New member here and this is my first post. My apologies if this seems at all off topic but I couldn't find a general discussion board..

Anyway I'm 41 and when I was 15 I wanted a Firebird Formula (either a 5 spd 305 TPI or Formula 35). Dad got me a Mustang 5.0 instead but I would have preferred the Formula. All these years later and part of me still wants one..

Sometime in the next year I intend to buy one and possibly do an engine swap. I like the notion of putting a an EFI 400 (either small block chevy or maybe an old Pontiac 400 block). I like the thought of having a 400 on it and changing the Formula 350 sticker and having one made that says Formula 400...

I've skimmed through posts here and the stock L98 block can't be bored and stroked to a 400 can it? If not, I'd like to hear opinions on how some of you may approach this (crate engine, or getting a different block and building it etc)

 

396 close enough

 

A 383 is easy enough to make out of a 350, or you could get an old 400 small block but they are difficult to find around here, or you can buy a 400 Dart SHP block. The Pontiac motor would be more difficult to install and more expensive to do up than any chev small block.

I've gone the Dart block way with Accel Thruster EFI.

 

thanks for the info.

Is your Dart block a 400? if so, is it in a Firebird or IROC?

 

Yeah Dart make a block called an SHP in both 4" and 4.125" bores which will take the 3.75" crank. Your milage may vary but where I live the Dart block is only US$150 more than a GM made in mexico block. Even if I bought an old block, by the time I had it checked and bored etc I wouldn't save much.

 

so what kind of car do you have? and does it have a Dart 400 block?

 

Bore and stroke a 350 for 401". My buddy had one at 408" and ran hard. Torquey and liked spray

Dart shp is nice tho. 1799$ blueprinted and ready to assemble

 

Sorry, got carried away :-) Yes a 400 Dart SHP block, AFR210 heads, Accel EFI which uses the Motown single plane manifold, 240, 245@50 solid roller, Scat rods, Eagle 4340 crank, Speed-pro pistons. Going into an '84 TA. Should go OK.