Actually a lot of the truck big blocks had peanut port heads...for the low rpm TQ
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Engine Rebuild vs Turnkey
- Thread starter AK74U
- Start date
Actually a lot of the truck big blocks had peanut port heads...for the low rpm TQ
You opened a can of worms.....OK, what year Monte Carlo? The late 70s - 80s engine compartments will have to be modified to fit a big block. great car though. I'm the 3rd owner of my 84. I decided to go with a large small block, 434. I started out looking for a full frame big block car. Full frame so I could get the HP I wanted without building a roll cage to hold it together. I found my car with a 383 in it. I looked at the specs and decided that was what I was looking for. It had 475hp and ran well with big block torque. I bought the car, drove it about 2 yrs. The head gasket wound up needing to be replaced, that's all. Well one thing lead to another and I wanted more. The 383 took me about a 1/2 day to learn how to drive it due to power. Well I decided to go back with small block, but in 434. The small block dimensions are the same for 283-455 cu. in. small block. So you don't have to modify anything to make it fit and the small block gets better fuel economy. I also already had the headers and other parts. It just made better economical sense. The stock block really shouldn't be built beyond 525HP. So I found a crate engine company and went with a Dart block and forged internals, you really want forged internals when approaching 500HP or more. I built with the intention of adding NOS and or a supercharger. I was hoping for 100mph in the 1/8th mi. Well I got 135. Far beyond what I hoped for. So I was perfectly happy with what I had. The 383 got @ 13-14mpg. The 434 with 700HP gets @10. You'll never get that good with a big block. You're talking @ 6 mpg or so. Of course you can get more performance out of a big block. The heads just don't compare. Also if you're going with a carburetor, get a Quick Fuel. Holly design with same type performance, but much much more reliable. And it'll last longer too. After @ 2k miles with a Holley, I was having to adjust it ever so often. @ 4k mi, it needed rebuilt. I'm trying to remember how long I've had the new engine, maybe nearly 15k mi. I've never touched a screw on that carb. The carb is a lot more money, but..... I wanted an all mechanical engine with mechanical fuel pump as well. You may want to go with a electric fuel pump though. It'll be much better around town, no vapor lock. You'll find you start getting away from factory, you're in for a lot of growing pains and headaches. Also adding a/c to a performance engine is another challenge, just a heads up. Remember there is no substitute for engine displacement. By the way, it took me 1500mi to learn how to drive the car after installing new engine.....
-049 and -781 oval port heads are the desirable castings
there's no replacement for displacement !!!
Big difference between G body. Models and old long bods. The long body looked like you could park another car under the hood.You opened a can of worms.....OK, what year Monte Carlo? The late 70s - 80s engine compartments will have to be modified to fit a big block. great car though. I'm the 3rd owner of my 84. I decided to go with a large small block, 434. I started out looking for a full frame big block car. Full frame so I could get the HP I wanted without building a roll cage to hold it together. I found my car with a 383 in it. I looked at the specs and decided that was what I was looking for. It had 475hp and ran well with big block torque. I bought the car, drove it about 2 yrs. The head gasket wound up needing to be replaced, that's all. Well one thing lead to another and I wanted more. The 383 took me about a 1/2 day to learn how to drive it due to power. Well I decided to go back with small block, but in 434. The small block dimensions are the same for 283-455 cu. in. small block. So you don't have to modify anything to make it fit and the small block gets better fuel economy. I also already had the headers and other parts. It just made better economical sense. The stock block really shouldn't be built beyond 525HP. So I found a crate engine company and went with a Dart block and forged internals, you really want forged internals when approaching 500HP or more. I built with the intention of adding NOS and or a supercharger. I was hoping for 100mph in the 1/8th mi. Well I got 135. Far beyond what I hoped for. So I was perfectly happy with what I had. The 383 got @ 13-14mpg. The 434 with 700HP gets @10. You'll never get that good with a big block. You're talking @ 6 mpg or so. Of course you can get more performance out of a big block. The heads just don't compare. Also if you're going with a carburetor, get a Quick Fuel. Holly design with same type performance, but much much more reliable. And it'll last longer too. After @ 2k miles with a Holley, I was having to adjust it ever so often. @ 4k mi, it needed rebuilt. I'm trying to remember how long I've had the new engine, maybe nearly 15k mi. I've never touched a screw on that carb. The carb is a lot more money, but..... I wanted an all mechanical engine with mechanical fuel pump as well. You may want to go with a electric fuel pump though. It'll be much better around town, no vapor lock. You'll find you start getting away from factory, you're in for a lot of growing pains and headaches. Also adding a/c to a performance engine is another challenge, just a heads up. Remember there is no substitute for engine displacement. By the way, it took me 1500mi to learn how to drive the car after installing new engine.....
then again look what NASCAR did with. g bodies
Build it yourself, then you know what and how to fix it when it breaks.
Yep. Also staying with a small block = less weight up front = better handling
You did everything yourself?
Easy to find 5.3 engines and wiring harness.
There is a place that sells almost any motor mount conversion you want. Can’t remember the name.
But there are so many people doing that swap, it should be pretty easy. Only thing is buying the 5.3, but you can sell the 454 to off set some of the cost.
