Transplant time, anyone got any suggestions

[RocketChevy56]

Originally Posted by mnunn454

RocketChevy56,


If you want to stay normally aspirated, and if 383's are out because you're going against the "norm" then then my only small block suggestion is a 406 or a 377 (400 block, 327 Crank). 377's will turn up like the Chevy 302's did and produce big numbers when called on. Finding a rebuildable 400 SBC block is rare but can be done.

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when you say 377, dont you mean a 400 block with a 350 crank? I think the 400 block with the 327 crank is destroked to about 347ci. Thats a pretty good idea, I like the quick-reving engines. a 406ci wouldn't be a bad idea at all if I can find a block sorta cheap. I don't see a lot of them, and when I do, they are fully built dirt track engines, or way overpriced. But why not try right?

[Tmiller]

I'd suggest a 142 or 144 ci Weiand supercharger, 750 holley blower carb switched to alcohol, a MSD BTM ignition, and run it on E-85.

[mnunn454]

Originally Posted by RocketChevy56

when you say 377, dont you mean a 400 block with a 350 crank? I think the 400 block with the 327 crank is destroked to about 347ci....?

You're right. Should have rechecked the dimensions more carefully before submitting the post. Mea culpa.

Elaborating a little, though giving up a few cubes, the advantages that the larger bore/shorter stroke variants offer are:

- Slower mid-stroke piston travel speed (enables higher revs and therefore usually higher HP per CID)
- Better rod length and angle to reduce internal friction.
- Longer dwell time at Top Dead Center (reducing tendency toward detonation which can be a monetary advantage given today's octane limits).

What these geometries give up usually is brute torque which helps driveability if the tranny has wide ratio or steep gearing.

Since the cost of a destroked SBC is about 70% or more (my estimate) of the 500 inch BBC build, and since the major factor in competing with these low end ricers (in a straight line at least) is usually horsepower to weight ratio, I'd go BBC if the extra 30% still fits within the budget.

A 4000 pound truck with 600 horses gets you into the 6.7 pounds per HP range. Though never this simple, theoretically, a 2200 pound ricer would need to produce 325 HP just to keep up. There are a few of them out there running turbos or nitrous power adders, but fortunately they're relatively rare.

Hope it helps, and thanks again for catching the mistake above.

[combustion]

Originally Posted by RocketChevy56

I got a '69 swb fleetside 1/2 ton. Its got a 305 punched .030 over with flat top pistons, IROC-Z ported heads (64cc?), full-length headers, edlebrock intake and a quadra-junk. It doesn't quite have the power I'm looking for, I need some power to beat these little turbo ricers that run around this place. On the other hand, this like thing is kickin' around 17mpg. But since this is my daily driver, I need something that isnt going to get 6mpg and not NEED 93 octane. I'm up for just about anything though, Big block, small block, stroker, destroker. I got a a little $$ to play with, but I'm on a pretty tight budget. Anybody got any powerplant combination ideas that would suit my situation? Thanks!

i say get rid of those flames and get a BB thats built for little higher rpm so you can actualy make more HP and a right cam of course. TQ no mater what engine it is you are gonna have. shoot for a better avarage HP. thats my i would do it that way at least

[sodak69c10]

another good thing about 400 blocks is that the cylinder walls are simesed, easily identified by the 2 freeze plugs on each side , short fall is that if they get low on coolant they don't last long,

big blocks are awesome, nothing beats that rumble you get from a BBC

[jeffspower]

Just an add in on SBC 400 info- 71-73 are 4 bolt, they have 3 freeze plugs on the side of the block. I've got a '71 good running virgin for a future project.

[RocketChevy56]

I actually bought the truck with those awful flames on it. I have absolutly no intention of keeping them. I've got a couple of them off, but I will probably end up having to re-paint the hood.

I've always wanted to de-stroke an engine. I was in the process of building one for my '56 pickup. It was an unstreetable design. I designed it for racing only. It was a 321ci Destroker. I calculated it to rap out around 11,000. Whether it would hold up or not, who knows. On the Digital dyno I put it on it showed 838hp at 9,000 rpm and 784 ft.lb. of torque at 7,700rpm. I think I could have kept it together with the bulletproof bottom end it was going to have. But its nothing but myths and papers now. One of these days maybe I'll finally get to build it. Its what I'm working up to I suppose. But a miniature version wouldn't be a bad idea in this truck. 377 doesn't sound bad. I wonder if its worth trying to build up the engine to hold up with a procharger?

[jablack]

I got a 327 block with a 283 crank that will put you at 302 like the first gen camaro's. with vortec heads and a good roller cam should do pretty good.