I FINALLY found the block I've been searching for to going into my 1991 GTA project car. It's a 1974 2-Bolt, 2-Freeze plug, 400ci SBC High Nickel content block! It's just the BARE BONES block, nothing else. It's virgin and has never been touched. The engine wasn't blown but it was very high milage and there is some very slight cylinder damage so I am for sure going to have to bore it over so I'll most likely do a standard .30 over, I refuse to go any more though but I am very confident that the .30 over will clean it up and I've also be asured of this by the machine shop. There is also a VERY tiny hariline fracture in the valley area that I've been told won't leak or cause any harm but I'm still going to have it welded just to be safe. I'm also having the main caps splayed.

I plan on getting a 4 inch crank which I know will fit, and building a bullit proof 427 SBC stroker. I also plan on using a super high flow TPI set up utilizing extensively worked SLP intake runners and a siamiessed TPI intake manifold and of course the largest throttle body and I can and all that other good stuff.

Now the fun begins, do I go with a high compression, naturally aspirated motor OR do I go with a ProCharger D-1SC???? I know that the SC is more expensive but I'd think since I'm going TPI I would be able to get allot more HP & TQ using the forced induction. I'm still 50/50 on this decision. What do you guys think? Also since I'm going TPI, I'm not going to need the higher RPM performance that the 4 inch stroke would take away, that's another reason why I'm going with a 427 SBC, ton's of TQ I figure I'll be maxing out the powerband at about 6200 anyway. Now also keep in mind that I have 24/7 access to 100 octane pump gas so I can go fairly high compression like say 12.5:1 if I want on the naturally aspirated version but I think I will be to limited on the air flow to make any real power that why I believe the SC'd version will be better.

Now the main reason for this post is so that when I decide which version to build, I can start figuring out EXACTLY what parts I'll need such as crank shaft, pistons, rods, cam, balancers, heads, etc. I want to know every single component down to the part # and exact retail $$ before I start anything. I also want to be able to build a 100% accurate Desktop Dyno file for this engine. My goal is to have this engine look as much as the stock engine as possible (except maybe for the SC'er) so I can be CA smog legal or atleast to the point where the referee will OK me. That's one of the reasons why I choose the 2 freeze plug version, so it looks 100% like a 350 block for smog

 

I say charge it. Then take it to the most crooked emissions testing facility you can find.

 

Actually if I do SC it, I'll smog it without the SC on there and hope that it passes, if not then I'll put the SC'er back and then find a crooked shop which lucky for me, are in plenty here in Bakersfield CA