I have a chance to purchase a Vortec 454 from a 98 Chevy truck... is this a desirable motor to use for a 81 BU? Does anyone use the 4L80E transmission in their swaps? The car I'm getting is a factory V6 car and I'm getting a free donor car that's a 4 door V8 model.. I've been told I can swap the V8 frame under the 2 dr coupe body, is this true? And will I be able to drop the big block in with minimal finesse? I plan on keeping AC, heat and power steering... I'm building a Pro-Touring daily driver... thanks for any and all help in advance...
1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans questions...
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Re: 1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans question
The frames are the same, you will need the correct engine mounts and headers. I'm not sure what the most desirable BBC blocks are, but I do know there is a decent amount of stuff available for pretty much everything but the 8.1. The 80E will be a good trans with the right gear, probably 3.73-4.10 since the 0 has a taller 1st gear than the 700, and the 80 also will take a lot of power compared to a 700/60E with minimal upgrades.
The frames are the same, you will need the correct engine mounts and headers. I'm not sure what the most desirable BBC blocks are, but I do know there is a decent amount of stuff available for pretty much everything but the 8.1. The 80E will be a good trans with the right gear, probably 3.73-4.10 since the 0 has a taller 1st gear than the 700, and the 80 also will take a lot of power compared to a 700/60E with minimal upgrades.
Re: 1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans question
thanks Doober, im new to the V8 scene though ive built a few nissans some 5 yrs ago... I figured it would be more worth my money to get into a older vehicle and have some real fun with it... my issue at the moment is living in Hawaii and the vehicles sitting in TN and my family in Alabama going to get the vehicles and the motor is in IL waiting for me to come pull it... i have the idea of what i want to build and what i want it to be when im done.. too bad i know exactly whats its going to cost and its not cheap... thanks for the info and im going to read up and see about rebuilding my own transmission since i can do everything else but that... ive changed a few out but never delved into one to rebuild it... PEACE..
thanks Doober, im new to the V8 scene though ive built a few nissans some 5 yrs ago... I figured it would be more worth my money to get into a older vehicle and have some real fun with it... my issue at the moment is living in Hawaii and the vehicles sitting in TN and my family in Alabama going to get the vehicles and the motor is in IL waiting for me to come pull it... i have the idea of what i want to build and what i want it to be when im done.. too bad i know exactly whats its going to cost and its not cheap... thanks for the info and im going to read up and see about rebuilding my own transmission since i can do everything else but that... ive changed a few out but never delved into one to rebuild it... PEACE..
Re: 1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans question
That engine is kind of a slug. It'll need different heads minimum to make better power than stock. For free, though, it will be fun...
Tommy
That engine is kind of a slug. It'll need different heads minimum to make better power than stock. For free, though, it will be fun...
Tommy
Re: 1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans question
Car Craft built one on the semi-cheap. I don't know what (production) heads they used, all I know i they were peanut port, and it made something around 450hp/550lb.ft., called it the Blue Collar 454, I believe the cam was around 224/230 @.050".
Car Craft built one on the semi-cheap. I don't know what (production) heads they used, all I know i they were peanut port, and it made something around 450hp/550lb.ft., called it the Blue Collar 454, I believe the cam was around 224/230 @.050".
Re: 1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans question
Oops, looks like I was wrong about the cam/power... first stage was more in the 400hp/500lb.ft. range. They did a few articles on it, at different stages.
Oops, looks like I was wrong about the cam/power... first stage was more in the 400hp/500lb.ft. range. They did a few articles on it, at different stages.
Re: 1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans question
Doober, I was wondering if your Vortec 350 was a fuel injected model when you got it? I know you carborated it cause of the pics? what does it take to use factory fuel injection VS a aftermarket like Fast or Edelbrock?
LS6Tommy,Thanks for the info on the motor, can I have the factory heads built or do I need to buy a aftermarket set of heads and build them up? im planning a complete rebuild of the motor from a raw block... since im not really technically knowledgable when it comes to motors I was hoping to learn some about the motor Im getting and what I need to do to it so it does what I want it to... i understand driveability depends on how the motor and transmission are built and what components used.... like you don't build a motor for drag racing if its the cars a daily driver lol.... and you don't build it for economy and take it to the drags... other than that im still learning.. and im a lil older than some who join sites to build cars but what can you do? lol... from what I understand these motors are 290HP and 410 torque from the factory, so I am hoping to get as much HP as possible since the transmission is supposedly good up to 850HP or something of that sort... I am going to have mine rebuilt or do it myself once I learn a little more... like what components I need to make my transmission what I need...
thanks for all the info fellas... ive seen a few pro-touring Malibus on google images and they are sharp and stuff but I don't see them on the track... maybe I should youtube some BU's and see if any are doing something other than drag racing... PEACE...
Doober, I was wondering if your Vortec 350 was a fuel injected model when you got it? I know you carborated it cause of the pics? what does it take to use factory fuel injection VS a aftermarket like Fast or Edelbrock?
LS6Tommy,Thanks for the info on the motor, can I have the factory heads built or do I need to buy a aftermarket set of heads and build them up? im planning a complete rebuild of the motor from a raw block... since im not really technically knowledgable when it comes to motors I was hoping to learn some about the motor Im getting and what I need to do to it so it does what I want it to... i understand driveability depends on how the motor and transmission are built and what components used.... like you don't build a motor for drag racing if its the cars a daily driver lol.... and you don't build it for economy and take it to the drags... other than that im still learning.. and im a lil older than some who join sites to build cars but what can you do? lol... from what I understand these motors are 290HP and 410 torque from the factory, so I am hoping to get as much HP as possible since the transmission is supposedly good up to 850HP or something of that sort... I am going to have mine rebuilt or do it myself once I learn a little more... like what components I need to make my transmission what I need...
thanks for all the info fellas... ive seen a few pro-touring Malibus on google images and they are sharp and stuff but I don't see them on the track... maybe I should youtube some BU's and see if any are doing something other than drag racing... PEACE...
