GM 330 vs / compared to Chev 454

Hardtail · Addicted!

GM 330 vs / compared to Chev 454

66 Beau · Poncho Master!

Any idea what the 454 is out of, or how it's built? Mid-70's 454 were rated at less than 300 HP which, if your 330 is the high compression version 10.25:1 if I recall) it might have as much horsepower as the 454.
Regardless - the 454 will have a lot more torque at the low end, and it'll FEEL a lot more powerful.
Even a mid-70's smogger 454 should push into the back of your seat.

Hardtail · Addicted!

66 Beau wrote:
Any idea what the 454 is out of, or how it's built? Mid-70's 454 were rated at less than 300 HP which, if your 330 is the high compression version 10.25:1 if I recall) it might have as much horsepower as the 454.
Regardless - the 454 will have a lot more torque at the low end, and it'll FEEL a lot more powerful.
Even a mid-70's smogger 454 should push into the back of your seat.

Thanks very much for the info. The 454 is out of an 80s RV I believe...pretty sure it's from the 80s. Might possibly be the 90s but I know for sure it's not fuel injected. I'll have pics of it as soon as I get it out next weekend.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

All I can say is you have no idea. Read my posts about doing a 350 out in favour of a 454 in my LeMans. You got a RV engine, just think about it i-> It will rip the tires off the rims.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

73SC wrote:
All I can say is you have no idea.
Read my posts about doing a 350 out in favour of a 454 in my LeMans.
You got a RV engine, just think about it i-> It will rip the tires off the rims.

hes correct

Hardtail · Addicted!

73SC wrote:
All I can say is you have no idea. Read my posts about doing a 350 out in favour of a 454 in my LeMans. You got a RV engine, just think about it i-> It will rip the tires off the rims.

THIS is what I was hoping to hear :D

Cheers fellas.

427carl · A Poncho Legend!

Here is 330 Olds e.g.

HERE is 454 Big Block

68 427 · Poncho Master!

biggrin biggrin biggrin CARL SUMMED IT UP PRETTY GOOD!

RAY IS CORRECT.

Hardtail · Addicted!

HAHA well that's rocking man. thanks for the info. I hopefully will have the motor out of the RV this weekend and start getting it cleaned up!

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

Hardtail wrote:
HAHA well that's rocking man. thanks for the info. I hopefully will have the motor out of the RV this weekend and start getting it cleaned up!

Did you read the chronicles of my engine swap. I got mine all cleaned up courtesy of our head Poncho Honcho Todd via 427Carl.

The acquisition and early work

Swapping in the beast

Professur · Guru

Now if you want to drop a 455 olds into that Delmont ......

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

All this talk of big cube engines is making me want to get my LeMans out of storage, but alas looks like I have no time for old cars this year

Professur · Guru

Oh, man ... no cars, and you have to live in T.O.??? that's soooo sad.

Hardtail · Addicted!

73SC wrote:
Hardtail wrote:
HAHA well that's rocking man. thanks for the info. I hopefully will have the motor out of the RV this weekend and start getting it cleaned up!
Did you read the chronicles of my engine swap. I got mine all cleaned up courtesy of our head Poncho Honcho Todd via 427Carl.
The acquisition and early work
Swapping in the beast

Thanks very much for the links been reading them at work in my spare time :D Very informative. I should be through everything tomorrow.

Professur, 455 olds what ever do you mean? Sleeper? :)

DEJ · Veteran Member

Most comments are correct, from my experience, there is no replacement for displacement. From what you are saying a mid 80's 454 out of a motor home, this in my opinion is the perfect base for a real good build. There are all kinds of opportunities, to create more torque from boring, to decking the block to changing the old peanut port or 781 heads and valves to newer stuff, lots of cam and lifter options . These older 454 were called Mark Iv blocks which were built up to around 1990. Then GM made the Generation V , which from what I have heard had cooling problems, not a good design . In 1996 the Generation VI came out with the cooling issues resolved and a few more features corrected ie mechanical fuel pump. In short , that block is the foundation for fun ( lots of torque at low RPM) a tire ripper for sure. I have a ZZ 454 Generation VI long block with 781 iron heads that I ported in my 1967 Beaumont. It produces 550 ft pds of torque @ 2950 rpm. I run a TH400 trans with 308 gears in the back, this is a street car that you don't give to anyone who dose not respect torque. It just won't hook up.

Have fun with your build

DEJ

jim_ss409 · Guru

If you're just going to install the 454 as it is, it probably won't have a ton of power. I think the truck 454 had about 230hp.
You will of course have a ton of potential if you choose to start modifying it.
I think it will have the tiny "peanut port" heads so most guys look for bigger heads if they're trying to make a lot of power. I don't know a lot about those heads but I gather they're fine as long as you're not trying to make 400 plus horsepower, although I think some guys have pushed them well beyond that with major porting work.

If you do a quick search for "peanut port heads" or "454 truck engine" you should find a lot of information.

73SC · A Poncho Legend!

It is a mistake to underestimate this engine based on published GM corporate HP figures.

CdnGMfan · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Which transmission do you currently run in the Delmont? A Jetaway or Hydramatic? Remember that they have the B-O-P bellhousing that won't work on a Chevy engine without an adapter, plus the big Oldsmobiles used long tailhousings on the transmissions. Dropping another Olds would be easier, even a big-inch 455. The Mark IV BBC is a heavier motor than the Olds because of the heads mainly.

When I was a newlywed and lived in downtown Toronto there was a 1967 Olds Delmont 425 about a block from where I lived. A sleeper for sure as it was a turquoise 4-door with wheel covers & whitewalls. It would have had one of those switch pitch TH400 transmissions, great for torque multiplication and efficiency. Incidentally the owner bought it to replace a 1969 Pontiac 350-powered Strato Chief 2-door hardtop

dualquadpete · Canadian Poncho Superstar!

Those 330 Olds engines could haul some serious tork & Hp especially when in a Cutlass Shell A lot depends on the rear gear ratio Too!!!! one car may have hwy. gears & the other a good mid range eg. 3;42 vs. 2:89,3;08 The lwr. geared [higher #] is going to bust the other "balls" on a acceleration run