I am going to need a new engine soon. I can get a hold of a 400 small block and a 327 crank for really cheap from a friend. I have always had this idea; I just want some people who know more then me to give me some input on it. I have always wanted to build a 400 small block bored over .3 with a 327 crank (3.250 inch stroke) which would be 352 cubic inches. The reason I would want to do this instead of just building a 350 block with a 350 crank (3.480 in stroke) is that with a 327 crank there is a shorter stroke which means less piston speed, which would mean more reliability right?

Questions:
First off can this be done?
Would it be making less torque then the 350 do to shorter stroke?
Wouldn’t I also be able to rev higher?

 

First of all you need to find out what year that 327 crank is. Pre 1968 had small rod journals. You would need the con rods to go with it.

Dropping a 327 crank into a 400 block wouldn't be any different than using a 350 crank. Special bearing spacers are required since the 400's main journals are larger than all the other SBC cranks.

A 327 crank in a 400 block would be 348 cid. Bored out .030 would be 352 cid.

A typical NASCAR engine uses a large bore short stroke combination to run consistantly at 8000 rpm although they don't use factory production parts.

Building an engine like that would be good for road course racing but not drag racing.

 

It has been done before. In the mid 90's HOT ROD had an article titled "The 350 Chevy Should Have Built". They built one and it was very impressive to me for the small cam and carb they used. They used rods from a ford straight 6 that were milled to fit and custom JE Pistons. They were able to run 87 octane on 11:1 compression with no detonation and picked up very little power switching to 93 octane! I'm considering this or a 377 myself.