Which engine to built?

[426keith]

Hi,
Im want to built a BB the next time and looking for some information from experienced people on how to built it right and which parts to choose for best performance.

I think about a stroked 400ci(451,474) or 440ci(496). Please give me some advantages and disadvantages of both blocks and stroker combinations.

Next are the components. Which parts work the best to make 500+ hp and similar torquenumbers.
Especially heads, cam and induction is interesting.

I thought of a mechanical flat tappet cam(duration?), bulldog heads and tunnel ram+demon carbs.

If there are better combinations please tell me.

The engine should live on the strip but it must also be driven to the track(highway, traffic jams, longer idling) and back from the track.

Im looking for best performance that is affordable. No exotic parts or machining processes.

Thanks a lot for any kind of help,
Chris

[70net440]

If your going to use the car on the street you probobly won't want to use the tunnel ram/dual quad set-up. Don can set you up with the proper carb. You might also want to give a bit more info about the car. i.e. weight, gear ratio, tire size, trans type. Good luck!

[426keith]

Hi, wheight of the car is 3500, 5clutch 727tf, 8 3/4" or dana 60(can a 8 3/4 handle 500+ hp?) with 3,91 gears, tires will be 29-30" in diameter.

Regards, Chris

[atoetly]

If it where me building something like you want I'd go with the 400 block the main web area is stronger than the 440 block and with a set of raised exhaust port heads the better off you will be getting headers to fit. I would also make the engine as large cubic inch wise as possible thats just free hp. I agree with 70net440 dual quads are either a show piece or full on race stuff but won't work good on your application. with aluminum heads you could probably get away with 10to1 compression and still run the 92 octane fuel. Camshaft Id run a hydralic cam with a duration of no more that 245@.050 for a street/strip and you will give up some drivabilty with one that big. Get the proper carb, fuel system and ignition system and you will be ready to rock. The right torque converter is a must as well a stock converter with a cam that big won't work worth a darn. You could get away with the 8 3/4 but not for long, go with the dana. Also you are going to have traction problems with something like this right off the bat. frame connectors and a set of caltracs should work? You already see your project is not going to be cheep if you want it right. Thats what sucks about this one thing leads to another and pretty soon you have a diet of (top romen) and dinty moore beef stew every night. good luck and keep us posted.

[426keith]

HI, I think this all sounds really experienced. I will go the 400ci way. What do you mean with raised exhaust port heads.Which heads feature those?

I thought more of 11,5:1 comp. At the moment I run 10,6:1 on my 360 with iron heads on 100 octane fuel. Here in Germany the prices for 92 octane and 100 octane are nearly the same. 1.17 euros for 1liter 92oct and 1.27 euros for 100oct.

I know that it wont be cheap but I will do one thing after another. First engine, tranny and rear end, then chassis work and so on.

I have to change everything because at the moment its a 360 car with 904 and 8 1/4 2,71 gears open diff.

You can say buy a car that has almost the "big stuff" but I want to keep my car because its one of 3 existing in europe(72satellite sebring plus).

Thanks for your efforts, Chris

[atoetly]

I didn't realize you live in Germany. The indy heads have a raised exhaust port. I don't know about the bulldogs. The edelbrocks have a standard exhaust port.

[426keith]

So whats best standard or raised exhaust flange. I heard eddy heads are not the best in flow numbers and indy is the most expensive. Are they really worth the money?

[atoetly]

I really like my indy heads but thats only because I have never tryed any brand other than the stock heads. I won't say anything bad about something I have never used personally. The bulldog heads do not have a raised exhaust port. The edelbrock heads do not have a raised exhaust port.