454 Engine Build. Help needed!!

[Hell Rod 69]

Just purchased a 1969 Camaro Z28 with a 454 crate engine for my first Chevy bb project. The engine Cast# is 10237297. Was looking to put 500hp to the rear wheel naturally aspirated while still streetable. Does anyone have any suggestions for what I can put on the engine minus taking the block out? I was looking at some of the edelbrock top end kits and a quick fuel carb. I figured someone might have a better idea for a cam/lifter/head combination or better manifold to put on it. It has a 4" cowl hood and plenty of room for a bigger manifold.

This is what the car has on the engine:
Holley 650 carb
K&N Filter w/XTREME top
Poweraid throttle body spacer
MSD HEI distributor & 8mm plug wires
Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold
Hooker Competition headers

Everything else on the block is bone stock. It currently pushes 280/350 to the rear wheel through a th400 backed up by 12 bolt 3.73 gears with positraction. The gap on the plugs is .045 through acdelco copper plugs and I'm running 93 octane on it through an electric fuel pump.

Tom

[IneedAZ]

Hyd roller cam
single plane intake
I would look at Brodix or AFR heads
As for a carb, better off getting a carb from Pro Systems. They custom build it. You fill out a questionaire of whats in the motor and he will build the appropriate size.

What are you hoping to run in the 1/8 or 1/4?

[speedster]

Originally Posted by IneedAZ

Hyd roller cam
single plane intake
I would look at Brodix or AFR heads
As for a carb, better off getting a carb from Pro Systems. They custom build it. You fill out a questionaire of whats in the motor and he will build the appropriate size.

What are you hoping to run in the 1/8 or 1/4?

Good choices above.
Roller cam, AFR/Brodix/Dart heads. AFR is personal preference.
much larger carb. 650 is too small for a built 454. Air Gap intake.
Get heads with combustion chamber size for around 10:1 CR range.

[Hell Rod 69]

Originally Posted by IneedAZ

What are you hoping to run in the 1/8 or 1/4?

My main goal is to push as close to 500rwhp as I can. I'm open to any insight that anyone can shed.

[Russell James]

Tell us more about the long block.... 2 or 4 bolt, cast or forged crank, what rods, what rod bolts, pistons, compression....

[Hell Rod 69]

4 bolt. stock pistons crank and rods. I can change these out but was trying to find what I could do without pulling the block out.

[Russell James]

It sounds like that is a Vortec 7400 truck engine. Those have about 9-1 compression.

With low compression and stock rods/pistons, I don't see it hitting 500 RWHP, which would be about 600 hp at the crank. I wouldn't want to be doubling the hp of an engine on stock rods/rod bolts.

For that power level, my opinion would be to build it from the ground up. It's going to need more compression, better rods.... all forged, studs....

In the car, you could put a little more cam in it and a bigger carb (750/800 Holley Double Pumper). I wouldn't put high dollar heads on a stock short block. Find out your exact compression ratio, and talk to some of the cam makers for a cam suggestion. It's going to need to be a pretty mild cam with that compression.

A cam and carb should really wake it up. But I'd save those real big power levels until a full ground up rebuild.

[IneedAZ]

You listed your hp intent, but do u want it to run? As an example based off my 454. Its basic, that its a ~9:1, hyd cam, dual plane intake, stock oval port heads, pro system carb, msd ignition, th400 and on drag radials, 4.56gears ran 7.5 and 7.4 in the 1/8th no juice. In the quarter with a progressive shot 20 off the line ramping up to 100hp over 1.5 secs out it ran 11.2, but should run 10's with a gear change. I have too much gear in it as i was hitting the rev limiter 1000ft out. It ran 9.2 at a 1000ft. 1.4 at 60ft. After i change out the rear, i will add a little more juice off the line. My car is tubbed, but has a full interior except no rear seat. I actually have added weight back into the car since owning it and for it to run those times with not much in it I think is pretty good.

If you dont plan to change out the pistons i would look at the oval port race rite heads from Brodix and a good hyd roller. Not sure u will see 500rwhp though unless u go more radical in compression, cam, and head choice.

[Hell Rod 69]

A few pictures to let you guys know that I have a real car.

[Hell Rod 69]

[Hell Rod 69]