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Well I'm weeks away from finishing the 53 GMC build and have started to think of the next project.It's going to be a AD truck. but this time I'm going to build a Hot Rod. I was looking for an engine and my Son in law owns a repair shop called Uptown garage in Melrose Pk. I was talking to him about the project and he's got a 400 cu.in. dodge big block with a 727 auto trans setting on the floor of the shop that he took out of a car 10 years ago. It was rebuilt just before he got the car that's why he pulled it.So that's the engine that's going in.I think I'll install a street cam to give it some cool at an idle and of course go over the engine to make sure it's all good.This will be my frist hot rod and I'm looking forward to starting the build.I just got to find another truck but I have all winter.


Pete

I loves me a big block dodge............dave

That was an emissions motor. Base hp is about 200-230 year pending. Its a bored out 383ci. You'll need more compression and some heads and a cam. If it has a stock 2bbl carb it's the lower horse power model. They all had over 300 torque stock. I'm not trying to bum ya out, just a heads up. Good luck on the hotrod! They're fun! A nice street cam is in the 225-235@.050 range good power curve for the street. Of course you'll need some heads that breath to go with it.

You can take the 400 block, and turn down a 440 crank, to end up with 456 CI that has a perfect rod length to stroke ratio. I don't recall which pistons were used. Might look at www.moparts.com to see if more details can be found there. It makes for a real sleeper low block big block. OK, I stand corrected but I was close

That's a nice motor. No replacement for displacement. Plus it's not a ford.

I like the idea. I hope it fits. I've been doing some research. It looks like the 400 was built in the not so horsepower friendly 70's. A cam and a 4 bbl should really wake it up.

http://www.mymopar.com/enginespecs.htm

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticle...hemi_power_at_half_the_cost/viewall.html

Pete, didn't you talk about a Buick straight 8 project at one time?

good candidate, distributor in front is handy. I have a 383 laying around and considered putting it into a an old ford cab I'm ounting to s-10 but found a small block very reasonable that was already rebuilt.

Yes I was thinking about a buick straight 8,the cost was a little high ,engine would cost 500.00 than a complete rebuild around 3000.00 and that was if I could find one with insert rod bearings.I was going to do it but this engine ,dodge big block 400,is free and the engine was rebuilt already so the savings are there,it will free up money I can use to buy a better truck to start the project.

This is a 4 bbl carb model,and I'm not looking for a fire breather just yet.Would like to put in a mild cam and a better manifold ,headers for now.

I was also looking at a Ford Y block I think that would also make a good Hot Rod engine.

I would like to find an original dual carb manifold the one that has the carbs off to the sides.


Thanks,Pete

Thanks Greg,and Whitedog for the links.Just got the time to look.Should be an interesting build and it will be fun when people try and figure out what type of engine it is.


Pete

Just read Donsz is putting in a 348 in his TF great engine maybe next time!


Pete

The Buick 455 in my '46 puzzles even the "smartest" car guys. Now I have 430 valve covers for it, that should make them even more confused. I love puzzling them with non-typical parts. Enjoy it!

That Buick 455 looks good and I bet it gets you down the road.

Pete

Well the 53 GMC is mostly done only thing to do is get the headliner in . That will have to wait tell warmer weather. So this week I'll go over to my son in laws garage and get the 400 big block and start taking her apart. Looking at what cam to get and manifold .Any Mopar guys out there?

Pete

Pete, I've got a friend who has played with Mopar stuff for years. He has always used the Direct Connection stuff from Chrysler.

http://www.mopar.com/catalog/

Good site ,thanks.I've been looking at the purple (Mopar) cams already ,might go with them or a Lunaty cam they have some that are old school hot rod cams .Gives the old school sound.


Pete

Direct Connection Purple Shaft cams are biased toward the drag race crowd, and they're not a good choice if you're planning to build a street machine. I built 440 and 426 hemi-based truck pull engines for several years, including a bored-out hemi that ended up at 547 cubic inches after filling the cooling system with epoxy and boring all the way through the cylinder walls in places to accommodate big flanged sleeves. We didn't even fire that engine up until after we towed the truck onto the pull track with a 4WD tug and hooked it up to the sled. No dyno runs, but we were estimating 1200+ HP on an alcohol/nitromethane mixture and fuel injection.

