pparaska Posted September 23, 2002 Share Posted September 23, 2002 I'm on the hunt for the following: 400+ SBC short block. no more than 10.5:1 compression, with 64 cc heads and .040" gasket. Capable of 450+ hp. 2 bolt or converted to splayed 4 bolt block. Scat 9000 or better crank. Hypereutectic or forged pistons. (probably 10-20cc dish) No cam, timing chain/gears, oil pump, pan needed. ARP rod bolts. Just block/caps, main bolts/studs, bearings, crank, rods, pistons, rings. Assembled or disassembled. This needs to be reasonbly priced. Not sure of my budget yet, but it's not much. Any leads appreciated. I'd rather go with a known good local builder than speed-o-motive, etc. Grumpyvette, any advice appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted September 23, 2002 Share Posted September 23, 2002 http://www.racingengines.com/public/sales/salegp/mfggp/dart/Iron%20Eagle%20sb%20block .jpg http://www.racepartsstore.com/rotating.html[/img] yeah I know its expensive but at least its top quality forged parts far stronger than 30 plus year old chevy parts with 30 plus years of stress and internal corrosion. youll be way ahead in the long run. the main reason Im suggesting you go this way is most of the 400 blocks Ive checked recently have internally rusted to the point that cylinder wall thickness at some points is minimal at best, remember most 400s were cast in the early 70s and are not nearly as strong as the DART BLOCK and the cranks were also weak castings by todays standards yes life suck$ sometimes $$$$ but you will be better off with this block btw speed-o-motives quality on machine work and parts varies WILDLY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted September 23, 2002 Share Posted September 23, 2002 Hey Pete sorry I cant better help with your question but Im just curious if this motor is for your z. Getting greedy with the power are we? Good luck on your search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted September 23, 2002 Author Share Posted September 23, 2002 Thanks, grump, I know the new Dart block is a much better way to go. Too bad it's $1900 for one! I looked at the rotating assemblies on that page. Hopefully they can put a lower compression kit together for a 400. But if it comes down to $3K for a camless short block, I guess that's not HORRIBLE. My reading about speedomotive here was the main reason not to go with them. Topless: Greedy for more power, yes. And doubtful that my rings will ever re-seat after the recent 2000 mile cylinder wash down. But I've been thinking about more cubes and a bit more sedate engine with a 1500-5500 power band for a while. The 327 was enough to walk on an M3 the other night, but its just not the barn burner I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted September 23, 2002 Author Share Posted September 23, 2002 Hmm. I see the Dart block has the raised cam, requires a non-OE pan, etc. I'm thinking the World block (084031) might be the better way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted September 23, 2002 Author Share Posted September 23, 2002 On that note, the 400 main world block are NYA. ANy advice on whether using a 350 main block would be better? I'd imagine 350 main 3.75 stroke cranks might be easier to find anyway. Any bad news about the World Block? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted September 23, 2002 Share Posted September 23, 2002 (I was going to post this in the Chevy V8 section, but you locked the thread!)The tried and true 4 bolt GM block is more than sufficient for 600 hp. I'd seriously consider a 383 for the street if you want more displacement. Too many of them out there making 500 hp on the street reliably. 400 cost more up front, more for pistons plus the $100 to drill the angled steam holes (obviously you can do the straight ones yourself) All Actually, I'm sold on 355's for the street. A sportscar is more fun with a wider power band and the 355 turns 6500 smoothly and easily with with a cam ~240 deg at .050. My opinion is 355" motor using the Northern auto parts forged piston kit, SCAT rods, and spend the extra money on a mechanical roller cam. $500 for the rebuild kit, $225 ($250 6")for the rods, local machine work on a 350 block and you should be ~$1100. Norhtern MIGHT substitue pistons for 6" rods, and might credit you for the cam and lifters that come with the kit, otherwise, eBay! All of the money saved on the short block can be spent on a wicked set of cylinder heaes. I'd love to take you for a ride in my Camaro sometime. It pulls from 1500 rpm in 4th gear and makes way more torque than the McCreary G60 dirt track tires can hope to contend with. Judging from the mph of my 3500# car, it makes ~375 rear wheel hp. I shift at 6500 in first and about 62-63 after that. There are a lot of cars on the street that run 12's now, but when I built the car in '88 (I've done nothing but put a new carb on since then!)very few cars ran 12's on pump gas and steet tires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted September 24, 2002 Author Share Posted September 24, 2002 Mike, thanks for the input - I posted here first hoping someone had something to sell - I didn't see this as a technical thread, but it's become one. Should have just posted in the V8 forum! (I moved it now to teh Chevy V8 forum and deleted it from the For sale one.) I'm beginning to wonder if the 383 might be more of what I want. I'm beginning to think that 6000 rpm is all I'll ever want to turn, especially if the engine is making a bunch of torque down in the 1500 rpm range. The 400 just breathes better, I'd imagine, with the larger bore. But if it's going to be hundreds less, a 383 is probably what I'd end up with. I don't like the idea of spending $1900 on a block, but machining a junkyard block to get everything nuts on is not cheap either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 http://www.built4speed.com/html_docs/383_options_list.htm http://www.built4speed.com/html_docs/350_stroked_to_383.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pparaska Posted September 24, 2002 Author Share Posted September 24, 2002 Thanks Grumpy. I'm impressed with their description of what they do and include. One option would be to call them up and see if they can do just a block/crank/rod/piston short block for me. But adding the heads in would be good! I understand those heads (TFS 23 degree 195s) are a good way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest the_dj Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 Could I get a Dart Iron Eagle 400 block, and have a 434 cu in forged rotating assembly from that site put in, and have my existing heads/cam/intake etc. bolt right on/in and have it in my car without trouble? Or are there more differences than that? Also, what kind of price tag am I in for? Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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