Would 500hp be too much to ask of the stock factory 454 crankshaft? If that is too high of a target what are the safe ranges?  

500 ponies on a good balanced rotoating cast 4.0 inch stoke (gm) crank, is nothing. that crank will be absolutely fine at that number.  use quality balancer and quality flexplate/flywheel to help out even more. stay away from gear drives and stay away from the elastomer internal ring balace style dampners.(junk) -ring eventually freezes inside the outer ring which will beat the crap out of your cranks and main bearing/cap assy. as far as max output on the thing, it'll take more info on how you intend to achieve your "max numbers" obvious stuff is the crank snout breaking issuse on a blown model. at lower kit levels cast apps using n2o help somewhat with shock loading. i've seen eagle cast small block cranks set up with the attention to details i mentioned put 708 hp to the wheel in a .040 over 350 (358)  dart 215 iron head, progressive controlled175-180 shot w/13.5:1 comp straight forward build ex. being race fuel combo, it achieved this through a 4000 stalled turbo 350 tranny, 4.56:1 10 bolt w28/9's

500 hp goal is wholly realisic and easily achieveable. goodluck.

When you say gear drives what do you mean? I suspect you mean timing gear drives. For a balancer I plan to run a Rattler.  

chop, man sorry for not getting right back to to you, 2 job, single dad.... but yes i was asking about your intentions on timing gear.

 as far as the rattler, it is a good piece of work. i have only had experience with one (which happens to be on the big power mouse i mentioned... and as far as noise goes, yeah there is some but not that annoying whirrrr or clatter it gets the bad press from.-to a car guy its music more than noise anyway.)

 you didn't say what you were going to use for the timing set. i'm not sore of your local vendor but there is a kit i have seen packaged many ways, but the fine print always has an australian mfg. address in there somewhere, and i have had really good results with this kit, of course take the time to deg. and it being a double roller w/ actual rolling chain and needle bearing attached to cam gear, it needs next to nothing. i have had no issues at all with cruise engines and what i'm using at the track. hope this helps

I thought about a gear drive because of no stretch of chain or anything and the noise if any would be pretty neat. The motor if going in a mudding truck w/4 spd. standard, so I could dump clutch if needed or if my camshaft of choice is a tad too big (Comp XM274). There will be some heavy flogging from time to time.  

gear drives with two idlers, such as the pete jackson version don't like to turn a lot of rpm.( keep 'em below7000)  -there again with your 500 hp ballpark on this rat build up, you aren't going to have to turn a lot of rpm to get that level of out put. it is you're call on that one. my rule of thought has been  let the "big boy" fuel cars, and the "fairgrounders" use 'em. only bad rap they really have is transferring crankshaft harmonics through the valvetrain. muddin' is way cool i hope you have good luck with which ever route you take. i do know friends of mine that used them and had idler back lash issues. if you have align honed the block make sure who ever you get the set from knows yor spec's.   

Would you happen to know the comp. ratio of a stock 454? 781 heads with a flattop (Z-17) pistons.

well tricky to give the answer on that one, many tolerences "stack" and effect resulting comp. is the block 0 decked, square decked, or just cleaned and punched for the new slugs? also gasket part no. would help determine compressed thickness,(space occupied by the gasket once heads are torqued to the block, usually a number near .040-.050 for stock replacement type gaskets)the 781 are the late '70's best flowing oval port open chamber heads gm had to offer for their time.if you got the info, i'll get you really close, to ball park it.... 8.75:1-9:1. providing no big cuts have been made to the block deck, or big time milling to the block mating surface of the heads. talk to ya soon, good luck.  

Here's a little bit of News

A good GM Cast Crank will last in 800 HP

It will also be faster than a steel crank

You will not find steel cranks in NHRA Stockers

Answer to the question is Cast is Lighter

"Here's a little bit of News

A good GM Cast Crank will last in 800 HP

It will also be faster than a steel crank

You will not find steel cranks in NHRA Stockers

Answer to the question is Cast is Lighter"

Wow!  I learn something new everyday!!

I hope you're not learning too much from this guy Charlie!

never doubt a chevy crank, the guy that I'm learning engine building from says in the old school days before Eagle and Scat were around he always used and still uses stock cranks in his 406's, that range from 620-680hp, and he's never had one give out