did most to all the reading i needed to do that makes me feel like the guys and i have enough know how to do this. the point?

ok.. how it started. i traded a guy a china dirtbike for this pontiac gta with a tpi 350. was almost dead set on a 383... then..

found a 454 jasper sitting in a suburban that a tree fell on.. talked to the guy i'm tradeing my 2006 suzuki gs500f for the whole suburban (running!!!!with 2500miles on the engine) score! if the guy has not blew smoke up my tail for the claim of 2500miles. to any degree thing runs great.

the gta will be guted inside and under the hood, anything else in the way gets the boot as well. no pix as of yet.. but i'll see if one of the stoner boys will keep a camera handy.

i'm abt 30min from summit racing in McDonough Ga. i'm going to try some low buget headers since i'm close enough to run back and fourth.

the plan.. 454 with the 700r4 built to handle. sub connectors. run it, see what breaks, replace as needed. sounds good let get it rolling!

 

Low budget BBC headers for a third gen? No such thing. Even the Hooker Supercomps are around $400.

You say it's being gutted. Is this a strip only car? If so then why a 700R4? A TH400 or even a powerglide will be much better. If you feel you need an OD, a 200-4R is better than a 700R4.

 

the 700r4 is whats in the car now, so just to get it rolling. not sure what trans is mounted to the 454 right now and there is a built th400 in the shop with broken ears, cant use that.. unless

fingers crossed, but i hope thats a th400 in the suburban. if sooo then i'll have it built to the gills. 700r4 is a temp. and it'll give time to fab a trans mount.

as far as the headers go... i saw some shorties i'd like to try just for grins and giggles.. summit will take them back, even if they are a lil dented..

 

one thing i got to wondering after reading one post is i'd like to get the block # off that 454 before we make a deal to be sure it's not the unwanted block.. read somewhere abt deck hight, and some year model blocks being crappy? anyway we'll soon find out...

 

what year suburban?

 

1981 but it's a jasper rebuild. so who knows?

 

i tried to search jaspers site to see if i could figure anything out abt what year big blocks they build. of course you cant find any good worth while information there. so im counting on the block #'s to tell me what it is.

 

81 will be a Mark IV block. Parts are plentiful as that's what most BBC engines are based on. GM didn't switch to the Gen V block until 1991. Being in a pickup truck, it will be a standard 9.8" short deck block. Only the bigger trucks such as 3 and 5 ton got the tall deck blocks.

In a Suburban, it will probably have a TH400 behind it however it will probably also have a 2 piece driveshaft meaning a bolt on tranny yoke. You'll need to track down a TH400 slip yoke.

454 block numbers don't mean much. The 454 castings are roughly all the same. Some of the newer castings getting into the 80's, although they're ok, are not as good as the older castings. Head castings will mean a lot though. You're hoping to find some 781 or 049 castings.

 

i talked with jasper, poor guy i talked to must be new. anyway. so i'm sure it'll be the one i'm looking for. thanx for the good info.. i googled the 454, after reading your reply and wiki now i know the iv and v difference. i read for hours and hours last night. so i could'nt remember what all i read.

since it should have a th400, i wonder should i used the parts out of the th400 we have now. only thing wrong with it is the ears are broke. hell, guess start new with it. could use the shift kit our of the one with broken ears? haha hell yea

 

alright.. moment of truth. i've been gitty all week waiting on tomarrow to see if buddy goes threw with the deal. i hope that suburban is ready to be motorless.

been reading my eye ***** out. big plans long term with this combo. if it falls threw i might cry..lol ok maybe not. i'll post some pictures of that big ugly tomarrow along with some pix of the gta.

 

I have the suburban with a built 454!!!! i'm droping it in as is, and see how she does. it pushes that 7200lbs suburban down the road pretty darn good. i get a heck of a deal i think. it get crap gas milage, but thats not what i'm after.

can we say 87 gta 454 big block?

 

It's a start. Once you do the swap, upgrades are easy.

 

here is what i'm working with....

