The 454 was overrated, but enough aftermarket engineering talent and money was put in to alleviate most of its problems.
Back in the '90s when the mountains around SLC told me I needed more power than the clapped out 327 in this bus could give me, I started looking for more gumption under my right foot. So of course the first thing I did was look at big block Chevy engines. Every 427 truck big block seemed to be in a wrecking yard with spun main bearings, sucked valves, and other issues. And a buildable core was $2500 in 1994 dollars.. everyone wanted a 454!
I had a yard full of Cadillacs. Their sturdy V8s made more torque than a 454, at lower RPM, and the bottom end was actually designed to be 500cid. Its high nickel alloy content block and heads are 150lbs lighter than a BBC; a 500 Cad with an Edelbrock aluminum intake weighs about the same as a small block Chevy. Fun fact: GM actually envisioned the big Cadillac V8 to be capable of 600cid, and then OPEC oil crisis. But anyway.. I got lucky because my '65 C60 already had an adapter plate from the factory-Chevrolet to big, round, truck bellhousing. So I just drilled new holes to match the Cadillac upper transmission bellhousing holes, the alignment pins lined up, and the crankshaft flywheel face to block height was the same enough that all I had to do was have the flywheel machined for Cadillac bolt pattern holes. I was even able to retain the original truck starter.
Even my mellow, near-stock Cadi engine build doubled the horsepower with about 200 lbs/ft more torque of the original 327.
You'll spend more than you think you should at first, but you won't have to spend it again for a long time because the Cadillac engines are reliable, durable, and happen to make excellent truck engines with their broad, flat torque curves at truck friendly RPM range.
All that aside however, a thorough refresh of the 350 with modern parts and a cam not designed soft for 1970s emissions requirements will wake it up pretty nicely, and it's certainly tough to argue with bolting the stock setup back in, in a weekend.
If it's just a work truck, wake up the 350 with modern parts. If you love the rig, then you can do better than an overhyped 454. If I were converting something today, I'd consider an LS before a 454. I mean, if I didn't already grok the Cadillac V8.
Last edited by Tronman; 09/16/2025 6:25 AM.
