I build quite a few big blocks. The most popular is the 489 (.030") or 496 (.060")

The price is adjustable to some degree based on the parts used. Cast steel crank verse forged steel. Hydraulic roller cam verse flat tappet. AFR CNC ported heads verse head cast in China.

If I know how much money you want to spend, I can show you the options available to you.

The lowest cost turnkey 489 is about $7000

A Dart block motor set to rev over 6500rpm will cost as much as $22,000

 These two build show some of the cost differences. 

ASSEMBLED SHORT BLOCK
$400  GM 2 BOLT BLOCK 
$500  MACHINED & CLEARANCED
$280  CAST STEEL 4.250 STROKER CRANK
$300  4340 6.3852 RODS
$400  KB FORGED 9.6:1 PISTONS
$110  PLASMA MOLY  RINGS
$65   MAIN BEARINGS
$50   ROD BEARINGS
$20   CAM BEARINGS
$10   FREEZE PLUGS
$75   HARMONIC BALANCER
$5    HARMONIC BALANCER BOLT
$65   SFI FLEXPLATE
$10   FLEXPLATE BOLTS
$180 BALANCE ROTATING ASSEMBLY
$300 ASSEMBLE SHORT BLOCK
$2770 / $2770 TOTAL
 
ASSEMBLED LONG BLOCK
$1450  IMPORT ALUMINUM HEADS
$100   FEL-PRO GASKETS
$80    HEAD BOLTS
$40    ROLLER TIMING SET
$160   HYDRAULIC CAMSHAFT
$110   HYDRAULIC LIFTERS
$200   ROLLER ROCKER 
$120   3/8 PUSH RODS
$150  ASSEMBLE LONG BLOCK & DEGREE CAMSHAFT
$2410 / $5180 TOTAL
 
ASSEMBLED COMPLETE
$90   6qt. OIL PAN
$40   OIL PUMP
$15   PICK-UP
$10   HARD STEEL SHAFT
$5    STUD, NUT & WASHER
$10   DIPSTICK
$200  INTAKE MANIFOLD
$40   ENGINE BOLTS 
$50   TIMING COVER
$5    TIMING COVER POINTER
$50   CHROME TALL/BAFFLED VALVE COVERS 
$100 ASSEMBLE
$615 / $5795 TOTAL
 
TURNKEY READY
$410   HOLLEY 870CFM CARBURETOR
$95    EDELBROCK FUEL PUMP
$25    FUEL PUMP PUSH ROD
$120   MSD HEI DISTRIBUTOR
$10    DISTRIBUTOR CLAMP
$20    OIL FILTER ADAPTOR
$10    OIL FILTER
$85    8.8mm  SPARK PLUG WIRES
$50    SPARK PLUG WIRE SEPARATORS
$25    SPARK PLUGS AUOTLITE
$100  ASSEMBLE
$950 / $6745
 
TEST RUN $300
$7045
 
ASSEMBLED SHORT BLOCK
$2250  DART BIG M BLOCK 
$400    MACHINED
$1500  AMERICAN MADE 4.250-4.750 CRANK
$1150  US BILLETS RODS
$990   CUSTOM MADE PISTONS
$225   RINGS
$120   COATED MAIN BEARINGS
$120   COATED ROD BEARINGS
$35    CAM BEARINGS
$10    FREEZE PLUGS
$175  HARMONIC BALANCER
$20    HARMONIC BALANCER BOLT
$200  WHEEL FLEXPLATE
$10    FLEXPLATE BOLTS
$180  BALANCE ROTATING ASSEMBLY
$400  ASSEMBLE SHORT BLOCK
$7785 / $7785 TOTAL
 
ASSEMBLED LONG BLOCK
$3250 AFR CNC PORTED HEADS
$250   MLS GASKETS
$135   HEAD STUDS
$180    TIMING GEAR SET
$350   HYDRAULIC or SOLID ROLLER CAMSHAFT
$520   HYDRAULIC  ROLLER LIFTERS  (ISKY EZ SOLIDS $900)
$1050  SHAFT MOUNT ROLLER ROCKER 
$200     PUSH RODS
$200  ASSEMBLE LONG BLOCK & DEGREE CAMSHAFT
$6135 / $13920TOTAL
 
ASSEMBLED COMPLETE
$300 OIL PAN
$100  OIL PUMP
$45   PICK-UP
$10   HARD STEEL SHAFT
$5    STUD, NUT & WASHER
$600  PORTED INTAKE MANIFOLD
$80   ENGINE BOLTS 
$100  TIMING COVER
$25    TIMING COVER POINTER
$300   VALVE COVERS 
$150 ASSEMBLE
$1715 / $15635 TOTAL
 
