a new crank you could add more stroke. I assume you are buying new pistons so you could get what ever size you want, you would just need to have to it bored. Which is a good idea to clean up the cyl. walls anyway. Speed cost $$$. How fast do you want to go?

http://www.milodon.com/maincaps/pg57.htm

Keith

10's in a Nova

I think I will go with the 4.25 crank, since I will be spending the $

LPCWS6

A 2 bolt block is plenty strong for what you described in your first post. The only thing I would get is the 7/16 rods if you only have the 3/8 rods but you don't even need that if your building this motor for low end torque. Also don't bore it .060 over unless you have to. You could probably run a bigger cam and still keep it streetable as well depending on where you want to make your power.

If you plan on changing cranks and mains you might as well just sell that motor and get a 4 bolt motor that already has all the good stuff. That being said BBC's are pretty stong motors in even their lower performace forms. More so than SBC's in my opinion.

Keith

Thanks for all the help.

nxfirebird

iTrader: (1)

everything you want to do is great. you don't need 4 bolt mains or a steel crank to do what you want to do. personaly i would go w/a hyd roller over a solid just because of maintance, running rockers all the time, having to have a rocker girdle, ect. if you are worried about main bearing life, put studs in the stock 2 bolt caps and here it line-bored. i would athough go w/ 7/16 rod bolts. here is the best site for BBC parts.

http://www.ohiocrank.com/

you can get new 4340 7/16 rods for as low as 169 bucks. there stuff is very good quality.
we have gone as fast as 9.58 @ 143 with a 2 bolt, cast crank 454 w/stock ported oval port heads, 12-1 pistions, 1050 carb, 300hp NOS big shot hit. the motor is in a 3000lbs street camaro, and is 7 years old, has had the bearings changed once. the crack in the block i wouldn't worry about unless a good machine shop says to. my stock '84 454 block in my firebird has always had a crack from the lower right oil galley plug to the bolt hole above it. that motor last dynoed 825 rwhp with a 275hp fogger hit.
hope this helps
john

work in progress

iTrader: (2)

if you are going with a solid lift go woth a solid roller. Be prepared to adjust valves!

Keith

I always wanted to experience running the valves. My dad tells these stories about a solid roller 427 he had in a '55 chevy I would like to try it for a while, in a track car.
nxfirebird: that is what I am tryng to do, except without nitrous, that info you gave makes me believe that it can be done with a stock crank. Thanks a lot!

nxfirebird

iTrader: (1)

well if you don't mind then more power to you. (my firebird is high maintanace and i'm getting lazy) how fast do you want to go N/A? so far what you have listed will most likely run mid 11's at best, even in a light car. what i would do is get the radical parts right off, 'cause any more they all cost the same. heres one of my motor combs from an old camaro i built a few years back.

stock mildly ported iron square ports
any 7/16 rods stock, or after market
stock stroke crank, stock or aftermarket
victor R intake, box stock 1050
12.5 to 13 to 1 pistions
lunati roller cam # 50205, and everything to support it.

thats it!
it's basicly a stock chevy LS-7 w/a big cam, big carb, and big intake. this combo i had in a 3270lbs 1967 untubbed street driven camaro. the car had a 4500 convertor, T-400 w/a TCI brake, 4.10 gears, and E/T streets. i drove the car to and from the track, it ran low 10s @ 130+ N/A.

ps. it ran mid 9s on the sqeeze.
man i miss that car, hit the wall in a heads up race.