454 and turbo 400

63impalass409

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Is a good running 1979 454 and turbo 400 out of a motor home worth anything? A guy at my work has one and says 300.00 and he will deliver.
 

63impalass409

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My plan is to sell the trans to offset some of the money and put different heads on it as I have a set of 66 325hp 396 heads sitting here do you think that will work ok going from peanut plug open chamber to closed chamber heads without interference with the pistons?
 

1958 delivery

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My plan is to sell the trans to offset some of the money and put different heads on it as I have a set of 66 325hp 396 heads sitting here do you think that will work ok going from peanut plug open chamber to closed chamber heads without interference with the pistons?

No interference. The short block has flat tops, a closed chamber head will give a very nice 9-1 comp, maybe 8.8-1 Very common change over.
 

1958 delivery

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Peanut port heads are very good for large trucks, guys will buy for $100/set-never should throw them out.
 

1961BelAir427

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That sounds like a steal to me. As many truck big blocks as there are, it's still hard to find a deal on a 4 bolt block around here. I probably have a dozen big blocks and NONE have been 4 bolt blocks. Guess I'm just not lucky like that.
 

1958 delivery

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Supporting Member 2
That sounds like a steal to me. As many truck big blocks as there are, it's still hard to find a deal on a 4 bolt block around here. I probably have a dozen big blocks and NONE have been 4 bolt blocks. Guess I'm just not lucky like that.


Keep in mind the newer 4 bolts are not the same as the early hi perf four bolt blocks, they're not thick wall blocks. The newer 4 bolt blocks are the same wall thickness as the 2 bolt but having a 4 bolt bottom is better then a 2 bolt, I guess.
 

Don Jacks

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Supporting Member 3
What are the casting numbers on the heads on that 79 engine? If they're the 441 castings,they're not the peanut heads,but amoung the very best oval port heads produced by Chevrolet.John Lingenfelter used them with larger exhaust valves,and minor valve pocket work to support over 500 hp on a 496 in.crate engine package he used to sell in the mid 80's.
 

Z-11Guy

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I got my hands on a clean 1969 caprice coupe with a 396 that block was cracked (no antifreeze). I got a great 454 and T400 out of a '74 Suburban and removed all the smog stuff. I replaced the intake, exhaust manifolds with date correct 1969 396/427 L34/L36 4 barrel intake and exhaust manifolds along with an Isky 262 mega cam. I thought I would have a power house....I was wrong. Torque yes, fast no. My '70 Impala with a 300 L48 ate it alive no problem. 396/427 heads would of woke up the 454 a lot I'm sure.
 

dave1961

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The 781/049 heads are the good open chamber large oval port heads,the 781 are from 73-79 and the 049 is 70 - 73.
 

mark johnson

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I've had pretty much every factory hi-po BBC, including L88's & LS6's but probably the most impressive one was based on a mid-'70's Suburban 454 2-bolt with cast crank, 3/8 rods, and the 049/781 oval port heads. Junk stuff to many people. Throw in a set of forged '70 LS6 11:1 pistons (the open chamber will knock that down some), have a competent machine shop install the larger 2.19/1.88 valves in the heads, Comp Cams solid 288 Street Roller camshaft, and an 850 Holley on a Performer RPM intake and this motor will run low 11's on cheap gas run after run.
 

63impalass409

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Supporting Member 2
Well after almost a year I got that 454 and got it for 250 so I figured I couldn't go wrong with that deal. I don't race at the track or street but just love the look of big mototors. Heres casting numbers from the block but haven't popped valve covers yet.20150905_123835.jpg
 

Jeff Olson

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How about a 440 and 727 trans out of a motorhome? I would think the block would be worth a little but I have to take the whole thing if I want it. Prolly cost more to get rid of the shell after pulling the motor and trans than its worth???
 

1961BelAir427

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Supporting Member 3
If you have the room to park it out of site, time to mess with it, and a cutting torch to break it down small enough for the scrap yard......then maybe. I haven't checked prices in awhile but months back it was around $6/100# here. It had been hovering around $10 for awhile and got as high as $13. I've got some junk to haul off, but I'll wait until the price goes back up.
 
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