TURNKEY READY
$1150  PROSYSTEMS CARBURETOR
$320    PISTON FUEL PUMP
$25      FUEL PUMP PUSH ROD
$600    DISTRIBUTOR/IGNITION
$20      DISTRIBUTOR CLAMP
$25      OIL FILTER ADAPTOR
$200    OIL FILTER
$125     SPARK PLUG WIRES
$80      SPARK PLUG WIRE SEPARATORS
$225     SPARK PLUGS TORQUEMASTER
$150    ASSEMBLE
$2920 / $18555
 
$1250 WPC FRICTION TREATMENT
 
DYNO TEST $750
$20555

 

 
 
 
Here is a magazine 496 motor named Coolest Rat
These 2 test show the improvement made by AFR 315cc CNC ported heads over Holley heads. Lifters collapse at 6500rpm .
 
496315.jpg picture by johnnijssen 
 496 AFR 315 255/265 @ .050 10.4:1
 
The power curve is very similar to the results I got with less cam duration, but the same heads.
I built AFR 315 236/236 @ .050 11.0:1
Then the Coolest Rat motor with a change to Beehive springs which allow for higher without lifter plunger collapse
   RPM     Torque   Horsepower
A-P22.jpg picture by johnnijssen

 

 
 Here is a Blown 496

RPM TQ HP
3500 639.9 426.4
3600 626.2 429.2
3700 623.8 439.5
3800 624.0 451.5
3900 635.9 472.2
4000 652.1 496.6
4100 694.3 542.0
4200 702.3 561.5
4300 746.3 611.0
4400 785.5 658.1
4500 797.2 698.2
4600 806.4 721.6
4700 815.1 745.0
4800 836.7 780.6
4900 832.5 806.2
5000 826.3 818.5
5100 814.0 833.1
5200 801.8 844.6
5300 787.2 855.2
5400 772.8 853.4
5500 759.4 848.0
12.5 PSI
RPM TQ HP
3500 578.0 385.2
3600 584.0 400.3
3700 587.9 414.2
3800 592.8 428.9
3900 595.0 441.8
4000 605.8 461.4
4100 623.4 486.7
4200 632.0 505.4
4300 626.8 513.2
4400 631.8 529.3
4500 640.9 549.1
4600 671.1 587.8
4700 674.0 603.2
4800 680.6 622.0
4900 688.6 642.4
5000 682.4 649.7
5100 675.2 655.7
5200 666.9 660.3
5300 662.9 669.0
5400 652.7 691.7
5500 647.1 698.6
5600 639.5 690.4
5800 618.0 678.2
5.5 PSI

 

 bbc_car_(r).jpgBBC 489 STREET STROKERS

496BudgetLB.jpgBBC 460cid ENGINE Click Here

 

I can build many more combination, varying the final cost.

 

 620cid 900HP

 

Henk_bbc_(red).jpg  BBC 540 with GM 502 BLOCK Click Here

 GM Built Motors

 

 

 
 

  John I got the Chevelle running. It is very strong, 600 horsepower makes it feel like a race car. It takes some skill to drive. I have scared everyone that I've taken for a ride in it.
Thanks. Benny S. Texas.

  

LINKS TO MORE PAGES

Comparing Big Block Heads 

 Holley SysteMax

740BHP AFR BBC Magazine FeatureBBC_AFR_740.jpg

 

565CID 1000BHPBBC_565_sm.jpg

 

705 Magazine Build

LINK TO GM BBC CRATE ENGINES

 

 

12370850 - ZL1 Aluminum Big Block $5600

The Chevrolet aluminum big-block is back and better than ever. This block was first introduced in the 1969 Corvette and Camaro. It was one of the rarest production engines ever built. Now the improved version is available. This block is based on the original tooling. The new casting is made from 356-T6M aluminum alloy and has a 4.250" cast iron liner that can be bored to 4.300". The bottom end has also been improved with new 4-bolt splayed steel main caps with dowel pins to locate and hold the caps in place. This block includes screw-in freeze plugs with o-ring seals and a two-piece rear main oil seal. the new block has a provision for both dry sump or regular oil pump systems and mechanical fuel pump. All GM Performance Parts cylinder heads will fit this block and it weighs only 110 lbs. The maximum stroke is 4.375".