Re: 1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans question
WELL... here's the route I've taken on mine, and where I will probably go.. at least with the top end.
The longblock is actually an '88 TBI flavor, 100% stock. I had it balanced, and did rings, bearings, etc., and dropped it in with a set of Vortec heads - they bolt up to most any SBC back to the '60s, I'm not sure when you get into the very early blocks though, and 400 blocks need steam holes drilled in the heads. The heads are stock, new seals... I didn't even lap the valves (was in a big rush to build it originally, rebuilt it right next winter). Not counting the first rebuild, I think I spent a total of around $1,200, that was supplying the block/rotating assembly, new rings/bearings/seals, new cam/lifter set, 'new' used intake, and used carb... reused the fuel pump/distributor. It's based on Project Humble Pie in Car Craft, made 377hp/415lb.ft. I'm probably 10-15hp below that, running a 600cfm instead of a 750 like in the article, but I'll take the hp hit for better around town driveability.
EFI: All GM electronics, save for the EBL ( DynamicEFI . You can run a system that will do just fine with what you have, and look 100% stock. On the 383 in my truck, I'm running the original engine harness, with the IAC and TPS plugs adapted for the 454 throttle body, and the EBL replaces part of the original ECM, so just looking it over, you'd never knew it was upgraded. The EBL adds more processing power, flash capability, and several features not in the original ECM... the only downside is the EBL doesn't control an e-trans, so you'd need something to run the trans, another GM ECM would be fine. I will probably do something similar on the Malibu... use the harness from a 4.3 TBI Monte or El Camino, an EFI tank, replacement sender, high pressure pump, and adjustable regulator.
The EBL does support port injection, so you could order it to run your 454, you just have to run a TBI style distributor instead of the Vortec, because the modules are different or something like that.
WELL... here's the route I've taken on mine, and where I will probably go.. at least with the top end.
The longblock is actually an '88 TBI flavor, 100% stock. I had it balanced, and did rings, bearings, etc., and dropped it in with a set of Vortec heads - they bolt up to most any SBC back to the '60s, I'm not sure when you get into the very early blocks though, and 400 blocks need steam holes drilled in the heads. The heads are stock, new seals... I didn't even lap the valves (was in a big rush to build it originally, rebuilt it right next winter). Not counting the first rebuild, I think I spent a total of around $1,200, that was supplying the block/rotating assembly, new rings/bearings/seals, new cam/lifter set, 'new' used intake, and used carb... reused the fuel pump/distributor. It's based on Project Humble Pie in Car Craft, made 377hp/415lb.ft. I'm probably 10-15hp below that, running a 600cfm instead of a 750 like in the article, but I'll take the hp hit for better around town driveability.
EFI: All GM electronics, save for the EBL ( DynamicEFI . You can run a system that will do just fine with what you have, and look 100% stock. On the 383 in my truck, I'm running the original engine harness, with the IAC and TPS plugs adapted for the 454 throttle body, and the EBL replaces part of the original ECM, so just looking it over, you'd never knew it was upgraded. The EBL adds more processing power, flash capability, and several features not in the original ECM... the only downside is the EBL doesn't control an e-trans, so you'd need something to run the trans, another GM ECM would be fine. I will probably do something similar on the Malibu... use the harness from a 4.3 TBI Monte or El Camino, an EFI tank, replacement sender, high pressure pump, and adjustable regulator.
The EBL does support port injection, so you could order it to run your 454, you just have to run a TBI style distributor instead of the Vortec, because the modules are different or something like that.
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Re: 1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans question
it seems like a lot of work and since I have no idea what im doing in that dept I might just say to hell with it and just build it with a carb and leave the electronics out of it... I thought it was a little more plug n play.. like you just take the harness and computer and plug everything that goes together with it and maybe repin a few things to work like the AC and stuff... is it possible to get a aftermarket ECM that you tune for this application.. I know for like nissans and Hondas we used standalone EMS and that help to integrate everything to work together.... im sure if I do enough research and bouncing ideas around ill be able to figure out what needs to be done.... thanks for the help and ideas.... PEACE ...
it seems like a lot of work and since I have no idea what im doing in that dept I might just say to hell with it and just build it with a carb and leave the electronics out of it... I thought it was a little more plug n play.. like you just take the harness and computer and plug everything that goes together with it and maybe repin a few things to work like the AC and stuff... is it possible to get a aftermarket ECM that you tune for this application.. I know for like nissans and Hondas we used standalone EMS and that help to integrate everything to work together.... im sure if I do enough research and bouncing ideas around ill be able to figure out what needs to be done.... thanks for the help and ideas.... PEACE ...
Re: 1998 Chevy BBC 454 Vortec motor and 4L80E trans question
Stand alone systems include, but are not limited to, Megasquirt efi (build it yourself and it can do pratically anything you want), FAST, AEM, Edelbrock, Holley and so on. Some of those are set to run with their parts and sold as kits. Personally, the EBL isn't a bad way to go and I would look into the megasquirt also if you want to retain the factory stuff and be able to make modifications and still be able to tune it. FAST is making some cool stuff and is definately worth a look.
Stand alone systems include, but are not limited to, Megasquirt efi (build it yourself and it can do pratically anything you want), FAST, AEM, Edelbrock, Holley and so on. Some of those are set to run with their parts and sold as kits. Personally, the EBL isn't a bad way to go and I would look into the megasquirt also if you want to retain the factory stuff and be able to make modifications and still be able to tune it. FAST is making some cool stuff and is definately worth a look.
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