After reading this months HotRod Magazine I began talking with the other workers at my shop about building another engine. I want to use a 400 block and 350 crank. Weld the rod journals to retain the larger journal size and offset grind them 0.082 over stock and make a 386 with a 4.155 bore. It would also have a higher RPM capability then the common 383 without the fitment issues.

Has anyone built any engines using an offset ground crank?

 

that sounds like a lot of screwing around for 10 cubic inches. without the offest you have a 377, why bother with welding and grinding? not to mention you have to find a piston for that wierd stroke when there are pistons for 377's all over the place.

 

Actually you can use stadard 5.7 inch rods and common aftermarket pistons with a compression ehight of 1.19 or use 6 inch rods and a piston with a compression hight of about 1.219

Seems like a simple alternative to a 383. without ruining the block for clearance of the 400 crank.

 

so all the guys running 383's have ruined their blocks? i just finished putting a 383 short block together and i think the block is just fine. i still think offset grinding is a huge waste of time and money. just use the standard 350 crank.

why would you want less compression height with the shorter rods? even if that is a typo, the 5.7 rods with the taller of the 2 pistons is still shorter than the 6 inchers with the short pistons.

 

Offset ground cranks are very common in classes like stock eliminator.

 

Well seeing how I work in a machine shop it wouldn't be any real time or money that I have to give up or sacrifice. Just trying to see everyones opinion on it. I figured the engine would really benifit from the extra stroke