Bud794

Hi, I have had this big block in my possession for a while now. It's a 454 bbc with the letters "hi-perf" on it. It came out of a 1975 truck, and only had about 50,000 miles on it. The owner thought he blew the engine, but apparently it only turned out to be the head gasket. I have visually inspected the engine for any major cracks, but could not find any. There is some rust accumulating on the block, but that's to be expected because it's been sitting inside the truck outside of the house for a long, long time. I took it to a machinist and according to him, it's never been bored. All you would have to do is take it to the machine shop, and have them hot tank it or spray it down and clean it up, bored, etc. It still has the stock cam and crank inside the block. I think it's a Mark IV block. I don't know much more about it. Pics are below:

http://members.***.net/samuel_pettigrew/454valley.jpg
http://members.***.net/samuel_pettigrew/cylinders.jpg
http://members.***.net/samuel_pettigrew/hiperf.jpg
http://members.***.net/samuel_pettigrew/other.jpg

I would like to sell the block, but I have no idea exactly how much money I can get out of selling the block. What is a reasonable price to sell this block for? Also, do you guys know any good links to popular sbc/bbc forums where I could possibly sell this block?

pwr2w8

you've got a mark IV block with a two piece oil seal and standard deck heght of 9.8 inches(454 never had tall decks,from the factory mk.IV's anyway).Look for a ledge on the rear of the block with a casting number, and on the passenger side block deck, on a ledge above the timing chain cover mounting surface, or on the rear flange of the block adjacent to the oil filter mounting boss. The VIN should be in one of those places and that will tell more, but nothing looks wrong from the pic's. The worst case scenario is probably having two bolt mains, so you're in good shape.

zombiedude

iTrader: (1)

I have a 84' 454 in a '83 GMC 1500 truck and built a lot of them. They are very strong motors. They love gas! HI-Perf was on all the Mark IV Big Blocks I believe. The numbers won't tell you if it's a 2-bolt or 4-bolt. The only way to tell is to look at the main caps. Generaly if the motor came out of a GMC, it was a 4-bolt but not always. Chevy truck was a 2 or a 4-bolt. A car was 2 bolt but not always. ( I seen a 450hp 454 in a '70 station wagon!) The Tall blocks were for big trucks and big school buses (3 compresion rings instead of 2) You can learn more from a book called Chevy Big Block Interchange Manual you can pick up for a few dollors. Also Start asking around what they sell for. Having one that hasn't been punched out (Bored out) is very good. At the track would be a good way of unloading it. That is where a lot of motor heads are and info should be readly availiable. What the heads are will help on the price. Small intake runners are 'peanut' heads and are worth nothing for a racer but are great for a man who just wants a regular 454. Big intake runners and close chambers will get a higher price. just my .02

pwr2w8

why do closed chamber heads go for more?- It's been proven they don't flow as well as open chamber heads.
And the peanut heads can make plenty of power with valve,bowl, and mild port work. With a half decent job, you can make an easy 400hp on a mild pump gas motor. They just don't like big cams and revving past 5500rpm, which a hydraulic cam would prohibit anyway. The VIN will tell you what application the motor started as(i.e.power it was making) from the factory. The heads are probly peanut heads seeing how they came from a truck.
And I thought only 427's could come with tall decks-am I right zombiedude?

zombiedude

iTrader: (1)

Now your taxing my memory. Closed chamber cost more here than open chamber. Why? I'm guessing for the originality maybe and availibility as close are few and open are many. I have a 529hp 454 2 bolt, with a stock bottom end cept the forged pistons (10.99cr) on pump gas. Stock heads that are open. #069 I think.(edit #353049) Hydralic cam. Peanut heads aren't for hotroding. But they are very good for low end power ( I call them stump puller heads) as the high runner velocity works well for low rpm. Mine is shifted @6500rpm so I needed/(wanted) a big runner I built this one in '98 and still going strong. I remember 427 tall block. I don't know bout 454. I seem to remeber 454 but it might be wishful thinking. I forgot my books at work.

Bud794

Ok, how much should a 4-bolt main Mark IV 454 bbc cost? I'm thinking maybe 400-500 bucks?

pwr2w8

I'm not sure about 4-bolt, but I got my 2-bolt for $250 as a bare block. Since then I've heard of prices ranging from 100 to 500 on used factory blocks. You could go anywhere in that range, but it really depends on how well you know the person you're selling it to....

Bud794

Ok, thanks for the help guys! Wish me luck on selling the 454!

zombiedude

iTrader: (1)

Ok. 454 had a tall block. but it was a gen V and race prepared. Casting #24502506. 366T and 427T were the big truck engines.

pwr2w8

so since it was race prepped and 5th gen I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that bud's block isn't one of them.lol
Good luck selling the thing man, but you probly won't need it as around here you never see a big block in the paper for more than a week.lol