Right now i'm stuck with the weak 305 carb motor. I want something in the area of 400 horse but within a really reasonable price range( i think we've all had this dream). I really want my next motor to have fuel injection and i've always seen tpi setups at swap meets for around $350 average. I've heard of a few 377s and i think that it would be a good setup for me. this would get rid of any machine work that i would have to have with a 355 or a 383. So that would cut back on the price. I've also heard that destroked motors reved higher so that would be fun. The only questions i have is what would have to be done to make the tpi work with the 377 and does this sound like a good idea or a long shot.
For anyone unfamiliar with the 377 (400 block + 350 crank = 377)
Thanks

 

Destroked motors don't rev higher than anything else by the virtue of the stroke alone. The stock TPI setup will limit the potential of the engine since it's pretty restrictive at high RPM on a 305, let alone anything larger.

In any case, a high-revving motor on the street isn't what most people would call fun. You'd be better off keeping the stock stroke on the 400, it will make more torque at a lower RPM than a 377.

 

so would you avoid the tpi and go with another type of fuel injection cause that can get expensive or would you go with a carb which would kill any kind of gas mileage.

 

Going fast is expensive no matter how you do it. This is especially true with fuel injection, but it's just as valid for carburetors.

Someone else could give you a better summary of your fuel-injection options. My personal preference is for carbs. While they don't get the same mileage as F.I., they don't exactly "kill" mileage either unless they're mistuned.

 

That's not quite right. 4.125" bore with 3.48" stroke = 372 cid. To get 377, you have to bore it to 4.155". Same machine work as a 350 bored .030" over (355). Also requires main bearing spacers or special thick bearings.

It is true that a shorter stroke will rev higher - before things break. However, same induction/heads/cam/valvetrain, a 377 won't rev higher than a 383. It is true that the 377 will have to rev higher in order to get the same power as a 383. A couple of magazine articles about 4-5 years ago did side-by-side tests to demonstrate that. Since they built them to rev in the 6500 RPM range, the 377 actually produced a higher peak HP due to slightly less valve shrouding with the 4.155" bore. However, in a car like a Chevelle (and probably a 3rd gen), the 383 would clean the 377's clock in the 1320.

High-reving TPI-based systems include Mini, Stealth, and Super Rams.

 

I did not know that. Well then if i was trying to get the bes bang for the buck that wouldn't be the best option. I always see 350 blocks at swaps for reasonable prices so last night i was looking at performance packages available for a 350. I came across the trick flow setups and the Pro Street one caugt my attention. Does anybody know about this system in particular or about the trick flow stuff in general?