Humming and hawing about this engine for my 86 z28. Have a 5.0 155 hp now and looking for something stronger. Let me know what you think about this. I've been thinking about this for over 2 weeks now. Thanks guys and girls.
http://manitoba.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...AdIdZ498426594

 

This is the email I got back from him. I got the numbers off the block.

The motor would b between 350-400hp. Was in a large 4x4 & went like a bat outa hell without even pushin it & that was movin 6000lbs at the time.The motor never hit the top end of the rpm scale. Between the edelbrock 600 carb, edelbrock intake (that was shaved , ported and polished inside), full tube headders, lumpy cam (adv. dur. 274intake 274exhaust), flat top pistons & balanced crank you will have no lack of power. If you go with a elec fan and manual steering,that should gain you a extra 30 or so hp.

 

That sounds very expensive to me. There aren't any details about what components the motor was rebuilt with other than the flat top pistons, so I have to assume that it's mostly stock, which means that the motor makes no horsepower. Those 400s had awful heads. They built good low end torque, which is why they were put into 5,000lb land yachts, but the heads flowed poorly, they had very low compression, and just overall weren't a good motor in stock form. The beauty of a 400 is that the cubic inches allow for a very, very stout combination when the right parts are used.

Overall, I'd definitely pass at that price. My gut tells me that a nice 350 would make more power than that 400 does.

 

Thanks. That's probably what I needed to hear

 

The headers won't fit in your 3rd gen. Edelbrock carbs are junk. Single pattern cams rarely produce the usable power that a dual pattern cam will. Unknown heads. Undocumented parts and power. "Shaved intake"?

I'd offer $500, let him keep the carb, distributor, and headers. Maybe the intake if it isn't a spreadbore type (would like to know why it was "shaved"). If he's smart, he'll take it.

Or...

With a cam swap and full exhaust upgrade (which would be required with the 400, anyway), air cleaner upgrade, you can take your 155 HP up to a comparable 220 HP. With head work, even better (you'll need to upgrade valve springs if you upgrade the cam).

Or, put that money instead into a 350, with decent heads (like Vortecs) and have an easy 300 comparable HP.

 

just to echo the $500 comment that five7kid made, this ad is over a month old and as far as I know the motor still sits there:
http://albany.craigslist.org/pts/3828666964.html

 

http://high-performance-engines.com/...uct_Code=HP36M

Since you have 4k to blow just get an engine from these guys. I heard a lot of good things about them. Plus you get a warranty.

 

Thanks. Actually just emailed them about a 350/325 hp crate with all the available options.

 

Not to jump in the middle, but if you're willing to spend that kind of money...

I know I live in the US, but I'd sell you my 355 carb to pan (Hedmann longtube headers included which are ALSO brand new) for $5200 USD if you're willing to pay for the shipping/crating. Every part on it is brand new. Shortblock has 2,000 miles on it (solid cam/lifters are still brand new). My motor will crack the 500 HP barrier all day long, heh.

 

That's $1600 more than the 350 I am looking at...without cost of shipping. In that picture I have 2 engines in my shopping cart. Thanks for the offer though. That would be a wicked engine.

 

Do you not have someone local that is trustworthy at building you a motor? Shipping is a killer on heavy stuff, heh. The cost for shipping could pay off your machine work on a block by itself.

 

If your looking for a motor check my classified add for the 355 I have for sale.