The right block

[SoCalSled]

I'm trying to put together my plans for a '50 Pontiac I'm putting together, and am planning on going with a big-block to power her. This a street car only, but with plenty of kick of course. I've been a Chevy guy so far so sort of defaulted to planning on a Chevy drivetrain. I would consider Pontiac if it turns out to be viable, but that's where you guys come in. So, questions are...

If it's a Chevy, what big-block cores are ideal to look for? I know certain years have better clearancing, stonger blocks, etc.? What should I look for?

I figure if I'm doing it I might as well go big.. 454. What are the pro's and con's (other than the obvious weight issues...) between this and a 396 or 427?

What about Pontiac motors? Is there any reason why I shouldn't just keep it all Pontiac, go with a 400 or 455? I understand that they are really all the same block, what does this matter if it's really crank and combustion size that create more bigblock effect (massive torgue #'s).

Appreciate your thoughts.

jb

[FMXhellraiser]

Find a Oldsmobile and get a 455. Or look for a Caddi 500 block. HEAPS of torque and now lots of aftermarket parts for them and more comming in the future. www.500cid.com Great guys there to help you. You can buy a whole 80's Caddilac for cheap as heck and use a built 400 tranny and all.

[techinspector1]

454 Chevys are harder and harder to find these days. A 455 Pontiac in it would be neat, you should be able to find a suitable candidate in a boneyard, or pull my favorite trick and buy a whole car, running or not. That way, you can use the core support, radiator, shroud, fan clutch, fan, pulleys, belts, motor, transmission, driveshaft, differential, wiring, switches, relays, lights, yada, yada. Sell off the remainder of the sheet metal to recoup some of your investment.

As Shawn mentioned, you could keep it in the GM family by popping in a Caddy. I think '70 to '74 will net you a 472 or 500, '75 to '76 no 472's were made, only 500's. But I'll tell you one thing, even a 472 will make 500 ft/lbs of torque stock and that's nothing to turn your nose up at.

http://cad500parts.com/
http://www.500cid.com/

[SoCalSled]

Thanks guys.

After posting that and thinking about it I think it'd be cook to go with something like the 455, or even the caddy idea.

jb

[Dave Severson]

Lots of good Pontiac aftermarket parts available, Edelbrock makes a set of aluminum heads and an intake for them. Friend of mine put them on his TA when he rebuilt the block, makes good power !!!!

[SoCalSled]

Ya, aftermarket part availability was my next thought but was going to try and do some searching on my own also.

[pat mccarthy]

the 454 all the block are good if you start with one that is not been blown up or hurt . put your money down guys the 454 will make 500 tq and will hold up very good the pontiac and caddy are not a big block chevys they will cost more to get them to do what the big block can do in a very mid form. you can buy a lot of good stuff used for the big blocks. new stuff is cheap if you know were to get it a 454 with a cast 4 1/4 stroke and hirper pistons is a 496 and can make over 600 of tq and take it all day long and if put to gether rigth a can take a hell of lot more rpm than a caddy or pontiac i am shure is will rase hell with some of you but i think at lest rigth now if i went looking for a block i think i can find more big blocks than pontiac or caddy and more good used parts to. big have very good heads in stock form. they have a geat ajustable valve train they do not have mains and rods the size of a mack trucks.there parts have a wide use of parts that work of a 366 tall deck to 454 and up and the block are strong strong and by far away better looking engine remember one thing over 60% of the boats out there have big blocks or small blocks chevys in them and work very good this rigth here saids a lot

[FMXhellraiser]

I looked back and I said a 80's Caddy. I meant 70's. Look for a mid 70's Cad. Like Pat said, to build the Cad it will cost more money but then again they are sweet engines and something a bit different. If you go through the trouble of building the whole motor, etc then why not just buy a crate motor? The 502 is something to look at even thought it's like 12,000 bucks but still it's a complete BRAND NEW block, everything.
Tech, the 472 and 500 is the same motor just different stroke am I right?

[Dave Severson]

Hey, around here it will soon be Swap Meet season. I always have myself a list of what I need/want and hit all of them I can. I've really scored some fantastic mid-winter swap meet buys from guys who are selling there barely used stuff and upgrading to the brand new trick of the month club stuff.

I shop with a list in hand, toughest thing is to force myself not to try to snatch up every killer deal I see!!! Kind of like don't go grocery shopping when you are hungry, impulse buying will kill a budget faster than anything.

This year's search will be for an aluminum Windsor block (the one's the circle burner guys use), a quick change rear end, and a Hillborn injection set for a Windsor to conver to electronic injection....

IMO, swap meets are one of the best sources for parts, tools, and a good chance to visit with friends and generally try to cure the mid-winter blues.

[pat mccarthy]

yes swap meets . there are some great deals there and not so good deals there to you need to know what you are looking at . the ones a round here there is tons of big block and small block stuff. sometimes killer deals to