Bare Bones Budget 400 Build

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DrCharles said:
Or even more strangely, the overlooked 400 that this thread is about!... too much "Ew. Smog motor" until people figured out it had the biggest bore of all the big-blocks at 4.342. Put a lightly machined 440 crank in it and voila... 451 in a package that looks like a 383/400 externally :)
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I agree, but I also think the 400 stock stroke engine can be made to be a very torquey street engine. Even low compression. I'm certainly headed in the direction to find out.
 
DrCharles said:
Or even more strangely, the overlooked 400 that this thread is about!... too much "Ew. Smog motor" until people figured out it had the biggest bore of all the big-blocks at 4.342. Put a lightly machined 440 crank in it and voila... 451 in a package that looks like a 383/400 externally :)
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400 usually gets a pass, if it is to be stroked, If I was to build a B engine I would drop a 3.75" crank into it even the 361 mentioned earlier would be a 406, even a .030" 383 would be a 431, but saying that nothing wrong with stock stroke.
 
I have built a few 383's in my day, true zero deck with ported 915's and some positive deck with 906's.
The zero deck flat top and closed chamber always made a better combo.
 
I should have a cam degree video this week. I had to order a couple of tools. A new crank socket, as I loaned mine out and it never came back. Plus a .903 diameter dial indicator tool. Yeah. It didn't come back either. So stay tuned and we'll see how much we can get wrong. lol
 
273 said:
400 usually gets a pass, if it is to be stroked, If I was to build a B engine I would drop a 3.75" crank into it even the 361 mentioned earlier would be a 406, even a .030" 383 would be a 431, but saying that nothing wrong with stock stroke.
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That thought has actually crossed my mind for the 361. Did you know Oldsmobile 455 pistons would give 0 deck in that combo?
Following along on RRR's post 361's are actually 4.125 bore.
 
qkcuda said:
That thought has actually crossed my mind for the 361. Did you know Oldsmobile 455 pistons would give 0 deck in that combo?
Following along on RRR's post 361's are actually 4.125 bore.
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......you don't know how CLOSE I came to pullin the trigger on some .030 over NOS short compression height 440 forged pistons. That would have gotten me up in the bore about .005" down from the top. Plus, I am SURE I could have gotten away with the small cam and piston to valve clearance.

That said, that's not what this build's about. I want to prove "off dyno" what Jim (@IQ52) has done on the dyno. That simple combinations like this can work and work well. I'm doing all the LAST things anyone would do. No machine work, cheapass cam, used pistons with low compression, stock unported heads and "all that".
 
That's alright, the Chevy guys now think they invented the 383.


My 400 had .060 over 440 9:1 MP cast pistons in it for zero deck. Problem is those suckers were heavy, and required extra balancing. That would have added to your budget.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Yeah and then there's this post. Small cube or not, they're still a big block. I'd even do a 350 just to piss the Chevy guys off.

PHR 361 "Forgotten Motor" Build - 618HP, 520 Torque - Good Read!
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Interesting build, but boy did he go to a lot of trouble with the crank, rods, and pistons. I figured you would just need to turn down the mains on a 440 crank, and have stock 361 rods bushed to run a .980 floating pin with either Oldsmobile or Pontiac pistons. Yes, I had way too much time on my hands waiting to get my Charger across the border.:lol:
 
qkcuda said:
That's alright, the Chevy guys now think they invented the 383.


My 400 had .060 over 440 9:1 MP cast pistons in it for zero deck. Problem is those suckers were heavy, and required extra balancing. That would have added to your budget.
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I know and that really chap's my ***. Most of them don't know their way out of a wet paper bag.
 
Well, so much for the cam degree video. I found TDC, got .020 on one side of the intake lobe, then the other side. Added together and got 213. That puts the intake center line at 106.5. The cam says 4* advanced from 112, but static compression is so low, I'm leavin it right where it is. lol
 
RustyRatRod said:
I have another one. I hear FEDEX is reasonable. lol
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Yes as I did have an account with them making it even cheaper. But also there is Fasnel. (SP?) I shipped an engine to @greymouser7 in Texas from NY for a few hundred I think it was. Better ask him though what it costs. I forget.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I know and that really chap's my ***. Most of them don't know their way out of a wet paper bag.
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Gotta disagree on that one , I know a couple of really sharp chevy/mech/racers .
One is an 18 time national record holder and has won stock eliminator and superstock eliminator and class quite a few times , has more wallies than you can haul.
The other one has a 350 vega that runs low eights oin the 1/4 , no power adders .------------Yet , wants to put it in the 7`s . .
 
RustyRatRod said:
I know and that really chap's my ***. Most of them don't know their way out of a wet paper bag.
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This statement applies to the car show / in general car meet crowd.

One moron was walking around ever so proudly in his bow tie T shirt and asks a MoPar guy what engine is that. He heard 383 and started SCREAMING “He put a Chevy in his MoPar” over and over like 30 times.

When he finally calmed down a bit, I walked over to him, he see’s me coming and asks me “Isn’t that guy an asshole putting a ....”

Hold on bud! I say. He’s not that asshole and I’m surprised you allow yourself to act like one in public. Come here!

We walk over to the car, and I point to the engines distributor and ask... “What Chevy has a distributor upfront?”


A Duhhhhhhhhhhmb founded look covers his face followed by a neat shade of RED!

Class was now in session. I was a semi waste of time because he was “Convinced” of a great many things even when confronted with visible proof & The testimony of others. Sometimes, you just can’t teach stupid! And it gets worse when stupid is convinced!
 
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famous bob said:
Gotta disagree on that one , I know a couple of really sharp chevy/mech/racers .
One is an 18 time national record holder and has won stock eliminator and superstock eliminator and class quite a few times , has more wallies than you can haul.
The other one has a 350 vega that runs low eights oin the 1/4 , no power adders .------------Yet , wants to put it in the 7`s . .
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Oh yeah......you're talkin to one. lol I had Chevys long before anything. I like um fine. I'm just talkin about the obligatory "know it all" Chevy guys......ewwwww lol
 
rumblefish360 said:
This statement applies to the car show / in general car meet crowd.

One moron was walking around ever so proudly in his bow tie T shirt and asks a MoPar guy what engine is that. He heard 383 and started SCREAMING “He put a Chevy in his MoPar” over and over like 30 times.

When he finally calmed down a bit, I walked over to him, he see’s me coming and asks me “Isn’t that guy an asshole putting a ....”

Hold on bud! I say. He’s not that asshole and I’m surprised you allow yourself to act like one in public. Come here!

We walk over to the car, and I point to the engines distributor and ask... “What Chevy has a distributor upfront?”


A Duhhhhhhhhhhmb founded look covers his face followed by a neat shade of RED!

Class was now in session. I was a semi waste of time because he was “Convinced” of a great many things even when confronted with visible proof & The testimony of others. Sometimes, you just can’t teach stupid! And it gets worse when stupid is convinced!
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That sounds exactly like the type I was talkin about. lol
 
RustyRatRod said:
Oh yeah......you're talkin to one. lol I had Chevys long before anything. I like um fine. I'm just talkin about the obligatory "know it all" Chevy guys......ewwwww lol
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I bet you had a 396 or two. good engine
 
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