SB or BB a body debate

SB 408/440 stroker or a BB 383/440

  • SB stroker

    Votes: 198 61.3%

  • BB setup

    Votes: 125 38.7%
  • Total voters
    323
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Yea Rick,cashwise a big block a body is faster and cheaper than a big block camaro now,if you stick to no billet silliness.
 
OldmanRick said:
I have to admit being a Abody site the fact that the pole is 19/19 surprizes me?
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that's what I was thinking also! HAHA

the rotating assembly on my 360 is fresh (I just went and inspected it) what you think guys think I could get for it? 78/9 crank/rods/ KB hyper .030" pistons - fresh rings and bearings...

I'm starting to lean towards the 408 for a few reasons - 1. since "finishing" my 83 I'm kinda bored with it 2. I already have the 360/727 and it has $700 in work in it that I didn't pay for.. saves me the work of finding/buying/paying for work on a core BB- a 400 block around here is scarce there are a few 383's and like 2 440's both of which are in he $700 range and need work

anyone need a BB727???
 
What pistons? I have personally seen garbage 360s eith home pocket ported heads run low 12s at 110.You need to 9 to 1 ,worked Js of Xs.
 
Abodybomber said:
What pistons? I have personally seen garbage 360s eith home pocket ported heads run low 12s at 110.You need to 9 to 1 ,worked Js of Xs.
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I'm not sure off hand I was told they're KB's and the only numbers I found on the pistons came back to Silvolites (Hyperuetectic or however you spell it) they're nice flat top pieces SO to be honest they look like hyper's from the top but could be forged

I traded a B body small block 4 speed setup/swap for the short block w/ 284/484 flat tappet cam/double roller chain, and 92 magnum heads that needed a TON of work- plus a bunch of other stuff hahaha
 
Do not diss those pistons. I have personally seen a 175 spray hit to 7000+ ! If you can,post a pick of them top and bottom.A similar short block waxed my Rat.
 
I say a 400 b motor either with a 383 forged crank or stroked. There are many advantages to the large bore short stroke and the weight is not that much more. Drawbacks are exhaust is expensive, but so are quality headers for a small block, and engine mounts. At the power level stated in original post the cooling system and the rest of the drivetrain will cost the same.
 
mischiefdart said:
I say a 400 b motor either with a 383 forged crank or stroked. There are many advantages to the large bore short stroke and the weight is not that much more. Drawbacks are exhaust is expensive, but so are quality headers for a small block, and engine mounts. At the power level stated in original post the cooling system and the rest of the drivetrain will cost the same.
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why would you bother with a 383 crank when you can do a 440 crank? for a budget stroker build i mean...
 
TO Zac : I watched that combo go 7800,on spray.Why it lived,do not know why.It did(the piston/rod combo) outlive three cranks(same block).Mindblowing.
 
pics of my 360- (most all the surface rust wipped right off with a shop towel and a little WD)

3601.jpg


"127" is cast in the bottom here...
3602.jpg


3602.jpg


3603.jpg


3604.jpg
 
It's pretty simple, the short stroke B engine will turn some serious RPM with even stock parts and the right cam. Good parts and proper build you have yourself an motor that will spin 8k and like it. A lot of other advantages too. Distributor in front, external oil pump, water pump easier to service, have a better intake set up with no hot oil on the bottom of the manifold, can change cams and pull lifters without removing intake. I would say a 400 B engine with an overbore and you will be at 408 power level. Good heads and you will make more power as you can turn a lot more rpm with the short stroke and stil have good engine life.
 
furz4 said:
It's pretty simple, the short stroke B engine will turn some serious RPM with even stock parts and the right cam. Good parts and proper build you have yourself an motor that will spin 8k and like it. A lot of other advantages too. Distributor in front, external oil pump, water pump easier to service, have a better intake set up with no hot oil on the bottom of the manifold, can change cams and pull lifters without removing intake. I would say a 400 B engine with an overbore and you will be at 408 power level. Good heads and you will make more power as you can turn a lot more rpm with the short stroke and stil have good engine life.
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a 400 ain't gonna happen there are none around here.. a 383 or 440 is it for BB's
 
