As some of you guys know, I have been given this 400 by my friend (the one I thought was a Poncho) What do you guys suggest?

My goal is around 470 hp, and 500 lb.ft. This is a road racing project that will be on the street, so please no ### hp at 7,000+ rpm. I already have some plans, but I want to know what you guys think first.

 

something like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/aw-cg...tem=1804754113
then determine the best gearing and trans based on weight and performance objectives.

A little extra advice.
All the exotic parts are really not needed.
A 400 with the correct heads and good cam will make all of the torque you can use in any thirdgen. The long rods (over 5.7) really don't get you much other than a bunch of rings in a real small area.
The bottom end in my 400 will take 7000 all day but i have the revlimiter set at 6400. Its overkill but it cost only slightly more than the lowest buck parts. The other extream will not get you any more other than a thinner wallet. and your going to need those funds for gas.

 

Get yourself a 4.0" stroker crank and build .03" over 433 with large rods. The long stroke and rods will make a nice flat torque curve. Also get big aluminum heads

 

i'd recomend picking up a set of victor jr. cylinder heads with some 6 inch rods and lightweight pistons around 10.5 to 11.0 to one compression. is this going to be an automatic or stick?

 

It is going to be coupled to my stock Th-700.

I think that Victor Jr are a but large for the power band I want, and I cant afford a stroker crank. But that is a good suggestion, just not to the wallet.

Any more ideas/combos?

 

You could get some cheap Vortec heads and port them, that would be pretty cheap and make good power.

 

Here's what I'm running. 400 bored .03 over to get 406. Eagle crank and 5.7 rods, KB hyperuetectic pisons. If you need to save money you can use the stock rods and/or crank, though i would recommend upgrading to at least 5.7 inch rods. I'm running the holley systemax heads. The cam is 230/238 @.05 with my 1.6 lifters the lift is .575/.595. I'm also using an afr hydrarev kit. Add the 150 nitrous hit and I'm well into the 10's.
John

 

Please, do yourself a favor and resist the Vortec siren.

AFRs or Sportman Lites. As implied, it's in the heads. With the big bore, go with the bigger 2.02 valves. Cam and intake it for the powerband you want. Same for torque converter.

6" rods seems a little silly, but won't hurt anything. 5.7's are better than stock 400's, though.

Speaking of torque converter, you're going road racing with a slush box?

 

the 6 inch rods really help keep the weight down on the piston since it has the large bore. the victor jr. heads aren't out of your rpm range by much. they will run with a 400 to 6500 and still provide good low end due to the large cubic inch. cubic inch makes a huge difference in lowering the power band. i'd recomend making capable of turning 6200 to 6500 since road course racing is easier with a bit more rpm capability. make sure to get a stall converter, but no more than a 2500 rpm model since it will stall around 2800 to 3000 behind that cubic inch. as for the vortec's, with that many cubic inch it's a waste of money.

 

I am basing my engine off what I am reading in John Lingenfelter book, and some AFR stuff. I could make the most torque with Edelbrock Performer heads, but they are definately small. AFR 190s?

 

Its not just port volume, it minimum intake cross section (where it narrows at the pushrod)


One little thing about 400 piston weight. Your average SRP flattop 400 piston (5.7rod) is about 488grams. The 350 version of the same piston is about 490. And 6inch rod versions of those pistons are only about 40grams lighter.

the way I look at it is if your going to go with an ultra light piston (or rods), you really need to make everything else as light as possible to make sure you take advantage of the faster revs. Its really a package deal. (including wrist pins-100bucks to save 20-30grams).

 

I dont want to make power that high up, I just want a dead flat torque curve from idle to 5500 rpm, at 500 lb.ft. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK!!!

Just joking, so you guys are saying, even with the large 190-200 cc heads will still keep the power in the low and mid range?

In John Ligenfelter's book, head choices for 400 engines are missing, even though he advocates them so much!

 

Quote:

from idle to 5500 rpm, at 500 lb.ft. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK!!!

yes.

The best thing you could do is use a superram on a set of 190s and use one of the LPE 219 cams. LPE also wants to sell their CNC vette heads at 2800 a pop.

Nothing else will provide anywhere near that powerband.