1972 454 option in a C-10 ??

[lacountyfireman]

Hello. I have searched the forum and read a post that this is a myth. Has anyone confirmed that this is indeed true or false. Please no speculation. I am looking for confirmed truth either way. Remember that the COPO chevelles, camaros and novas did not really exist either! Was the 454 option similar to a COPO where you could walk into a Chevy dealer and do a central office production order on a truck and get whatever you wanted regardless of what the brochure said you could order. The truck I am looking at has a chromed interior glove box door so the SPID is missing. The seller is not trying to hide the fact that it may not be an original engine. He understands that without the SPID or buildsheets it cannot be proven. He was told when he bought it a few years ago that is was the original engine and it does have the 8-454 emblems on the fender. I had him check the pad on the engine block and he said he did not see any numbers there. I did not ask him to look for buildsheets. He is being very honest about everything so this would not even be a deal breaker. The truck is all original minus a couple of details. I am having fun learning about these trucks. I had an all original matching numbers Chevelle down to the original plugs and wires with 2 buildsheets. Proof is everything with those cars. Any info would be greatly appreciated. I know there is some great knowledge in these forums. Thank you. I am on the hunt for a clean Super Fleetside BB. Steve

[Longhorn Man]

454 was not an option.
There's a chance of COPO trucks... for work, not play, but never was an RPO on the truck line till 73.
The badges you see on the fender are aftermarket.

[special-K]

There will be no proof.GM did not put 454s in these trucks...fact.Was there one that was a COPO?Could be.But,since GM didn`t put 454s in these trucks some form of proof would be required to varify this truck and there is none.The 8-454 emblems are aftermarket "phantom" emblems that were most likely put on when the truck was modified,along with the chrome glovebox door and the 454 being installed.Whwn I`ve chromed a glovebox door on rare trucks i`ve put the original door to the side and chromed another door to retain the original record of rarity.If it was an original big block there would be a factory exhaust pipe mount on the frame for dual exhaust.Only 402 trucks had dual exhaust from factory.Does the truck have the big block power steering set-up with remote reservoir?And,are all the motor brackets proper for`72 w/402?Got pictures?
I put a crate LS6 in a`70 truck and made it look like a stock 396.

[lacountyfireman]

I hope these pictures work. I am not going to have him search for the casting numbers. The buildsheet maybe there under the seat or in the doors. Is there anywhere else where they put them on these trucks. I know on Chevelles that some were on top of the gas tank. The steering wheel has also been updated to a early 70's wheel (I figured that out by looking at the LMC catalog.) The truck is beautiful. I sure hope it is a 454. It would probably be an LS5 if it was a factory one anyway. It has a quadrajet on top, So I don't think it is an LS6 which was not available in 1972. Please keep the posts coming. Could the chrome glovebox interior door just be a cover? Did they make those? Was it an option or were dealers putting those in?


/Users/Steve/Downloads/1972 engine 001.JPG/Users/Steve/Downloads/1972 engine 002.JPG/Users/Steve/Downloads/1972 engine 003-1.JPG/Users/Steve/Downloads/1972 engine 004-1.JPG/Users/Steve/Downloads/1972 engine 005-1.JPG/Users/Steve/Downloads/inside glove box door '72 chevy pickup-2.JPG

[lacountyfireman]

OK. Here they are.

[lacountyfireman]

Glovebox picture and steering wheel. Is the chrome door a cover? Could they have put this wheel on the truck? Or was it done later? Thanks again. Steve
**I can't upload the steering wheel pic. It is the one used in 73 and later according to the LMC catalog. The text "Chevrolet" is on the Horn button cover. It has a gold background with the horn symbol.

[sameyrasmea72]

The GB door was either rechromed or aftermarket. As far as matching #'s on the trucks they don't exist. The best you can do is get the date code and 3-letter suffix close or right. They never stamped serial # or vin #'s on the engines of these trucks. I have three 72 402's in my shop and they all have the same three letter code and a similar date code.

[special-K]

People would have the glovebox door chromed,as well as other parts.They are sold in chrome these days.They were never from factory.
The motor looks all factory big block,except manifold.That`s how I did mine.You gotta get the numbers off that.I`m figuring the truck is a factory 402,but the motor could be a 454 now.

[gregbr]

If you have the build sheet it will show the date code & engine suffix code of the factory installed engine. Then see if they match the engine. But I agree with the above comments, no 454's in these trucks, optional in 73 and up trucks.

[ChevLoRay]

Back in the 71-up era, the government had the ratings system modified to read net horsepower, not the gross figures we had been used to seeing prior to then. The Arab oil embargo of '73, caused reductions in compression ratio and further decline in ratings for horsepower. I think the idea with the inclusion of the ever-larger displacement (454 vs. 402) was done to counter the decrease in torque by the more stringent emission systems that were being installed. We just didnt' have automotive manufacturers who cared enough to play with the engine and achieve both performance and fuel economy, like we do today.