 


Engine Size Stock Bore +.060"-over Stock Stroke
366 3.935" 3.995" 3.760"
396 4.094" 4.154" 3.760"
402 4.125" 4.185" 3.760"
427 4.250" 4.310" 3.760"
454 4.250" 4.310" 4.000"
Mark 5 — 502 — Mark 6 4.468" 4.530" 4.000"

454 Engines 3.760" 4.000" 4.250" 4.500" 4.750" 4.875"
Stock bore = 4.250" 427" 454" 482" 511" 539" 553"
Bored .030" = 4.280" 433" 460" 489" 518" 547" 561"
Bored .060" = 4.310" 439" 467" 496" 525" 554" 569"
Bored .090" = 4.340" 445" 473" 503" 533" 562" 577"
Bored .100" = 4.350" 447" 476" 505" 535" 565" 580"
Bored .125" = 4.375" 452" 481" 511" 541" 571" 586"

502 Engines 3.760" 4.000" 4.250" 4.500" 4.750" 4.875"
Stock bore = 4.468" 472" 502" 533" 564" 596" 611"
Bored .032" = 4.500" 478" 509" 541" 573" 604" 620"
Bored .062" = 4.530" 485" 516" 548" 580" 612" 629"
Bored .092" = 4.560" 491" 523" 555" 588" 621" 637"

Aftermarket Blocks 4.000" 4.125" 4.250" 4.375" 4.500" 4.625" 4.750" 4.875" 5.000"
4.500" bore 509" 525" 541" 557" 572" 588" 604" 620" 636"
4.530" bore 515" 532" 548" 564" 580" 596" 612" 628" 645"
4.560" bore 523" 539" 555" 572" 588" 604" 621" 637" 653"
4.590" bore 530" 546" 563" 579" 596" 612" 629" 645" 662"
4.600" bore 532" 548" 565" 582" 598" 615" 632" 648" 665"
4.625" bore 537" 554" 571" 588" 605" 622" 638" 655" 672"
Free Counter  6410-1029 


 

 

 

 

Hey John,
Got the engine fired Up and running pretty strong, Wow I like the low end power!!!! 
It definately sounds good and runs strong in the lower RPM range, more than I thought it would. 
I also have sent you  a couple of customers to inquire on building engines.

 

James T. Kalamazoo Michigan

 

 

DanaBBC_(r).jpgDART BLOCK OPTIONS

Coming Soon New Merlin X Block from World. Aluminum Block 598cid

 

 

Dart_BBC_race_sm.jpgDart BBC Heads

BBC Background Story Click Here

BIG BLOCK CASTING NUMBERS

 

EXAMPLE 

 

  

 

NOTES:
Notice the camshaft is advertised to make peek power at about 6400rpm, but in fact made peek BHP at 6100 this is a result of the longer .250" stroke.
A solid lifter cam was chosen  to create more torque and horsepower than a similar hydraulic cam would produce.
A flat tappet hydraulic cam  would require special race lifters to maintain power beyond 6000rpm.
A Hydraulic Roller cam will make significantly more power and torque than the solid cam, but require a Rev Kit to maintain power beyond 6000rpm.
A Hydraulic Roller cam will cost $450 more and the Rev kit $175
The 274 is recommend to use with a 2500rpm stall speed torque converter, however you can get by with a 2000.
Longer duration cams will increase the peek BHP and lower the torque values below 3500rpm. They will also reduce vacuum and require higher stall speed converters.
A single plane manifold will also increase BHP and lower TQ at low RPM
Using a Mighty Demon Carb will lower the price $330
To further increase power and torque I recommend
AFR 305 CNC chamber heads with 11.0:1 compression, add $750. These are excellent heads. Larger port heads will increase peek horsepower but lower torque  

 

______________________________________________________________________

The head bolt holes line up. The steam holes line up just like stock. (Four holes in gasket, three line up and are functional on each side.) I see NO place where the holes in the block or heads could overlap the gasket and leak into the lifter valley. The holes in the Gen 6 head are oddly shaped, and there is an "extra" one, but this is all properly covered by either a Gen 6 gasket or a Mk IV gasket. "Should" be no leakage.

The benefit of this conversion is to use the tiny-chamber L-29 Vortec heads on all those old 8 to 1 compression pickup truck 454s. The same deal as converting all the old small blocks to Vortec heads! These L-29 big block heads have the BIG oval ports, a modern heart-shaped 100 cc or so combustion chamber that would work great with flattops. Drawback is the special (but readily available) rocker studs to convert to adjustable rocker arms. Heads come with exhaust seat inserts, and the intake especially has nice-looking ports, that should provide swirl. The exhaust may need some clean-up around the valve guide, it's mighty blunt. There is no exhaust heat crossover passage.

I compared a core "049" casting head to a new L-29 head. Bought one of each gasket, the old Mk IV and a Gen 5/6. (Victor catalog lists same gasket for '91 through 2000.) I checked these with a core 454 block that I think is from '73.

