Re: Question on towing capacity or rating of a truck->
Well Jeff, I'll give you my take on this.
In all honesty the "towing capacity" is all related to engine, transmission and rear end ratio. If you are considering a 454 you should not have any problem unless it is a manual tranny or a rear end in the low 3's. Let's assume the 454 does have the automatic and a rear gear of 3.55. I would guesstimate you would be fine up to about 8,500 pounds, maybe even higher, which should cover your Z and the enclosed trailer. I do not believe suspension mods will in itself give you any major additional towing capacity, but would help keep the entire rig more level probably.
If the truck in question doesn't have it, make sure you install an external tranny cooler and possibly an oil coller as well. Good luck.
EDIT - one other point of note is the wheelbase of the truck. I assume this SS 454 is one of the short wheelbase models. I have done a lot of towing with those types of trucks and this shorter wheelbase definitely makes a difference in "leveling" in comparison to the long wheelbase models. Suspension upgrades would definitely help if this is the case.
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