At the GoodGuys show a couple weeks ago there was a guy with an early 50's 4000 series with a 383 stroker in it. He said he was dissatisfied with the torque when he tried to work the truck. He also had a 3-speed brownie so he could run down the highway as fast as he pleased. I didn't get the feeling he understood he could use the under in the brownie when he needed more torque.
He was running stock brakes, which made me feel nervous.
I've got a '51 4400 that I'm toying with putting a 454 in. I want lots of power and highway speeds from the truck and that seems one sure way to get the power. I may also move the cab to a 1-ton frame, which will reduce load capacity but also lighten things up some.
My K3500 has a 454 and will run down the road 70+ pulling a trailer with a truck on it. Of course it won't do it very long without stopping for fuel. At six mpg a 34 gallon tank doesn't get you very far. Fortunately it gets much better mileage running empty.
Think carefully about how you want to use the truck. If moving heavy loads any distance is an important part of your plans, you may want to look hard at the Diesel options.
Last I checked Diesel fule is more expensive than gasoline and not all stations have it. I like the rumble of my big block much more than the rattle of a Diesel. Even burning much more fuel on the occasional road trip I'm happy with the 454. Unless I could swap to a 502 or 572...