 

this is the doner truck with the fresh 454. belive it or not this motor is a jasper 454 h.p. with performer intake and carb. has around 2500miles and runs like a raped ape pushing this 7200lbs+ truck with ease. cant wait to see how this 454 feels in it's new home. pushing a 3400lb car. still cuting weight, but worried that if i cut it to much it wont hook up.

 

well. 454 is pulled out of the c20. now i need some headers. and a transmission mount. there is a guy around my area who wants the tpi motor in return he will build a set of headers? i might give him a try. it's a hit or miss.. but will see. set of hooker headers where already on the 454 and kinda looked like they would work. but i doubt they will.

the drive shaft is another question.. like some1 said it bolts to the transmission in a c20. so i'm going to take the yoke off the drive shaft to see if it will bolt up, but i'm sure there is a lenght issue there.

i'm going to see what i can do about getting some headers and a trans mount then i'll be in business.

 

You can't use the bolt on yoke. You need a slip yoke and a one piece driveshaft.

 

ok.. maybe i can take the nut off, take the bolt in yoke off and use a slide yoke in that transmission.

i know i need a one peice d.shaft. i'm not even sure if the one out of the trans am is going to work. i belive the th400 is shorter then the 700r4.

and if it comes to it, theres a th400 with broken ears we can use to convert the out put shaft.

 

another question!! that long metal braket that bolts to the rear end and the 700r4, thats to keep the rear end from tilting back and forth right? how and i going to keep this with the set up going with th400?

 

With a TH400 swap crossmember and torque arm from Spohn (see sponsor buttons).

 

well i have the hooker headers in. now i'm waiting on my torque arm swap member from bmr, i figured i needed the trans mount for a th400, bmr makes a torque arm crossmember so i'm going that route.

 

A TH400 slip on yoke will fit onto any TH400 even if it used to have a bolt on yoke. The bolt hole in the center of the shaft won't affect the slip on yoke.

The proper length driveshaft is determined by sliding the yoke all the way into the tranny then pulling it out 1". Measure u-joint center to center from the tranny yoke to the diff yoke. That's the required length although it can be off slightly.

 

thanx 87 iroc...

i need to check into that. i going to go ahead and assume the drive shaft that fit the 700r4 is to short for the th400 short tail. but if it fits i guess thats a bonus..

if i need a drive shaft from what donor car should i find one? i'll upgrade to a high hp driveshaft down the road.

 

the suburban is raped of all she was worth. it was fun driving that peice of crap threw the trailer park checking out the girls..lol.

the big blocks sits on a couple tires, and i wait to order parts as money is tight, but should have the cross member i need by the end of this month. summit post dates the crossmember at 5/22/09.

untill then i'll get it back into the shop for some odds and ends that need done, doing away with the last parts to the ac, clean up the wireing, and so on.

 

alright, crossmember for the th400 is on it's way. by the way what drive shaft are you th400 short tail guys runing? i was hoping to get me one to get this thing rolling untill i can upgrade to a more quality part. what doner car will i need to rob?

 

One from an '82 Camaro/Firebird with the 3spd auto or 4spd manual should be the right length (I'm assuming the TH400 is the same length as the TH350 and T10 here) but I don't know if it will accept the TH400 yoke or not.

If your 454 is going to have any respectable power at all though, I'd just get a stronger aftermarket shaft. The '82 shaft might work, but it will break eventually.

 

yea, i know what you mean. i might just end up saveing up and going that way.

i look at it like this, i know i'm going to need it so why pay $100 for a part to get me by, when i need a $400 part and in the end have $500 wrapped up in it.

but sometimes you have to go the cheap way out to get by.

 

Nope. TH200C/TH350 are 27-11/16" from bellhousing to tailshaft, TH400 is 28-3/8".

The TH200R-4 is also 27-11/16", but the mount is farther back (and not in the same place as any of the other transmissions).

 

Kool car im planing on puting a 454 in a 1992 camaro rs
i would love to see pics of it in the car thanks

 

Jsmith564 do you have a part # on the headers you got for the 454
im planing on the same swap but in a 1992 camaro rs.

