Guest tom sixbey Posted June 29, 2000 Share Posted June 29, 2000 hey guys - have any of you driven a car with a 377 motor? - i've been looking for info, but found nothing but mixed opinions from people i know at home... I'm trying to get as much power as i can (at least 425 to 450), but the setup HAS to have a smooth powerband. Any suggestions or advice? ------------------ Tom 6B (73NIC) "why slam on the brakes when you can slam on the gas?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RON JONES Posted June 29, 2000 Share Posted June 29, 2000 Your going to get mixed opinions here as well.There is nothing wrong with the 377(400 block,350 crank),but If I was going to use a 400 block I would build a 406.With the 406 you are going to get more power and torque at a lower rpm than you would with the 377(if you were runing the same cam in both motors).Personaly I,m big on torque and you are going to get more out of the 406.Short stroke- big bore is great for a motor that you plan on running at real high rpm,s.In my opinion the 406 would be a better street motor. [This message has been edited by RON JONES (edited June 29, 2000).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tom sixbey Posted June 30, 2000 Share Posted June 30, 2000 Hmmm.. well, i'm trying to get a motor that revs up quickly, can take really high RPMs, and has a smooth powerband. I'm shying away from big torque because i'm trying to find a setup that will be less spin-happy (my car is lighter than stock).. My primary concern with the motor is a smooth powerband, but i have no idea how smooth it would be in a 377 if i kept shooting for my goal of 450 horsepower... Also, Ive heard some nasty things about 400 cranks that has caused me not to want a motor with one.... (another reason why i want the 377) ------------------ Tom 6B (73NIC) "why slam on the brakes when you can slam on the gas?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Scott Posted July 1, 2000 Share Posted July 1, 2000 Tom, If you get serious about the 377 project and want a really good set of Brodix heads, my neighbor is selling his. He swears by his 377 combo and regularly whips the pants off many same weight cars with huge cubic inches. Rarely sees over 7000 rpm. There is much more than just displacement going on with this engine combo to make big hp. If you want, and my neighbor willing, I'd give you his # and you could discuss it more with someone who runs one. With 450 hp your are going to have severe traction issues. It doesn't take much to spin the tires on a light Z. JS [This message has been edited by John Scott (edited July 01, 2000).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLKMGK Posted July 1, 2000 Share Posted July 1, 2000 I like the idea of a rev happy motor, SBCs make some awesome sounds coming down off an 8K shift However I've decided not to build a motor that will rev to the moon. My concern is parts wear primarily. When your motor starts hitting a high C strange things happen. Things like valvesprings coming apart, keepers breaking, lifters dying, rockers going, and even dampners coming apart scare me off. You have to watch valvetrain weight, spring rates, rotating assembly weights - you get the idea. I'm NOT saying don't do it just pointing out that high revving motors take more care in the parts selection and can be more maintenance. For a Z a higher revving motor is probably not a bad idea and destroking a motor is a good way to get there. I once spoke to a guy who had destroked a 351W and he said it was the fastest revving motor he'd ever driven Keep us posted on your progress and let us know how it turns out. The V6 idea, the GN drivetrain, and a 377 all sound like really cool combos to put together to me. Good luck! P.S. If the 400 crank is an issue go with an aftermarket crank instead of having one turned down. SCAT makes one and I'm going with an Eagle crank (and rods). On a budget I'd bet the SCAT would be cheaper and honestly I don't know that I need the strength of the Eagle stuff but I'm getting it fairly cheap and hope to only do this once. Besides, I might want to run NOS or a ProCharger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tom sixbey Posted July 1, 2000 Share Posted July 1, 2000 you guys arent kidding about all that stuff... i'm so used to driving fast revving motors, that when i step into a car with a small block V8, I get depressed by how sluggish the motor feels... I'm gonna go out on a limb and build a 377.. - John, about those heads - I'd like a pair of those, but i probably wont be actually building the motor for another year or so.. (too much body work left to take care of now) The 377 just sounds too good to pass up. I've always wondered where the perfect High-Power/ smooth powerband combo (roadracing)lay for a SBC All motor setup. Something tells me that the 377 is worth a try... keep me updated if any of you guys find out anything 377 related. Thanks guys! ------------------ Tom 6B (73NIC) "why slam on the brakes when you can slam on the gas?" [This message has been edited by tom sixbey (edited July 01, 2000).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tom sixbey Posted July 1, 2000 Share Posted July 1, 2000 oh! - BTW, How much heavier is a 400 block than a 350 block? That will be a big determining factor for me when it comes to whether or not i build the motor.... ------------------ Tom 6B (73NIC) "why slam on the brakes when you can slam on the gas?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iamjackal Posted July 4, 2000 Share Posted July 4, 2000 Im not sure about the weight difference but it seems negligible to me for the power you can build.I got a book that has a complete buildup for a 377.Peak horsepower of 583 was made with an 850 carb at 6700rpm.This is the motor I've chosen to build but Im going to run all forged and a strong valvetrain.Only problem will be the problem of finding more 400blocks down the road.They are near impossible to find.I got lucky and got mine for 100 complete but the motor shrapneled and is in need of machining first.Another problem is that there are no cooling jackets between cylinders, over heating may be an issue. My buddy is running a 406 or 408 in his case with a .o30 overbore.Its awesome but Im gonna do the 377. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tom sixbey Posted July 5, 2000 Share Posted July 5, 2000 583 horses is quite a pretty number! Are you building your car for drag racing? - what will the motor feel like i wonder? ------------------ Tom 6B (73NIC) "why slam on the brakes when you can slam on the gas?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iamjackal Posted July 5, 2000 Share Posted July 5, 2000 Mostly I will be street racing against some guys I know. Ive got some buddies with 502's that i hope I will be able to beat.i think I will have a good chance when I get done.I wont be doing a whole lot at the track so Im putting in the T56.I would rather have the manual as i dont need the consistency a bracket-drag racer does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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