1990 454SS
Keith Arrington
aka Heavychevy
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Purchased new on April 14, 1990 from Sesser Chevrolet in Columbus, MS.
Purchase price $18,640 + tax & title =$19,219.20
Mileage = 134,000 Dec. 2003. The valve covers have never been off!
UPDATE:
August 13, 2004
Engine is rebuilt & installed. Trying to get it tuned now.
January 29, 2004
On the way to work the engine began knocking & seized up.
I had it towed home and upon disassembly I found that the
oil pump pickup tube had fallen off the oil pump. As a result
it spun two rod bearings. After much contemplation & consideration
of the available crate engines, I have decided to rebuild it myself.
Not one to leave well enough alone, I plan to make an attempt
to be one of the fastest factory TBI trucks around. As a result
the only parts that are being reused from the original engine are
the block, throttle body, oil pan and timing chain cover!
Everything else is being upgraded!
Here’s a list of the planned mods:
Size: 489ci
Block: Original 454
Hot tanked
Deburred
Align Honed
Bored 0.030 & Honed with Torque plates
Decked
Magnets & screens in lifter galley
Crankshaft: Scat 9000 series stroker crank 4.25” stroke
Connecting Rods: Scat 4340 I Beam rods, ARP capscrews
Pistons: Probe SRP Forged 10.2:1 compression
Rings: Total Seal
Bearings: Clevitte 77
ARP Main Studs
Melling HP oil pump with screw in pickup.
GMPP windage tray
GM Lifter Valley Oil Baffle
Comp Cams 264HR hydraulic roller cam & lifters
Comp Cams timing chain
Comp Cams Pro Magnum SS roller rockers
Comp Cams wear plate & thrust button
Brodix Race-Rite BBO Aluminum Cylinder heads
2.25” SS Exhaust valves 1.88” SS Intake valves
Polished Combustion chambers
Valves unshrouded
ARP Cylinder Head Studs
Fel-Pro Gaskets
Edelbrock Headers, Ceramic Coated
3” Single Exhaust, Turned down before rear axle
Custom Engraved Polished Aluminum Valve Covers
ARP SS 12 Point Engine Bolts
Edelbrock TBI manifold
Custom Made SS EGR Blockoff
GM Vacuum Referenced Fuel Pressure Regulator
MSD Billet Distributor
MSD Bronze distributor gear
MSD Blaster Coil
MSD plug wires
Jegs MiniStarter
Scat SFI approved Flexplate
Performance Products Degreed Balancer
Polyurothane Motor Mounts
Transmission has been rebuilt with HD clutches, 34 element sprag
and a Fairbanks shift kit.
Desktop Dyno puts this combo at 475hp @4500 rpm
607 ft-lb @ 3000 rpm
With tuning I plan to be into the 12’s. It will take some effort though
as this combo will be on the ragged edge for the TBI.
Current
Modifications
Engine
· Jet 6-pack chip
· March underdrive crankshaft pulley
· Dynomax Cat-Back exhaust
· 160 degree high flow thermostat
· Water “donut” bypassed
· K&N Air Filter
Interior
· Kenwood Cassette Deck
· Kenwood 6 disk CD changer
· Kenwood 4 x 6 speakers
Exterior
· Front license plate bracket removed
· Repainted Onyx Black July 2001
Future Mods.
· Caltracs
· Adj. Fuel Pressure Regulator
· Edelbrock 3764 intake manifold
· Headers
· AIR delete.
· True Dual Exhaust
· Engine Rebuild
The Album
Click for larger images.
