Stroke or Not?

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71Duster

71Duster

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Looks like I am buying back my first car after finding it. a factory E-58 1976 360 Duster. Fairly rare build as I can't find any info on 360 cars from that year.

The main issue is the body is all done, interior i in great shape but the engine is out and apart. The previous owner had a really wild 360 in the car, pulled that out after awhile and was going to warm up the stock 76 block.

I'm buying the car back now and am trying to decide what to build for an engine.

Going to use the 360 block which is virgin, may need to go .020 or .030 over. I have the stock crank, rods still.

Other parts that I have to pull from are a set of Edelbrock heads that I WILL use no plans to do any real work to them.

Edelbrock air gap
750 demon carb
TTI Headders
MSD Pro billet dist.
edelbrock mech fuel pump
3 different converters ranging from 2500 - 3000 plus stall


Car is to be a street car no drag strip or trailer queen. Must run on no better the 91 octane. Full street weight of a 76 Duster. 727 has been built up already and has an 8 3/4 under it.

I plan to swap the 4.10's out for 3.23 or 3.55 at the most as this car will be driven. Staying with a mechanical fuel pump and headers. Also a roller cam so I can avoid all the zinc issues with the current of the shelf oil.

I have been looking at stroker kits from hughes or just building a stock stroke 360. For a street machine with 3.23 that I want to be able to smoke the tires and just enjoy cruiseing it is a stroker more then I need?
 
Only draw back to the stroker is the cost of the kit. Other than that its all positive. The 4" arm will allow you to smoke the tires at will even with a 2500 converter and 323 gears. Strokers are great for heavy full interior street cars that spend most of their time in the lower RPM range. And with a stroker you don't need a lot of gear and converter to fry those tires. I would go with 3/8" inch pickup in the tank, 3/8" fuel line, and a Carter street fuel pump. That will feed the stroker just fine.
 
Been there,done that.Look at 2000 to 3000. for a good,well built 360.A stroker(408) is undeniably the easiest way to go fast.You are looking at (5 k minimum) The torque and h.p. jump is phenominal.At this point,you probably will need a roll bar.
 
Definately stroke the engine and get some good flowing heads. I run 10-1 with eddys and 93 non-jokenol gas. You will really like the power.
 
If your going to bore and stroke anyway why not save this numbers matching engine you have to go with your Duster. If you research your E-58 car you'll find it to be one of the rarest Ma made. My 2c. dan
 
Yeah don't buy a balanced kit, have a good local shop balance it. Yeah set that numbers matching block asside and build another block. Blocks are cheap. That way if a rod comes out the side your car does not loose massive value. I pulled my numbers matching standard bore 340 as a whole and put it in storage where it won't get hurt.
 
I wouldn't stroke it unless you have the cylinder heads to feed it or you want a low rpm cruiser--depends on your intended use I guess. J.Rob
 
RAMM said:
That is correct--The OP says Eddy's with no real work done--Sorry but Eddy's do not have the CSA to support 400+ cubes above 5800-5900rpm.
J.Rob
Click to expand...

No need to apologise, I'm aware of their limits. It's going to run a pretty mild gear and be for the street only. I think the Eddys suit that purpose well.
 
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