805moparkid said:
why would you bother with a 383 crank when you can do a 440 crank? for a budget stroker build i mean...
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A 383 crank is a bolt in and they can handle much higher rpm with tolerable peak piston speeds. It is kind of like a really big small block. Certainly for a more drag race engine the stroker will have the advantage but for a street engine a well built 400 is a lot of fun.
 
I would go big block.
What do you really want to do?
I think you are looking at roughly the same amount of money for either.
 
Look around a little harder, if you want to you can find a 400 - don't be in too big a hurry, that's when things go wrong. I will be doing a 400/500 stroker after actually thinking about building a small block first (I've got 3 360's under the bench). But considering the cost of building a stroker small block and putting the same cost into a stroked big block, it's a no brainer for me. The 400 block is great due to it being a low deck block (easier clearance in an abody), the largest bore, and they'll wind like a SOB.

All for the price you would've spent on the small block.... my .02...
 
I'm leaning toward a 408 small block for the simple reason I won't have to make headers (yes they're the same cost ($5xx or so BUT I won't have to make them - 383 or 440 based I'd have to make them in order to get what I want out of them)

I'd have to go though SharaDon's to find a 400 block and that means more $$$ and then what would I do with this 360? I had it on CL for 2 months at best offer and haven't gotten 1 email...
 
I must of missed it but want car are you running that you can get BB headers for?
I find it funny most people on these forums tell you don't run a 273/318 run a 360/408 because there's no replacement for displacement but here it's run the smaller bad bore to stroke and rod ratio engine, get a 440 run stock stroke bottom end dump your money in the top end. You got to put a lot of money into sb short block to get it to 440 CID if you did the same to RB you'll have a 622 CID.
 
273 said:
I must of missed it but want car are you running that you can get BB headers for?
I find it funny most people on these forums tell you don't run a 273/318 run a 360/408 because there's no replacement for displacement but here it's run the smaller bad bore to stroke and rod ratio engine, get a 440 run stock stroke bottom end dump your money in the top end. You got to put a lot of money into sb short block to get it to 440 CID if you did the same to RB you'll have a 622 CID.
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71 Demon it's not a problem of finding them it's well the only 2 makers of BB A body headers are TTI and Schumacker OR you can buy flanges with 2" primaries that have 2" long stubs on them to make your own which is what I would do..

I have a 360 I won't be buying a 273/318 LOL a 408 is proven 550-600hp is easily attainable especially if E85 is used...
 
Small block stroker, less weight, more header options, but itll be more in heads. AL RB heads are cheaper for some reason.....451 is an awesome motor, just getting large headers in an A is a pain.
 
I have to say if I had a 360 short block with kb flat tops in it I would run what I had. I don't think I would shoot for 550 + HP. I would build the best combo I could that would have good life expectancy. I think you could get 450 hp that would live in a street strip car. Any more than that and you are going to run into drivability issues like hard to start in cold or wet weather, overheating in traffic, fouling plugs etc. High horsepower numbers are great on the track but seldom work well on the street.
 
mischiefdart said:
I have to say if I had a 360 short block with kb flat tops in it I would run what I had. I don't think I would shoot for 550 + HP. I would build the best combo I could that would have good life expectancy. I think you could get 450 hp that would live in a street strip car. Any more than that and you are going to run into drivability issues like hard to start in cold or wet weather, overheating in traffic, fouling plugs etc. High horsepower numbers are great on the track but seldom work well on the street.
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this is also on my mind as well 450 NA with a 100 shot would be insane fun in a street car...
 
You could buy some real nice heads and intake for what you would spend on stroking what looks like a nice short block right now.
 
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