400 to 512 Build

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ramcharger

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Well, here's the greasy *** busted up '77 400 I'm starting with. Bore looks OK and was stock with a minor ridge. Minor enough that a few taps with a hammer handle pushed the pistons right out, rod bearing were down to the copper but not spun. The mains just showed a bit of copper. Cam bearings were OK but really none of that matters since a stroker kit is on the way and obviously none of these parts are going to be used anyway.

The second pic is the engine in the back of the Jeep ready to go to the machinist. I degreased it the best I could with some cans of engine cleaner, a brush and a putty knife. Not necessarily in that order, lol. It took all damn day too.

Note the busted rear main seal retainer. The bolts were not bent and I attribute it to the broke motor mount.
 
The machinist and I will talk a bit, he'll sonic check the bores and mag the block and I'll present the plan to him....

This is part of the plan. Thank you Pat Fogel for the pictures.
 
Mine will be a split tunnel like this though, minus the eddie carbs. I'm a Holley guy.
 
I just picked up 2 400's today, almost tossed them off the trailer when the tie downs snapped......fun times.....
 
That would've sucked.... Sounds like you got them home in one piece though.
 
They did make it in one piece. Luckily they both had the oil drained. When the one strap snapped and it flung accross the trailer, yes I was driving way to fast thru some "SSSSSS" turns, the motor ended up upside down. Glad my little trailer has side walls....
 
Awesome plan. That's gonna rock. Man your 400 is nastier than mine. I didn't think that was possible. LOL
 
They did make it in one piece. Luckily they both had the oil drained. When the one strap snapped and it flung accross the trailer, yes I was driving way to fast thru some "SSSSSS" turns, the motor ended up upside down. Glad my little trailer has side walls....

Man, I bet you are, lol.

Awesome plan. That's gonna rock. Man your 400 is nastier than mine. I didn't think that was possible. LOL

I dropped off my block and layed out my plan. He was in favor of the larger cam:

108 LCA, .650 lift, 263/270 degrees of duration @ .050" lift.

Verses the smaller cam:
108 LCA, .660 lift, 255/263 degrees of duration @ .050" lift.

CR will be about 12.75:1

Heads will be Eddy Victor Max Wedge Ports, bare castings. I plan on about 330-340 cfm @ .600-.650" lift plus when I'm done.

Dave also sugested that I select a valve spring with an installed pressure of about 240 lbs. and an open pressure of 550 lbs.

I'll hear from him on Wednesday on whether the block is worth a crap.
 
Looks like you are heading for the say...800hp zone??

Good guess! 8) I'm shooting for 600+hp up here in the rare air of Denver. 640 hp here is about 800 hp down in the flatlands. I'd be very happy with an uncorrected 600 or better at 6500 rpm or below. I've been researching this build for years, did a few dyno sims (which mean nothing, lol) and I'm going to take my best poke at it. The cam I'm still deciding on, might go with a custom grind but it'll be around the specs I gave.

I want to get back into bracket racing and just cruise a few local hangouts is all. Maybe some midnight blasts and scare some ricers. 90% strip and 10% screwing around. Race fuel only. I hope I don't loose my license. I think I'll name my Duster "Highway Star". I will never sell it. It will most likely be a very dark midnight blue or purple.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh0iihjANPc"]YouTube- Deep Purple Highway Star[/ame]
 
MUH HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

And hell ya! At that level of fun, Holley baby! Holley! I can only see those AFB's for class racing? IDK!
 
MUH HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

And hell ya! At that level of fun, Holley baby! Holley! I can only see those AFB's for class racing? IDK!

Not even that, street poser crap because the badging matches. :toothy10: They do look prettier than the Holleys.....

OK, before I get flamed about all the 9 second AFB carb'd hemi's out there, here's the deal:

I know Holleys and how to tune them. I've beem mucking with them since I was 16 and I'm 44. I'm going with what I know. :bootysha: :toothy10:

With my luck Pat Fogel will get in on this and tell me I'm insane..... but I don't think so... :)
 
I am an ol Carter afb guy myself, but I don't know squsdush about Holleys but I can learn :happy10:
I have a Holley on my 170/ and it has be flawless for me, and I drive it daily
Live and learn I guess8) and I like learning :happy10:
It sure has cooled off here in Northeast Arkansas, This morning I opened all my windows and doors. I hope the weather has changed for you up and over there ramcharger 8)
Back to your Duster :read2: You better get some tall back buckets in it or you will brake your neck :toothy10: Looks like another cool build by Ramcharger is on it's way :cheers:
 
Not even that, street poser crap because the badging matches. :toothy10: They do look prettier than the Holleys.....

OK, before I get flamed about all the 9 second AFB carb'd hemi's out there, here's the deal:

I know Holleys and how to tune them. I've beem mucking with them since I was 16 and I'm 44. I'm going with what I know. :bootysha: :toothy10:

With my luck Pat Fogel will get in on this and tell me I'm insane..... but I don't think so... :)


Hey---- WTF--- WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE 9-SECOND BIG BLOCKS OUT THERE?????? I didn't mention hemi's 8)

Draggin' out the big guns on us are ya???? Sounds like a haulin' azz ride no matter what you stick it in...
 
