Hello all,
I am planning on converting my 1985 Z28 to a 454 big block.
i was wondering what all would have to be done to my 85 camaro z28 in order to put a 454 in it. right now i have a 305 with tuned port injection.
i have been told that i would have to re-enforce the frame of the car? (if so how would i be able to do that?)
im not for sure if i am going to run it with a carb or fuel injection. which one would be easier to do?
any and all input is appreciated.
thank you
Robert

 

Your talking about a lot of money and time. If you dont have a lot of experince i would take it too a good shop and let them do it. However its not going to be cheap at all. Your going to need to swap out your transmission, and rear as well to handle the power and torque. Also your going to be doing some cutting and fab work to get every thing in there. It can be done but your going to spend some big money. I would say 8-15K just to get the car running if you where doing every thing your self. Probaly around 20K for a shop to do it and use new parts with all the little extra's you would want.

If i was building this project on a budget this is how i would build it with (GOOD PARTS)
It adds up fast
New well built TH400 trans 2200
New Mosor 12 Bolt rear 2300
Custom Drive shaft 500
Speced out converter 700
Mounting hard war for the trans (braces, ect) 400
6100 bucks in parts there

Good mild built 454 Long block 4500
Street single Intake 300
770-870cfm carb 300
Distributer 250
Plugs, wires, ect. 200
Custom support/cross section 500
Cost for parts 6000

Headers 300
Exhaust work 300
4 row Radiator 400
twin cooling fans 300
Beefed up springs 200
1450 in parts

And probaly around 1500 bucks in things i dont fill like listing. Fuel pump, Air filter, Water pump, Belts, and so on and so on.

So my cost would be around 15000 bucks doing all the work my self using good aftermarket parts for a strong build. You can save money and do things the budget way but read my sig. It speaks true.

One thing for sure you are going to have to swap out you rear and transmission there are no two ways about that and if you go cheap on that your just asking for problems. Same thing can be said about the engine if you try to pull a old 454 out of just any vehical you could end up with much less then you expect as 454 some of the older 454s you will find cheap where rated at as little as 230hp when they where new. Just keep that in mind.

 

If you have to ask these questions you are already in over your head,you may as well be putting a big block Chevy in a Ford Maverick because nothing is going to fit.
Do you self a big favor and build a big inch small block,you'll still want to add subframe connectors to stiffen the body and beef up the rest of the car for more power but at least the engine will bolt in.
There's no reason you can't have a 500hp streetable small block and save yourself a lot of headaches and money over trying to cram a Rat in there.

 

honestly, unless your just after having a BBC.. there are no benifits to having one in a third gen. If your only after the cubes and have that kind of money sitting around.. get a LSX block and bore and stroke that to a 454. VERY streetable and it WILL have more power for the same money, if not mayve just a bit more.

Like already said, just build a big cube SBC, things work MUCH more smoothly and more cost effective

 

Dont get me wrong i would love to cruse around town in a mild camed 454 3rd gen. I can see the look on peoples faces now. But as said above its a BIG engine. Not the cubes but the size of block and heads. There are LSX guys well over 500 plus cubes.

 

Even that would likely be overkill,this guy has a 305......

He'd prolly **** his pants the first time mashing the peddle with a good running 383.
Most of us would be more than happy on the street with the power a well built stroker 350/383 can make,self included and I've owned a big block 1st gen Camaro with a quite pumped up 427 Rat.

 

I have a 89 RS that is very clean with a 454 already in it that I am going to sell. Let me know.