 

yea.. mine is going to be a 454 big block th400 short tail. i got the hooker swap headers, and that part # hok-2226hkr summitracing.com

they are just painted but thats ok with me for now. i plan on my car being a steet/strip, no ac, manual steering, maybe a radio..lol

after everything is out like the motor, all the crap your not going to use.. i mean it looks like it'll fall right into place as it was ment to be there.

i'm holding off on pictures, waiting on parts to gather up before i can do anything... the car is at my buds place. while i'm waiting on the cross member from bmr part # BMR-TCC019R i'm going to drop the trans off for a look over, shift kit and a front seal, if i can find a deal might as well get a stall converter. might go ahead and order the driveshaft i need as well.

i keep hearing it's all worth it..

 

hey thanks and good luck can't wait to see the pics.

 

i need some pro's and cons on useing engine mounts i have, a bbc set and a sbc set. is one easier to use then the other?

is there more fab work with useing one set vs the other.

i'm asking after reading this. http://koolenterprises.com/diff_sol/Fitmods.html

i was going to use the bbc engine mounts and with my set up.. bbc with bbc engine mounts, and hooker swap headers says to use the k-member mounts in the forward location on the k member + some fab work i'd rather not do.

 

Ok, I stand corrected.

 

for the driveshaft measure what you need and get ahold of musclemotorsports they have steel spicer driveshafts in all sorts of lengths and come with th eslip yoke on it for $75 but make sure you call and tell them otherwise they will send you a 4" diameter shaft.
http://musclemotorsports.com/drivetr...eel--used.html
I will be doing the same swap eventually but I am going with a gen 6 engine. (still looking for this though.)

 

Its a fun swap.. I have a 82 camaro and everything went into place easy. The hooker swap headers fit well on my 82. I had to make one small dent where the fire wall meets the tunnel. Your going to need frame connectors!!! believe me.. I also added SouthSide (out of business) lift bars and the seem to work well for traction.. no torque arm required... I dont know if another company offers a similar kit . Good luck on the swap.

 

thanx...

i got the cross member today. i need to track down my damn engine mouts they went MIA...

i have gatherd up a few drive shafts laying around, you know.. might as well try them out for size.

i know i need to order more parts but hell i'm fresh out of cash at the moment. i have been knee deep in this motorcycle i got. i was told it ran like a top, i would say it ran like the bottem of a spit cup. after a week on the kawi forum she is runing like a real top. most help i ever got from a forum. over 200 posts and 3500 views in one week!! you guys are also good.. and thanks for the help so far.

 

I too am going BBC, i have moroso solid mounts, spent 2000$ on the moser 12 bolt and Spohn suspension and trans cross member, so i am slowly waiting on more money, i have my 95Z sold so more funding will be available.

 

Thats exactly what I'm after, a third gen trans am with a big block in it. I saw the article in carcraft Jan issue about the low buck 454 that made 460+ hp and over 540+ ft/lbs of tq at a low 2800 rpm for less than $2700 rpm. I have an 89 GTA white with grey cloth interior. its been gutted, and I'm gonna get all of the body work done while its apart. I'm either looking for a 6l80e or a beefed up 700r4 with all the goodies, and a good loud and obnoxious exhaust with a cutout for the track. I want to eventually like to build my own version of the 20th anniv turbo car. The one GM shoulda built thats guaranteed to stomp many cars that retail for thousands more. my car is a factory 5.7 auto car with the 3.27 rear. Here's what I started with... $400 can't beat that..
http://carcraft.automotive.com/14884...arburetor.html

 

Check out my post for the exhaust. True three inch dual exhaust. I think it will fit your desire.lol

 

well for engine mounts in my swap i used the stock 305 tpi mounts for my 427 and used a set of patriot shorty headers for a 69 camaro with a couple of modifications and made a custom y pipe and found out running a single 3 inch pipe is not enough flow for it

 

any updates on this?