is it at all possible to fit a BBC under a stock hood? if so what needs to be done? im looking for a 100% sleeper car, no cowl no modifications to the outside at all, ive done a small block swap and know i can fit it under the stock hood, but wondering how close it is for a big block.

 

i did see in the bbc swap info at the top that with a low rise and a slim air cleaner it should be possible, but i want to know if anyones seen it or knows for a fact.

 

Not if you want any clearance between the airhorn and air cleaner lid.

How about a big-inch small block or LSx?

 

yeah i do have a back up plan, i know where i can get my hands on a 400 small block already bored to a 406, for pretty cheap. but i would much rather have a big block tucked under the hood. i dont car is its tight, as long as i can close the hood and it'll still breather alright. what about using a drop base air cleaner along with a low rise intake.

 

Not if you want any clearance between the airhorn and air cleaner lid.

The only "low rise" intake I know of is the Edelbrock single plane (Tarantula, if memory serves). Terrible piece performance-wise.

 

I have a Torker II on a 396(not in a 3rd gen) its a pretty low profile manifold.

 

That's another one.

And, completely non-performance.

 

i was reading a bit in chevyhiperformance's site, about a 400 build they did, and i noticed this blurb "While the big boys play around with 434ci, 440ci and even 454ci small-blocks"

does anyone know anything about these 440 454ci small blocks?

 

aftermarket block involved
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what small block do you currently have?

 

o thats a bummer, guess im going to start researching building a mean 406.

whats the highest a 400 can be bored out too, i havent played with them much not the most common blocks

right now the car in question is not a v8, my other camaro i just swapped in a 350, its nice, but bit too common

 

.030" is typically the max safe bore on a factory 400 block. The aftermarket blocks can typically take a lot more.

The aftermarket really did their homework on these. The cost of the block is certainly less than what you'll waste when a factory block breaks.

 

i just finished putting in my bbc, it fits under the stock hood with a edelbrok perfromer intake and a quadrajet carb, not much room for an aircleaner tho, but i havnt taken any of the support out from under the hood

 

Contact Bill Mitchell Racing Engines for big cube small blocks. Be prepared to spend money. If you already have good heads, intake, valve trane, they also make short blocks of 383, 415, 427, and 454.

Not sure what there website is, do a google search.

Good luck,

 

You can go about .060 on some blocks. Depends if the wall thinkness is great enough, and even so, it's not recommended to go that far. 400's are great. What kind of numbers are you looking to make?

 

It's not a bad idea to have any factory 400 block sonic tested for wall thickness before spending any money on machine work or parts for it. This is in addition to magnaflux for cracks.

 

What is the minimum recommended wall thickness? Do you know off hand?

 

as far as the numbers im looking more for a torque motor, which is why i was so interested in the big block, i could take a very lightly modded 454 and get the kinda torque i want, im thinking somwhere around the low 400's for torque(from the motor now rear wheels) im not the kinda guy that opens up the motor full bore to realy expeirence the top end, im more into the bottom end of things. i like the power my 350 has, but its just too common of a motor for me

 

Chevy High Performance did a build with a 400 small block and vortec heads. The motor made 525ft/lbs

 

The early corvettes used a spread bore manifold on the 390HP 454, it will allow a full air cleaner under a stock hood, no problem.

 

edelbrock made a c427x intake to fit under the corvette hood. it fits under my 2" cowl with a 3" k&n drop base air cleaner and a 1/2" nitrous plate.