Putting a 454 BBC in 73 ventura

[Pontiacventura73]

Please help.... I am putting a 454 Chevy motor in my 73 Ventura and need some help.
If anyone has done this I need to know what motor mounts to use and the oil pan is
hitting the steering link that is behind the frame cross over. Help....

[lc2 tech]

use 69 camaro/nova bbc motor mounts

[BILTIT]

Don't do it, aaaahhhh!

[Pontiacventura73]

Thank you Lc2 Tech... Do you have any suggestions on the oil pan. the 454 came out of a 73 vette and the oil pan will not clear the steering linkage.

[Rob B]

You'll probably need to change pans.

[nonnova]

Since the 67-69 Camaro and 68-74 Nova used the same subframe as your 73 Ventura, I would think You would need an oil pan from a big block for one of those cars to clear the "rear steer".

[goquick]

Use the nova/ 67-69 camero pan. But as always, why are you wasting a Ventura on a bbc? A Pontiac 455 would have been much easier, cheaper and quicker.

[72Ventura]

If he already has the 454 than that would be the easiest, cheapest and quickest.

As stated above, the frame mounts are readily available from any 1st gen Camaro or third gen Nova supplier. If you get the right mounts it might clear up your oil pan issue, or not.

[Pontiacventura73]

After trying to place the 454 in my Ventura this weekend, I am strongly
thinking of putting my 350 Pontiac back in. The problems I ran into was
the overall length. It looks like I would have to cut the back wall to move
the BBC back enough to fit. I tried an oil pan from a 69 Camaro and it still
hit the steering link.

So now I have a 350 Pontiac with a performace-plus Edelbrock cam. What can
I do on a budget to get some power from this? What kind of Headers fit the Ventura?
Currently I am running all Edelbrock set up.....

[BILTIT]

Headers for the 67-69 firebird fit the ventura's.

[Kyflier]

Pontiacventura73.....Call me (513) 673-8997 Kenny

[Wareagle]

A local fellow put a 396 into his 74 GTO years ago here--bent the frame . Ruined
the car -- finally junked it--don't do it .

[Scott Stoneburg]

the big block will go right in, not that it would be my choice,but go ahead. you must be using the wrong parts. i have seen novas with big blocks and they have no problems. ventura and nova are basically the same body. get the parts to put the motor in a nova and you should have no problem. chenk your local car shows for somebody with a nova and see how tight it is.

[ponjohn]

My car had a 605 Donovan in it with the prev owner. No hammers needed, goes right in.

[sleepy]

A local fellow put a 396 into his 74 GTO years ago here--bent the frame . Ruined
the car -- finally junked it--don't do it .

So what are you gettting at? The pontiac frame can't handle a BBC?

[Pontiacventura73]

I ended up putting the original 350 Pontiac back in the car. I ran into a number of problems like oil pan hitting the steering link and maybe if I had that right it
would have fit better, but I didnt think I had the room for the 454. I have decided to sale the BBC and buy a 400 or 455 Pontiac...... Thanks for all the help...

[Overkillphil]

...another happy ending...

[Fake Goat]

So what are you gettting at? The pontiac frame can't handle a BBC?


Yeah, everybody knows the Nova subframes are much tougher than the Venturas. :rolleyes: Geez, don't be so defensive. If everyone was being honest, the 454 would probably have been easier to get more HP and less expensive. Stoneburg speaks the truth, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a BBC Nova.:jumping:

[Stuckinda60s]

Check out the 326/350 thread in the street section for some mods done to 350's to get some pretty decent street hp levels. Some of the guys are deep into the 13's. 400 hp isn't too hard to get.

[Scott Stoneburg]

to be honest, i dont think that it's easier to get 400-500 hp from a chevy than a pontiac. as a matter of fact i think its fairly easy to get 500-550 hp from a pontiac and you get tons of torque to go along with it. i've been doin' it for years.even using ported D-ports. no round port or aluminum head. at that level the stock block,crank,and even rods hold up with no problems. really the chevy camps only shining point is at all out max effort and at that point you're are using all aftermarket parts

[sleepy]

Yeah, everybody knows the Nova subframes are much tougher than the Venturas. :rolleyes: Geez, don't be so defensive. If everyone was being honest, the 454 would probably have been easier to get more HP and less expensive. Stoneburg speaks the truth, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a BBC Nova.:jumping:

I wasn't being defencive at all. More like a smart a$$. Wareagle's statement that a 396 was to blame for the frame getting bent was kind of lame. Stock frames twist whenever you put a lot of HP to the ground. That's not the motors fault It's the driver or builder. I will Beef up the frame on my 68 bird because I plan to build the motor over 600 hp. If I was just going to rebuild the motor stock then I wouldn't bother with the extra work. Unlike some people here I think you can do anything you want with YOUR car. If he wants to put a chevy, ford or even a dodge motor in there it's OK with me.

[Wareagle]

Yeah, everybody knows the Nova subframes are much tougher than the Venturas. :rolleyes: Geez, don't be so defensive. If everyone was being honest, the 454 would probably have been easier to get more HP and less expensive. Stoneburg speaks the truth, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a BBC Nova.:jumping:
Good one--talked to the fellow that owned the 74 GTO--Was mint when he sold it to get a bigger family car . He said when he saw what the guy did to the GTO He almost cried--what a shame-- ( his words ).

[bigpontiac]

I stuffed a 454 in my 71 Ventura. Camaro motor mounts is all I needed with the stock Oil pan. It is closer to the firewall, but still fits.

"There is no replacement for Displacement"