1970 Chevelle SS454
Discussion
Thought I'd throw a little American flavor into the thread. I brought this with me when I moved over to the UK, had in in the US for some time. Wife said it made more sense to pay to ship it than to pay to store it...couldn't argue with that logic!
454ci, bored .030 over making 460ci... or 7.5L for the rest of the world.
Lunati high lift cam, hydraulic rollers
Edlbrock intake
Holley 770cfm carb
forged speed pro domed pistons - compression about 11.3:1
Scorpion roller rockers
MSD ignition with rev limiter
Muncie M21 4 speed with Centerforce clutch
3.55 rear end ratio
Was my dream car since I was 12 years old. Finally bought her when i was 31.
After I bought her I wound up wiping out cam lobe while flooring it on the highway so I rebuilt the top end with go fast goodies. Eventually found another problem with head bolts leaking coolant (head bolts run through cooling passages on chevy big blocks) which was finding it's way into the oil. Tore into it more, pistons looked rough, block was in bad shape, multiple threads for teh head bolts in the block were stripped, happened to find a guy nearby selling a short block and rebuilt the rest upgrading everything I could.
454ci, bored .030 over making 460ci... or 7.5L for the rest of the world.
Lunati high lift cam, hydraulic rollers
Edlbrock intake
Holley 770cfm carb
forged speed pro domed pistons - compression about 11.3:1
Scorpion roller rockers
MSD ignition with rev limiter
Muncie M21 4 speed with Centerforce clutch
3.55 rear end ratio
Was my dream car since I was 12 years old. Finally bought her when i was 31.
After I bought her I wound up wiping out cam lobe while flooring it on the highway so I rebuilt the top end with go fast goodies. Eventually found another problem with head bolts leaking coolant (head bolts run through cooling passages on chevy big blocks) which was finding it's way into the oil. Tore into it more, pistons looked rough, block was in bad shape, multiple threads for teh head bolts in the block were stripped, happened to find a guy nearby selling a short block and rebuilt the rest upgrading everything I could.
Never had her on a dyno so don't know for sure. A stock 454 with the heads that I have on it was rated (reportedly conservatively) at 450hp from the factory, thought that was before the US switched between SAE Net and SAE gross figures. Since I've upgraded most of the components and have headers of course it breathes a lot more. I'd say north of 500hp at the crank. Enough that I'm genuinely afraid of the car. It's like trying to ride a bull at anything above 3000 rpm.
Shakermaker said:
That is a very, very cool car. And the 454.. is just a lot cooler than a 350, isn't it?
My first car when I was 16 - 1969 Chevy Impala....had a 350 in it...just never seemed enough....although she also weighed a bit more and only had a 2 speed powerglide transmission:
Stove454 said:
My first car when I was 16 - 1969 Chevy Impala....had a 350 in it...just never seemed enough....although she also weighed a bit more and only had a 2 speed powerglide transmission:
And here I am mostly driving a frickin 2 litre diesel like a chump. I was in Miami a few years ago and the guy who ran the hotel we were staying in had a Chevelle SS with the 454 in a candy green colour, but in a "pro-street" style, big old bird catcher supercharger intake coming through the hood, huge rear tyres, interior stripped almost bare. Sadly I lost all the photos I had of it a while back but I can still remember the noise, it was immense.
Krikkit said:
Gorgeous car OP, I think this thread needs video perhaps? 
Don't have too many videos, only 1 or 2 of it idling while coming off the truck on arrival unfortunately. One day maybe I'll convince the wife to hop out of the car and i can leave some rubber on one of the B roads around my house.
Stove454 said:
My first car when I was 16 - 1969 Chevy Impala....had a 350 in it...just never seemed enough....although she also weighed a bit more and only had a 2 speed powerglide transmission:
Very cool. My first car was a rusty Talbot Horizon (don’t ask). I really need some American metal in my life!
spreadsheet monkey said:
Very cool car OP. Nice to have something a bit different to the Mustangs, Trans Ams and Chargers that dominate the American car scene in the UK.
As you're used to driving it in the US, what's it like to drive on UK roads?
General driving it's not too big of a shift. The hardest part is using my left hand to drive a manual, I've definitely mis-shifted down from 5th to 2nd when trying to go to 4th a few times just cause my left hand is sAs you're used to driving it in the US, what's it like to drive on UK roads?
t. Usually when my wife and I go to either country the first day back our positioning in the lanes is a bit off just cause the change in perspective, but it corrects quickly.As for driving an American car on UK roads, I'm looking to change the suspension this winter cause this car is built for big straight boulevards, not winding country roads. The perspective isn't bad from the other side of the car, and only occasionally at some junctions is my visibility a bit impaired.
The size/width of the roads here is also a bit annoying at times, and I understand they were originally built for smaller cars, but some of the newer roads still seem to be built to old specs, not taking into account modern vehicle sizes, but overall it's alright......however.... don't get me started on parking space sizes. It's definitely an incentive to keep my weight down as otherwise I wouldn't be able to get in an out of the car.
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff