What generation is my big block???

[laser45v]

Hey guys I have a 1983 Chevy shortbed dually with a stock 454 original motor in it. What generation is this big block stock from Chevy that year?

[bake74]

     Your truck is a third generation, is this what you are asking? 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Big-Block_engine

Look under 454.

[laser45v]

Yes thank you

[fitz]

Hey guys I have a 1983 Chevy shortbed dually with a stock 454 original motor in it.

I don't think chevy made a short box dually. If that's a homemade job the  motor could be from anything.
You might want to get the numbers of the rear of the block.

[laser45v]

I built the truck it is a stock 454. From that year

[Engineer]

If it is the original '83, your engine is a MkIV, with the two piece rear main seal.

It has the original design cooling passages on the block and heads. You cannot use the GenV heads, but the GenVI heads will work with your block.

It will most likely have 4-bolt main bearing caps, but this is no guarantee, and block/casting numbers mean nothing when looking for 4-bolt blocks. The only way to know if you have a 4-bolt is to drop the pan. Also it will have a cast crank, and 3/8 bolt, pressed piston pin connecting rods.

None of this is bad news. I have a '73 454 with the above qualities, and it makes 550HP and has turned 7,000RPMs more times than I can count.

Your heads, however are nothing special. If building your engine you should find a set of 049s, or 781s. Those are nasty perfect for a street rod or low geared pickup truck.

[laser45v]

Thank you for that reply. It is actually the best response I have gotten in a while Any way what all do you have like list of stuff that you did to your motor for upgrades? I don't need 550hp right now but some nice performance things at first. My plans are headers, intake, 650 carb, air filter and maybe heads. What is the best thing to start out with when building this stock truck motor? Thanks

[Captkaos]

Best practice is plan out what your final intention is and stick with it.   What are you final goals?

[Engineer]

It really isn't hard to get 500+ street able lb/ft of torque, you just have to dump the later model emissions design.

Some of the bigger mods to my 2bolt 454 are as mentioned 353049 casting number oval port heads. Recut seats for 2.19in 1.88ex valves, and bowl blend to match larger valves. Intake port match. Exhaust port porting. (Exhaust ports are the bad part of this otherwise wonderful head. Combustion chamber polishing. (don't want to add CCs to the chamber, just clean up the rough casting) Google 353049. There is a ton of info out there for them.

Crane solid lifter street cam, and matching Crane springs. Crane Hi-Intensity (cast body) full roller rocker arms.

Speed pro H426P hyperutectic pistons for about 9.3:1 compression.

Holley strip dominator intake for the oval port heads. 4160 750CFM Holley carb.

That is pretty much it. No big secrets, just makes good torque. The heads are key, they like to over achieve.

Of course if you want it to live at 7,000PRM don't go cheap on things like your rod bolts, oil pump, and add a windage tray. Smoothing the tops of the heads around the valve springs, and smoothing the lifter valley will help with oil drain back.

I also have the small tube Hooker headers. That also helps with torque, and torque translates into horsepower.

I also have the 3/8" pushrods, and guideplates from the GMPP catalog. I have had to buy about three sets of pushrods because I like to over-rev my 454. Lol! However, the cast crank, 3/8" ARP rod bolts, and 2-bolt block has never gave a minute's whimper.

One other little secret, and I get by with this because I am not really high compression, I have been running this engine with a .030 grind on the rod bearings, and .040 on the mains. This is doable just by bumping up the oil pressure, and you get the reliability back that you lost by reducing your crankshaft's bearing surface area.

[laser45v]

Awesome honestly my main goal is to be able to have an awesome deep throaty sounding truck that will burn all 4 dually tires off:)

[Engineer]

Then I suggest the 049s, or 781 heads, hydraulic roller cam, aluminum roller rockers (stamped rockers are worthless with a high lift cam-they aren't rigid enough to give you all of your lift and will deflect with high spring pressure), DUAL PLANE intake, vacuum secondary carb, and small tube headers.

You want torque, and good flowing heads with a conservative intake will give this.

[Captkaos]

If you are after torque mainly and don't plan to turn over 6200rpms the peanut heads are the best option.

[laser45v]

What is the best place to start on a stock motor in order from what I can do first to last? I have about a grand or so to play with but I don't wanna use it all now. Like what should I worry about most at first. Carb, cam, heads, headers, intake?
Thanks Adam

[79gmc15]

Make sure the ignition is solid, then heads, cam, intake.