What I can figure out is this:

MK IV block, no modifications
Gen 6 "vortec" head, no modifications
Use a standard, ordinary MK IV head gasket.
I can see NO problems with this installation. All the goofy-shaped coolant holes are covered where they need to be, open where they need to be, water should flow through the head in standard MK IV cooling pattern- It will be SERIES COOLED. That means the water enters the front of the block, goes to the rear of the block, transfers up to the rear of the head, and comes forward to transfer into the intake manifold and thermostat area. Millions of MK IV engines used this coolant flow, and they seem to get by just fine. Recognize that the coolest water comes in the front of the block, gets warmer all the way to the back of the block, transfers into the head, gets warmer still all the way to the front of the head. Coolest part of the block is right below the warmest part of the head. Even so, seems to work just fine.

OR!!!

MK IV block, minor modifications
Gen 6 head, no modifications
Gen 6 head gasket, no modifications
Drill four 3/8 holes in the block deck, using the Gen 6 gasket as a template. Elongate two existing holes, won't take much. (Three holes each side, between the cylinders at the lower part of the deck.)
Again, goofy shaped holes are covered where they need to be, and open where they need to be. This parts arrangement provides for PARALLEL COOLING. There are two large openings at the back of the block for coolant transfer into the head. The larger one is BLOCKED by the Gen 6 gasket. The smaller one is open. Coolant flows just as the example above, except in much smaller quantity. This smaller quantity is supplimented by the three additional holes on each side that you drill or elongate in the block. So coolant comes in the front of the block, some "geysers" up though the first hole, between the first two cylinders,some geysers up thru the second hole, between the second and third cylinders, some gyesers up through the third hole, and the last goes all the way to the back of the block and transfers up there. This is how the Gen 5/6 engines are cooled, again millions made and it seems to work. I consider this a "better" way, as it may "even out" the temperature extremes of a series cooled engine- from one end of the block to the other, and one end of the head to the other. This way, the back of the block should be a bit warmer, and the front of the head should be a bit cooler, I think Parallel cooling is the way to go!

What won't work, is:

Mk IV block, un modified, no extra holes drilled. (But see note 3)
Gen 5/6 gasket, Un modified
Gen 6 head, un modified
The cooling system will be series, with a touch of bleed though from one "geyser" hole on each side. Not enough coolant circulation, I think it's gonna run hot.

I'm gonna build a Mk IV block, Gen 6 head Frankenstein engine over the winter. I'll use a MK IV gasket, and NOT drill the extra holes. If it overheats, I'll rip off the heads, drill the holes, and slip Gen 6 gaskets in.

Note 1: This is going in a boat, and it uses (cold) lakewater for cooling. The existing Mk IV takes forever to warm up. It's not the best situation to test for overheating. If this was in a car with existing heating problems, I would drill the holes and be done with it.

Note 2: You could, if you cared, parallel cool a pure Mk IV engine. Just get a gasket that has the additional four holes, or use a Gen 6 gasket. The Mk IV heads already have the holes needed to line up with the extra holes you would drill into the block. No need to modify the heads at all.

Note 3: I only have one block to look at: I am suspicious that GM may have built MK IV engines that ALREADY HAVE THE EXTRA HOLES, and are Parallel cooled. I have seen a picture of a Mk IV head gasket that has the extra holes, makes sense that some blocks do, too. Unlike the Gen 6 gasket, both coolant passages at the back were still open, though. I'm thinking "who cares, the thermostat can regulate this".

Note 4: Swapping heads between Mk IV and Gen 5/6 got a bad reputation right away. It seems that it's only a problem when using older heads on a newer block. Using the Gen 6 heads on a Mk IV block is "almost" a direct swap.

 

Spec's on the L-29 Vortec BB head vs a peanut port BB head (PPH) per the article..

L-29 intake ports = 233.2(S) and 239.5cc(L).
PPH intake ports = 192.4(S) and 198.0cc(L).

L-29 exhaust port = 81.2cc.
PPH exhaust port = 101.3cc.

Chamber volumes. L-29 = 100 and PPH = 118.4cc.

Approx. CR's on a regular stock, small domed 502, PPH = 8.74CR. and L-29 = 9.74CR.

For a flat-top piston 502, the L-29 would make 9.3CR.

For a stock 454 flat-top P/U truck motor PPH = 7.9CR. and L-29 = 9.0CR!!

Valves = the same for both heads at 2.065"/1.72".

NOTE: Use Fel-Pro headgasket 1017-1 to use L-29 heads on the early IV BB blocks AND check coolant holes CAREFULLY!!!

 

 

 

______________________________________________________________________

 

P34097 Image Large  
P34098 Image Large  
P34099 Image Large  
P34100 Image Large  
Mark IV head gaskets have two openings at the front; a GEN V-VI gasket has only one opening to force coolant to flow rearward through the block and cylinder heads.
 
 

 

 

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