Ain't progress wonderful?

[El Jay]

Check in the springs on the back of the seat back for a build sheet.

did that make any kind of sense?????????????????

[Longhorn Man]

as for the build sheet location question...
A few have been found on the back side of the fuel tank, but stuffed up in the springs of the lower seat cushion is the normal place.
Don't expect to find it though... few have made it this far. If the 4 I've had, only got/still had one build sheet.

[1969 GMC]

So many Hmms here i'm guessing someone did a nice restomod, but then again all of us could be wrong and the p/o could be right, they usually are.

[lacountyfireman]

Thank you for your input. You are all a great resource. If I end up buying it I will keep you posted on my fact finding. Someone here mentioned that the blocks are not stamped. That is a relief because I had him check the pad for stamped numbers. He said he looked as hard as he could and did not see any. I thought the block was decked. The mystery continues.....

[dakman]

this is making me curious now.. when I got my 72' I decoded the vin number on the cab which matches the vin number on the frame and the code calls for a 454. It now sits with a 1976 400sbc in it so I just figured it was pulled out and the sbc installed. I do have that factory exhaust bracket rivetted to the frame under the driver side as well.

[pound41]

Special K has heard my story in a recent post.quick version in 72 I travelled to every Chevy dealership in the Washington DC metro Area and there is alot of them. My Dad who was a mechanic/Inspector/Service Station Owner he wanted a Black C/10 stepside 402/400/373 No a/c powersteering etc. No one would order that truck. I remember one Manager saying fella I can't order that truck if you don't take it I'll never be able to sell that. Anyway finally a guy said you want that truck I know how to order that truck. He did and it was badass. My Dad passed away a year ago. Otherwise he could have told you if you could have gotten a 454 because he went for the biggest. I say that because he sold his 72 to special order a 76 that I have now. 454/400/373. he knew how to order it. Its really a heavy/1/2 cut down to ensure no emission equipment at all and wnat he wanted.

[Longhorn Man]

your VIN doesn't decode engine options at all... just what kind of engine I.E. inline, V-8 or V-6 (GMC only)

[pound41]

Got a folder today on my Dads old 72. The 402 cost and extra $177.55 and the turbo 400 $275 Had a few workorders from the dealer where the protecto plate had be slid through the old credit card type machine

[Duncan and son]

Hint.. pull one of the 454 8 fender emblems off. If it has a part no. on the back it is GM if not it is after market.

[68350]

As LHM and Special-K have said, no 454's in these trucks. The option started in 73 replacing the 402 motor. The 454 emblems are aftermarket as it is a common swap for these trucks. Truck engines never had a vin stamped on them, just a suffix code on the passenger side pod in front of the head. If the block has been decked, the suffix is probably long gone. The next alternative is to get the block number off the back of the motor which really sucks to see(barely enough room to see it and you have to crawl in the engine compartment to see it). He is simply selling a nice non-original restored truck. You can never say never with GM, but there has been NO proof of anyone having a COPO truck ordered with the 454.

[gregbr]

If I remember correctly, my build sheet lists a 5 or 6 digit number just before the 3 letter ID on the engine, and both were stamped on my 402 block prior to the engine rebuild. Can't remember if they are there now after the rebuild. Decking the block usually wipes it out.

[SS Tim]

The only number that would come close is the scheduled build date. Its just left of the engine suffix code in box 10 on the build sheet. The engine suffix code is in box 11.
While the scheduled build date and the engine assembly date could be the same date. They are not the same format, thus not a match.

The scheduled build date is presented in a MM-DD-YY format.
The engine assembly code is presented in a MM-DD format of the actual build date preceeded by the engine plant code and followed by the suffix code indicating the application it was assembled for.

As a possible example,
On the build sheet
Box 10----------Box 11
01 01-27-72---TKK

On the engine
T0127TKK
While an interesting idea I fear this thread resurrection will create more questions than answers.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by gregbr

If I remember correctly, my build sheet lists a 5 or 6 digit number just before the 3 letter ID on the engine, and both were stamped on my 402 block prior to the engine rebuild. Can't remember if they are there now after the rebuild. Decking the block usually wipes it out.

It's always good to hear facts from someone with a rare bonified big block truck, especially Greg with a '70 GMC SWB Wideside 402 Sierra Grande!! I love that truck! This is a greatly informative thread that has served to educate many here. Too bad the original poster didn't have a build sheet. My guess is, if it had one this thread would have never been started. We've spent many years working things out on these trucks here so others can come along and benefit. That, alone, is one thing that makes this site so great, all the combined knowledge from real world truck owners

[engineer_gregh]

Here are the numbers off my 71 big block during the engine rebuild. I'm fairly certain that its the original engine, but like SSTim and Special K and others have stated there is really no way to know by the numbers, build sheet, or SPID.