Big Block 454 Resources

I have a 75' K20 pickup w/ a 454 and I am looking for resources such as books, webpages etc to get information on how to build a big block for low end torque. I am not new to rebuilding but not a pro by any means. I want to know as much as possible so when I go to do the rebuild it is done right the first time. I am assuming that a street/strip built is different than a low end build. Also, a guy I used to work with told me that I should retard my timing just before it starts to ping and to not rely on the degree marks on the harmonic balancer as they are not accurate. Is this true? Thanks for your input.  

For bottom end torque, the key is the right head/cam combo. The factory oval port heads (like the ones on your motor) are designed to make more bottom end power than top end.

For a cam, you want something that has a wide lobe sep angle, and will make a ton of vacuum. A good hydraulic roller from either Comp Cams or Crane will get the job done. Combine that with a good set of 1:7 ratio rockers, good valvesprings, and good pushrods, you'll be sitting pretty.

You want the compression ratio to be about 9:1 or 9.5:1.

There's a ton of books out there abotu building a big block, so you can pretty much take your pick.

My ultimate recommendation is to call the guys at Comp Cams, tell them what you want to do, and ask them for a recommendation on a cam/head combo that'll get you all the bottom end torque you can use.