I am an ol Carter afb guy myself, but I don't know squsdush about Holleys but I can learn :happy10:
I have a Holley on my 170/ and it has be flawless for me, and I drive it daily
Live and learn I guess8) and I like learning :happy10:
It sure has cooled off here in Northeast Arkansas, This morning I opened all my windows and doors. I hope the weather has changed for you up and over there ramcharger 8)
Back to your Duster :read2: You better get some tall back buckets in it or you will brake your neck :toothy10: Looks like another cool build by Ramcharger is on it's way :cheers:

NHRA rule book is on the way and I will try to keep it as stock on the inside as possible. Buckets were part of the deal but I have to read up on the seat type. :)

cool parts man! good luck with the build!

Thanks man! Oddly, a bunch of crusty Mopar blocks have invaded DC Racing and I proudly wore my ABody shirt in as well. :) Then like a dumb *** when I got home I procedeed to change my jeans to work on the Jeep but forgot about the "T". The Abody T has now been baptised in oil....

Hey---- WTF--- WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE 9-SECOND BIG BLOCKS OUT THERE?????? I didn't mention hemi's 8)

Draggin' out the big guns on us are ya???? Sounds like a haulin' azz ride no matter what you stick it in...

No tellin' :) I gave him my plan (a guy who had a multi-million $ contract with NASCAR Furniture Row) actualy agreed with me and asked who I talked to in regards to the cam..... LOL~

I'm just sitting here shaking my head Joe, 600 Denver Duster HP, You crazy mister.8)

Just playin' with you Terry! Now it may seem crazy now, but it will all fall in place my friend. :)
 
Stick with your plan, it'll work....

I'm gonna have to do a lot more to my 383 then I first thought to get to the performance level I'm shootin' for...

Ok, the way I figure it on my homemade redneck speed calculator (an empty coors lite can and a red sharpie), I figure if I get my valiant weight down to 750 pounds (with driver) and you spot me 3 lights, I think I can run with ya.... ;)
 
Stick with your plan, it'll work....

I'm gonna have to do a lot more to my 383 then I first thought to get to the performance level I'm shootin' for...

Ok, the way I figure it on my homemade redneck speed calculator (an empty coors lite can and a red sharpie), I figure if I get my valiant weight down to 750 pounds (with driver) and you spot me 3 lights, I think I can run with ya.... ;)

Never say never....

:toothy10:
 
don't know if your street driving or not, have you considered the Indy tunnel ram for max wedge ports? the one on this engine works killer on the street and strip. seems to make a ton of mid-range torque. kind of a similar build, just the 499 kit, cam is in the same ball park.

http://www.bigblockdart.com/forum/showthread.php?15637-69-street-STRIP-dart

here's a video of it on the street
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buCVoeyv1TI"]YouTube- 69 Dart Swinger In Car Ride!![/ame]
 
I considered a bunch of Indy stuff, but I wanted to do it different than most. Your build is certainly bad ***, I just wanted to do it my way is all.
 
yep, i know where your coming from!! :thumbup:

Right on! I wanted to approach this from a "money limited" point of view. :-D

Good news! I found out today that my $80 block sonic tested fine with a minimum of .180 on one non-thrust side of a cylinder and a maximum of .240. DC Racing also confirmed that the bore will clean up fine at a .035" overbore.

They sent it out to be baked today after confirming the block integrity before they would do any work on it. Perfect! I told him I spent a whole day cleaning it before I brought it in and he laughed. :-D I've seen hospital floors dirtier than his shop. When I called him today about the sonic check and general inspection I asked "Well, am I Mopar or Nopar?...." :toothy10: He confirmed my measurements and general inspection. So far so good.

So, the bottom end will be 100% 440 Source. I spoke with them today and quized the crap out of 'em. We both agreed that HP ratings for any NA rotating assembly are BS and a general guide for the "public". What matters is piston weight vs. rod weight/strength vs. rpm. My build will not be an issue.

Dave from DC Racing does not believe that a stud girdle is necessary with the deep skirt B Mopar block at the HP level I'm seeking so I will not employ one. If I were to blast it with a 200+ shot of N2O I would, but then again, I would go with a MP block if this were the case.... but it isn't. I'm thinking 600+ here in the rare air should get me into the 10's and that gets me in the money brackets.

In regards to the 440 Source bottom end, I'm ordering it balanced and then bring it to DC to check it out. We'll see how good it is. I will post the balance sheet. BTW, I pestered the guy at 440 Source and the pistons are truly from the USA, forged and balanced. I know where they are from but no point in posting that to my competition. :snakeman: Rods and crank are offshore but machined, X-rayed and Rockwell tested here.

Heads, hmmmm.... I'm tossing around Edelbrock Max Wedges and Brodix B1 BA MC heads bare. I'm still batting both these ideas around. :toothy10:
 
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