Looking to build me a stroker...

[Shane]

And this time I am going to do it right. With pictures and questions/help along the way...

As some have read, I am having an issue with the 69 340 in my barracuda convertible...still going to pull the pan to make make make sure , but its got a bad rattle to it...

Anyways, I have had this block, and these heads kicking around since I got the car(they came with it) and I think its time to figure out what stroker kit to buy, and find out with help from you guys the best way to build it to make a fantastic street motor...

What I believe I have is a 76' 360 block, that appears to be in good shape. (from my limited knowledge)

And 71' X heads...

So what I am intially thinking is to bore it .30 over, buy a stroker kit (suggested by people hear with knowledge) , get the heads done and go from there... Also need suggestions on what cam to run... I am thinking a solid lifter cam(will that work good? or go roller?) these are things I need help with...

Here are the pictures of what I am startin with...

 

[crackedback]

If both your X heads have that date code, they are pretty early 1968 model year heads

07127 decodes to 7/12/1967

 

[Shane]

Crackedback, I just double checked, they both do...

Is that bad that they are early?

Or is it dumb to be using them on a stroker motor?




Is it as simple as buying the right stroker kit, and cam, giving it to the machine shop and thats that.... Or is there special work the shop has to do to make it all work right?

 

[moper]

You have enough beer. The rest of it will work itself out

 

[moper]

Find a shop that has built more than a couple of these. It's not a huge deal but not a std build either. IMO, I'd sell the X heads and buy new.

 

[crackedback]

To do those heads right with all the stuff you'll need, you'll easily be in them 600-900 depending on springs/retainers.

I'd sell them as well, like moper suggest and buy a set of RHS or some other aftermarket. I mean the RHS head that ou812 does with a decent cam will support 475-510hp on pump gas. That's a tough combo to beat for what Brian charges for them.

 

[Shane]

Moper....those cases have been dranken as I was gettin my boat ready...

But that is normally how I operated..LOL

This time I am goign to ask questions first, not second...

What Could I sell those heads for? What does brian charge for those heads crackedback?

 

[Shane]

Anyone Know a shop around southern Ontario that has built a few strokers?

 

[340sFastback]

If you go with a kit that has Scat I-beams it should drop right in without needed to knotch the lower cylinder bores. I would have a good local shop balance the bottom end. The kits that come "balanced" are not really balanced the way they should be. I went with the Scat stroker kit which comes with crank, rods, forged dish pistons, rings and bearings.

 

[d55dave]

When I built my 408 - ran great the first year

The second year it wiped out the cam (mopar 509) so I upgraded to a hydraulic roller. If I were to do it again, in light of the problems with zinc content in oil - I would spend the extra money and go roller - either hydraulic or solid. Roller cams are awesome - they make more power, have better vacuum (better idle, easier to tune) and no more wiped lobe problems.

The third year I broke the crankshaft - the first time I built it I thought the cast crank (eagle) would be sufficient - NOT! After goiong throught the gears I had a weird vibration so I pulled over and looked - the balancer was wobling all over the place. The snout of the crank fractured just forward of the number one main and lucky for my it was still driving the timig chain and didnt go catastrophic. My advice here - spend the extra few hundred and put in a forged crank - Once again I fixed it - Eagle credited me the cost of the cast crank toward a forged one!

The last three years on the engine have been awsome - It is a riot to drive with the 4 speed and 3.55's and has run a best of 11.99 @ 113 - not bad for a street car.

If you want to learn from other peoples mistakes here is my advice - use a roller cam and buy a forged crank.

 

[1wild&crazyguy]

I agree on getting a roller if the budget allows.

the cast crank is fine for 520'ish hp and or 7000rpm, but after that... go forged .jmo

think like this...
roller cam, or good after market heads?
well...good heads that flow and are proportioned to the cid/rpm/hp level will benifit you more than a roller cam and 'stock' heads.BUT the aftermerket heads cost 1400+weather they are eddy's,rhs,indy,w's etc...price+shipping will cost you.

The roller cam set up is around $900'ish and will make an average of 20'ish [combo dependent] hp over a similar fast rate flat tappet design.

so where to spend?
$1400-1700$ on the stroker kit
$600-$900 on redone stock heads + $250-$400 mild port/average full port job
OR $1400-$2000+ on aftermarket heads that will flow 245cfm [without work]- & 270cfm with 'work' done to them.
OR roller cam-$900'ish
Then machining-$500-$600 on the block and 125'ish for the balancing.

If it were me, I would do the solid roller, port my own x heads with port volume in mind, go cast crank [the extra money 'on the street' is not worth going steel at this 500hp level], go forged piston 10.8-11.1 comp [roller bleeding it down to pump friendly 185psi dynamic comp, THEN go out and piss off the 'big spenders' with my fire breathing 'anomaly' .

 

[lgjhn]

Hey, I resemble them "X" heads....lol

I had these checked out before shelving them in the corner of my shop and they appeared to be fine. I was thinking of cleaning them up, do a little porting, then using these on my next "street stroker" project, but those RHS heads sound pretty nice.