I just got a lead on a 400ci small block with 40,000k's on it for $200.00..My Questions are, Are these good engines? How hard is it to make it a 427ci? Will i see 13's in the 1/4 with this kind of aplication??
I need to know before I purchase it.. Thanks guys!

 

BTW!! the 400 is out of a mid 70's 4x4 Truck. I pretty sure this is the same engine as the 6.6l T/A engine

 

i'm no expert by far on a 400 but is it a chevy or pontiac 400. but for $200 if it is a chevy 400 i'd jump on it. 400's are hard to come by. maybe the 400 guys can chime in help you out with some good hard info.

 

Yes that's a good price, if it's a 400. Get it if it is.

You can tell by looking at the balancer; it will look like it has a chunk missing out of the outer inerita ring, about half way around. THe block casting # should end in 509. If either of those 2 things is not true, it's not a 400. Also, all 400s came with a 2-barrle; if it's a 4-barrel it's not a 400.

Throw the heads and intake (2-barrel) away. All that' any good is the short block.

It is not the same as the T/A 6.6. That was an Olds 403. You don't want one of those under any circumstances. The truck will have a Chevy engine.

 

the T/A6.6 was only a 403 in 1979, and only in high altitued and California, or if the owner ordered it cuz he was a cheap ***.

You will definitley be able to tell a 400 Chevy from a 400 Pontiac by the size of the block, the Chevy will be the same size as any small block, the Pontiac will be much larger.

You can easily tell the difference beetween the Olds 403 and the Pontiac, the Olds. will have the oil fill tube coming up the front of the engine, the Pontiac does not have this.

Also, the early Chevy 400s had 3 freeze plugs per size, all other small blocks had only 2

the Pontiac and Olds. motors are not a direct bolt in, the exaust requires serious mods. and you will need to change the transmission, cuz it needs to be a Buick Olds Pontiac bolt patten.

But, if you can pick up a Pontiac 400 block for 200 bucks, do it, they are getting rare!

 

So what kind of heads would be good for this engine? I'm only aiming for 300-350hp. I still want to be able to take trips with her.

 

with stock casting heads, the right cam/intake/carb you should have no problem hitting 300-330hp or so.