well some of you have read my threads and I bought a car for my auto shop class. Long story short some how with in a couple of days of having the car the back exhaust manifold bolt came loose (makes horible noise). I tightend it and then it broke off leaving a part of the bolt still in the head.(O btw motor wasn't running great burned oil ran really rich). So I took it into class pulled the exhaust manifold off and it would of been to hard to get to. to fix. So my teacher asked if I just wanted to pull the engine out.
that was yesterday morning and as of the end of tomarrow It should be pulled out or very close to out of the car! Sorry for the long post! NOW my ? is that my teacher told me he has a 350 and 400 sbc in the shop that he would sell me if I can sell my 305 or he might trade me for my 305 since those engines are just for the students to learn how to rebuild engines. So should I go with the 350 or 400 I want alot of power but I'm on a budget. And I know for a rebuild kit it is cheaper to rebuild a 350 than a 305 or a 400. so is it worth it to spend a little more money on rebuilding the 400 or just go with the 350.

 

Go with the 400ci. Bigger ci = more power.

 

What model year is the car you're working on? Carb or fuel injection?

More cubes = more power. True. Build the 400 if you can afford to but make sure you know exactly how the 400 differs from the 350 before you decide.

 

I have an 83 with the carbed 305 in it and I looked around at prices today and I belive I am going to just build a 350 but I might try to get a 400 crank and some other things and make it a 383. It all depends if I can Find a good deal on a used crank if not it will just be a 350.

 

New 3.75" stroke cranks with 350 sized mains aren't very expensive. Probably no more than finding a used crank and having it checked/machined.

Either way, rebuilding the 400 would be less than stroking the 350. You'd want different heads, but that's probably the case with the 350 as well.

On the other hand, you could keep your 305 heads, put them on the 350 after going through both, and give him the 305 shortblock and 350 heads for the class. You wouldn't have as much power potential as you would with the 400, but you probably don't need as much as you'd like to have, either. . .

 

well my teacher said if I did a mild cam and a good rebuild kit in the 350 with a better carb I should be able to push 300hp 300tq with this motor and that would be more than enough to get me in trouble!!!

 

There are about 57 different varieties of 350 heads out there. About 50 of them will not respond to a mild cam to produce 300 HP. So, what heads are on that 350 is key.

The 305 heads would do it, though.

And, yes, that's more than enough to get you in trouble. . .