I wouldn't have a problem with iron heads if they're done right.
Are they the rectangular port open chambers? or just standard oval ports?
The weight isn't that big a deal,less than having a friend in the passenger seat.

Hey did you ever check with old AC out in Orchards?
http://www.nutterracingengines.com/
Might want to see what he would cost for a 383.
I'd rather have a local to turn to myself if there ends up being a problem.

 

there oval port open chamber heads. yeah i checked with him and a 383 would be around 6500, the same as this 454
what do you think of this 454 y2k? it seems like a great deal with good streetable power and a year warranty.

 

Well I dunno,does the price include shipping?
That would add a few hundred bucks if not,the dynotune is worth a couple bills though so that's a plus.
A warranty is nice but if you have to pay shipping both ways that would add up fast,if you had AC do a build it's right here in town so that's something to think about.
That and going small block will save you some headaches like new headers etc.
I know nothing about your 454 guy but I've known quite a few folks with AC builds over the years,he knows his stuff and been there forever.

Was AC including a dynotune and was the AC 383 a turn key motor?
Any core charge with either builder? 350's are a lot easier to come by than 454's besides with the 454 guy you'd just have to pay the core charge because you wouldn't want to ship a core motor,with AC you could drop one off.

Looks like I gave you more questions than answers,sorry lol.

 

yeah that includes shipping..yeah it would suck to have to ship it both ways but hopefully i wont need too lol All it seems like i will need is a better radiator, headers and starter since it comes with a holly double pumper carb (which i know you love lol)
the place with the 454 has been up for 20 years and has an A for there BBB rating which is nice

i dont remember if the 6500 383 from AC included a dyno or was turn key but i don't think it was turn key. and there's no core charge for the 454 but there is for the 383 with AC

and its got the alt on the passenger side so i wouldn't have to mod my alternator or wiring

 

Is there some reason you don't want to use a money order to get the 383? I know that Pay Pal will not give you any support if the deal went sour, as their reputation has pretty much proven they are poor in helping.
If you did the payment with a USPS money order(s) then if he stiffed you you'd just send the postal inspector after him, which any sane person would never want the Feds chasing them down.
I do a lot of purchases with USPS money orders, and they're pretty darn safe.
As for the 454 you're looking at; I see no problem with the engine, but that's a lot of lift and duration for a street driven car with an automatic. You might find it's not all the streetable, or workable with an automatic, even with a high stall converter.

 

Well all that little stuff adds up so it sounds like a pretty fair deal and yeah a double pumper woohoo!

 

its got around the same duration as yours though but with more lift. dont you want more lift for streetability though

oh wow, the automatic would really hurt the streetability with that lift and duration. why?

 

About the same duration, is not quite like the same. With the split duration of 284/296 that will have a fair amount of overlap, and when you start getting up near 300 degrees, and some overlap, you'll find it is pretty lumpy idle. The lift is almost never a prblem, unless you go to a hydraulic lifter with too much lift. You didn't say if this was hydraulic or solid, or a roller?
Mine is around 284 on both intake and exhaust, and it's lumpy, but not too lumpy for an automatic. Mine's a bit rough when cold, but once it warms up it's great. That one will be really rough cold, and still rough hot.
Ask them what stall they reccommend, or if they even feel it's good with an automatic. They may build it with a little less duration and lift to work better.

 

oh man that sucks! i need it to be streetable. he also has a 465hp 500tq 454 version and a 450hp 460tq 383.i asked him the specs on those also. but it sounds like the current 454 with 500hp is the best deal and most streetable.

would the USPS money order protect me with paying payments to the guy with the 383?

its a flat tapped hydr. cam..he said it would work best with a 2400 stall..i was thinking of using a 2500-2800 stall though. would that stall work with the bigger cam?

and he said he could drop one cam size and still be at around 490-500hp which would be:.553-.555 lift 274 286 dur

 

I'd go with the shorter duration cam.