We remember when the number four hundred and fifty four incited a specific mental image of a wide valve cover’d big-block Chevy, but anyone who’s been into the drag racing game for the last couple decades knows that even small-blocks can have “big-block-size” cubic inches. We started seeing big-inch (408 + c.i.) small-block Chevys in the mainstream during the late 1990s and since then, many engine builders and crank makers have figured out how to get whopping cubes from small-blocks. Today, Chevrolet Performance’s LSX454 crate engine sports that vintage BBC displacement, with a lighter weight and all the advancements of modern cylinder head and block designs. This crate engine is one of GM’s most powerful and when we saw it on display at the NMCA LSX Shootout a couple years ago, we were curious to see not only how it performs, but also how it could adapt into into a muscle car.
Putting a 454 cubic inch small-block in anything immediately makes it cooler, so when former sales guy Mike Santa Cruz wanted to give his ’69 Chevy Camaro a total revamp, Chevrolet Performance had the perfect powerplant. Based on the super-strong Bowtie LSX engine block, the Chevrolet 454LSX (PN# 19244611) is a powerful bullet that can feed those power-hungry enough to want a simple, complete powerplant, but don’t want a totally custom engine. And with 620 horsepower on tap, this beast can take any muscle car from zero to hero. “The LSX 454 was designed from the ground up as a completely one-off crate engine that is distinctly different than a production LS engine,” Chevrolet’s Jamie Meyer said. “With no limit to vehicle design, engine weight, cost limitations, or other production confinements, our engineers were tasked with developing an entirely new level of performance.“
The Block
The block that comes in the LSX454 (P/N 19243172) is Chevrolet’s fully CNC-machined 9.26-inch deck,LSX cast iron block. The iron construction makes it super-strong and more affordable than aluminum. A true priority main oiling system ensures the main and rod bearings get sufficient lubrication. To improve the clamping force, six head bolt provisions per cylinder are cast in, making it handle big boost with ease. It comes with a standard 4.400″ bore spacing, extra-thick siamese cylinder bores, and it comes partially machined – ready for final honing. The block has a thick deck and dowel-located billet main bearing caps. The LSX block is also set up for wet-sump and dry-sump oiling. We also liked that it’s made with beefier mounting holes for a front motor plate. Crankcase upgrades include main web bay-to-bay breathing holes to support greater horsepower. Also, front oil feed holes can be plugged/restricted for mechanical flat tappet or mechanical roller lifter applications. It comes with a pump gas-friendly 11:1 compression too.
The Heads
The heads that come with the LSX454 are Chevrolet Performance’s LS-7 castings, which are some potent pieces when it comes to making horsepower, plus you can order these from Chevrolet Performance directly. The LS-7 heads (PN# 809-19201806) mate to the LSX block with six bolts per cylinder, making them ideal for high cylinder pressures. These aluminum heads come with as-cast runners that can flow 330 cfm in the intake side, and 254 cfm on the exhaust. Lightweight, 2.20-inch Titanium Intake and 1.61″ Sodium exhaust valves make for a light valvetrain, a 12-Degree valve angle allows builders to design an aggressive piston dome, and the beehive valve springs can handle up to .650 lift.
Our Take
The LSX454 is a potent powerplant for any street/strip ride, muscle car, sand rail, or even a drag boat, and when it comes to crate engines, it’s hard to beat 620 ponies. All areas of this engine feature high-quality parts designed for the high-performance the average gearhead will be content with, but GM actually has an even more potent crate engine for those that are terribly crazed with the need for speed. The the LXSDR 454 is a step above the standard LSX454 crate and it produces 750+ horsepower and 680 lb. ft. of torque. Like their big-block cousin, both of Chevrolet’s LS 454 are torque monsters, with less weight than the conventional BBC. The LSXDR cylinder heads are actually sold separately as well, for those that want a totally custom build. Over the next year we plan on covering the whole process of dropping this stout bullet into our ’69 Camaro Project, which we are calling “Bruiser,” due to it’s black & blue paint and ability to bruise up some egos once it’s ready to rock. Keep reading FSC to see what’s in store for this wicked LSX454.
