1983 Big Block Monte Slow Build (Lowered Expectations)

[64nailhead]

I’ve always looked at small inch big blocks with a puzzled look until I dug into the history.

Now we have 427” small blocks, and craziness of a 454 SB with an aftermarket block.

 

[Supercharged111]

Yay me for not taking pics today. I got my new horn button contact in the mail the other day.

I brought the lock plate home with me and cleaned it up on the wire wheel. Went back out to the hangar today thinking I'd left my new FPR out there for the plow truck, nope. But I got this all reinstalled all proper now. Even remembered the GM plastic trim piece that covers the lock plate. Horns work now! Such a trivial accomplishment for a car that I don't really drive but it's a tangible one. Next easy kill is gonna be a headlight switch.

 

[Supercharged111]

Made an unplanned trip to the pull and pay for a rear hub for the plow truck today and while I was there snagged a pair of 454 Vortec accessory mounts.

2 questions now: will my existing water pump/pulley and alternator play nice with this?

Once done I can have the PS pump clocked correctly. I think they nailed me $34 for the mounts, after a trip to the hot tank and a little rattle can spritz they'll be as good as new.

 

[78Delta88]

Looks good. What manifold and cam did you use? I have a 454 TBI I have to do something with

 

[stew86MCSS396]

454 vortec accessories??? Assuming that's a serpentine setup...you gonna need a reverse rotation waterpump. Idk what year mines came from but mine had hood clearance issues and the PS bracket needed to be cut to clear the steering box. When I still owned it, I had intentions of using a smaller diameter PS pulley from an v6 f-body to clear the pinion adjustment nut on the steering box. If I were to do it again, I'd look into the adapters that mount the SBC serp to a BBC eliminating all the clearance issues I had dealt with.

 

[Supercharged111]

Well damn, I somehow got the impression elsewhere that this was a drop in setup. When you say 350 serp setup, are you referring to 350 Vortec truck stuff or something else?

 

[stew86MCSS396]

Is your drivers bracket made of aluminum? Mines was the older heavy cast iron piece so if you have the later aluminum one perhaps it may fit different then what i had encountered.

For the SBC serp, been told to use the early late '80s or 4.3L S-10. Got the idea from maliburacing but the tech article lost it's hosting. Seems to be a company kwikperformance that sells conversion brackets. There's couple of YT videos that point out some issues with fitment of the conversion brackets. I was going to make my own adapter plates as it seems to be just 1/4" and 1/2" aluminum stock.

 

[CopperNick]

No, think it was all one piece and the rear cushion folded forward to get the body room for someone trying to get in the back. With the shoulder belts hanging there as well, access space was tight.

Because hockey pucks come in various degrees of hardness (durometer) they can be used as a shade tree replacement if you are having to deal with a collapsed or rotted out body mount cushion. They are also a cheap way to lower the body on the frame as they don't compress like the factory donuts do. Road feel falls somewhere between stock and solid aluminum biscuits.



Nick

 

[scoti]

454 vortec accessories??? Assuming that's a serpentine setup...you gonna need a reverse rotation waterpump. Idk what year mines came from but mine had hood clearance issues and the PS bracket needed to be cut to clear the steering box. When I still owned it, I had intentions of using a smaller diameter PS pulley from an v6 f-body to clear the pinion adjustment nut on the steering box. If I were to do it again, I'd look into the adapters that mount the SBC serp to a BBC eliminating all the clearance issues I had dealt with.

The SBC adapter brackets are definitely the visually cleaner way to go. I used them on my duallys BBC. No issues over the years w/my set-up.

 

[Supercharged111]

They sure are proud of those plates, aren't they?

BBC (94-00) Late Serpentine Conversion Kit with Crank Pulley Adapter -

Big Block serpentine conversion kit adapts late (1996-2013)* SBC V8 / V6 serpentine brackets to your BBC engine. Includes crank pulley adapter for BBC engines (1994-2000).

www.kwikperf.com

At least the 350 Vortec stuff is a dime a dozen out here.