Well looks like project 450 HP 396 small-block is on hold(will go into a car as I am not as worried about putting a 454 in the front of my G20, 200 extra lbs won't hurt the handling any worse. ). Introduce project 454 SS Van. Bought the whole Rear-Ended 1993 G30 van with under 100,000 original miles for $300.00!!!



Which reminds me (VA454SS), are 454 TBI heads swirl ports? I know they came with TINY cams (peak torque of about 1,600 rpm). I am upping the cam, porting the heads, edelbrock intake, gasket match the intake and exhuast, adjustable fuel pressure regulator, keeping my 700r4 for the time being, and running it with Rbobs EBL.

 

Sounds like a cool project, hope everything goes together smooth.

 

Well, I actually drove it before I bought it, runs smooth and strong. Squealed the tires, completely stock. It only has 3.42 gears with the lesser first gear of the 4L80E. 2.75 vs. my 700r4s 3.06. Everything worked under the hood, so the swap should be pretty straight forward. I am rebuilding the engine, just a standard clean-up bore if needed, turn the crank, balance everything, plasma moly rings, valve job, head porting, valve springs, camshaft, gasket match the manifolds, etc. Found out that the 454 Y-pipe is the same as the current 350 one. The manifolds should drop right onto the existing Y. If not the 454 one appears to be the same size and exit in the same location as the 350. Will just take it off the cat and reattach the 454 one. Makes it great when you have the whole donor. Already found out that the alternator, PS Pump, and A/C compressor are the same between the 92 stuff I am using on my 305 and the 1993 454. Wiring may need some lengthend harnesses, etc. 454 Knock sensor and I will be in business. 350 RWHP and 450+ RWTQ here we come.

PS, it was a church Van with 94,000 on the odometer but had been rear-ended.

 

That's a sleeper. It sounds like you have got another unique project. Keep us up to date.

 

I hope it squealed the tires stock! Torque peak at 1600rpm will do that. I hope the church people enjoyed snapping around town in it.

I never knew they put a 4L80-E in a Gvan.

 

All the G30s that weighed over 8,500 lbs from 1991 on had the 4L80E in them. (Even the 4.3 and 350) I have two of those transmissions now, both from G-Vans.

As far as the 454, I don't know why it got the 454 instead of the 350? They probably just bought one off the lot. It has a beefy trailer hitch on it. Maybe they towed something with it. I see G30s with Church names on them, loaded with people, pulling tandem axle enclosed trailers all the time down here.

 

Suddenly it's 1972....

Must have been a catholic church....

[ducking] [running]

Dunno about the bigblock heads being SP; check on FSC because they might know.

You know..... you might look over the old threads here on dual TBI. GM did make a dual TBI unit... or rather Mercury Marine made one from GM parts and a MEFI 3 ECM, because that 454 would be the perfect beast to be fueled by it. I posted a few links to it (i.e. search), and there are other links here concerning dual TBI and how to drive the extra injectors.

I also have a email buried somewhere from my gearhead neighbor on how to do it, and what to use. I'll see if I can dig it up. My neighbor is a sharp thinker and an agile do-er when it comes to DIY work, and he's a first-class EE as well. He's fairly active on the DIY EFI group and he's currently running a 454 in Kevinm14's dad's old wagon.... so I have much confidenece when he suggests something, because he's usually thought it through.

 

Considered building the 4L80E and using that? Its a stronger trans then the 700, which might not take kindly to having 450-500 ft-lbs pushed through it.

 

I have, and I have everything to swap over to the 4L80E.

If my 700r4 was stock I would really be worried about it. I built it to hopefully stand up to about 600 ft/lbs. With the 454 it might be a ticking time bomb, but i'll soon find out.

 

If you use skinny tires, they'll act as a fuse to protect the rest of the drivetrain (trans, driveshaft, ujoints, rear end). You won't get the launch that you ought to, but the trap speed will still indicate how well it's going, and in a 5300+ lb van, you aren't going to have a nifty 60' time anyway.

 

Only problem is that I run sticky 295/50s though. The 305 cut has cut a best 60' of 2.15s. The converter should help cushion the driveline some, it stalls around 2,800 with the 305.

 

Running a small, high stall TC is probably the way to go if you want the 700 to survive that sort of abuse. That torque output is nearly 2x what the trans is rated for stock.

 

Ohh...this should be good! I have a 454TBI Suburban, can't wait to hear what happens with this thing!!

 

this ought to be a cool project, im curious to see how it will perform. YOu have any pics of the exterior?

 

sweet i'll be awaiting some new time slips hehe.