I'd suggest the Comp Cams Magnum series camshafts, in the 270 to 300 degree duration range. You'll need the compression bumped up to 10:1 or so, and a torque converter with a 2500 RPM stall speed or slightly above, or a stick shift transmission. Do a little pocket porting on the heads and a good 3-angle valve job. Top it off with a dual plane intake and a 700 CFM Carter AFB or the Edelbrock clone. (An old Carter is better!) Use stock cast iron exhaust manifolds unless you really love changing header gaskets every few weeks. You'll have some tire-smoking torque, and a reasonably street-friendly idle with a pretty good lope, but not so much to make it annoying to drive.
Jerry

Thanks, I did some more looking around and I think I'm going with a Comp cam we used them for dirt racing for years, they make a couple called the Thumper cams.They are old school sound and are good for a basic stock engine and trans.I just want a easy going good sounding engine for now.Going to call them next week,they have a great tech line.


Pete

Comp Cams is (or was) on the south side of Memphis, near the airport. I dropped in there one day and got a guided tour of their facilities, which are pretty impressive! I was in Memphis for a week-long seminar sponsored by Chrysler Corp. for high school auto mechanics instructors, which might have been one reason I got the VIP treatment. They're as good a bunch of people in person as they are on their tech line.
Jerry

Stay away from the Thumpr cams. All they are is a noisemaker, and they actually can make your engine lose power. Comp has other lines that can sound very good and actually make power.

An engine with an overly lumpy idle means that the engine builder didn't do his homework right. The ideal engine would start easily, idle smoothly, and pull strong from idle to top RPM without any noticeable flat spots or loss of torque. Since that's not usually possible, pick an upper and lower RPM figure that you want to stay within, and engineer things to perform within that range. If you just want to have one that shakes the fenders and sounds like it's doing something, pull a couple of plug wires.
Jerry

I agree with Lincoln. My 750hp small block idles perfect with no choke. Dual 780cfm holleys. Pulls from idle to 7200rpm. Good heads and cam will make the motor. What is the purpose of the big block? Just a cool swap or performance?

Just realized I skipped a page in the thread. Look at the lunati. Good stuff there. Also check straubtechnologies. Chris is a super smart engine builder and cam designer. He gets stuff cheaper than summit and jegs also.

I'll say it again I'm not wanting to build a fire breather on this engine. I just want a easy going engine that sounds good for daily driving and to have fun.I've built cars with high HP engines both SB and BB,not this one.There is more than one way to build a engine ,this one is going to be just a fun build.I'll look into that Hollow65 thanks.


Pete

Pull some plug wires really

Hey Jerry,


Got any junk 426 blocks hanging around?

By the time that guy was done with them, they were nothing but scrap iron. That 547 ended up putting the crankshaft out the bottom in 3 pieces after the guy got greedy and put a 40% overdrive blower on the engine, which had 11:1 compression! The cylinder sleeves stayed put, though.

I've got a couple of 383 blocks, and a 426 wedge block bored out to 440- - - -maybe a couple of crankshafts and a set of wedge heads or three. It's been quite a while since I built any MOPAR stuff, and it's always more fun to spend the other guy's money! There's no substitute for cubic dollars, and I can have all the fun I want while somebody's paying me to tinker with his stuff!
Jerry

There is nothing more miserable to drive than a cam that is too large. Fouls plugs, jumps and jerks, etc. Mopar had a well balanced cam in the 383 that came in Road Runners. Had a slight shake, ran well. I'm sure the lift and duration numbers for that cam, heck, maybe even the cam itself, are readily available. But, this is going on memory from over 30 years ago, I might think it's "too much" cam for my tastes now that I'm older and more interested in driveability than "sounding bad". I know I've got a Chevy II right now with a 500 lift cam and it's just no fun to drive.

The 383 I built recently for my nephew's 69 Roadrunner got a Comp Cams 284 duration hydraulic cam, don't recall the lift right now. We installed full-roller rocker arms and did some basic pocket porting. With the original intake and Carter AVS carburetor, it dyno'ed at a bit over 400 HP. No radical idle lope or driveability problems, just enough fender shake to let folks know it could get nasty if necessary!
Jerry

Lefty1,Mopar still makes that cam it's in there Purple line ,I've been looking at that one and one from Lunati and one from Comp. I am trying to match a cam with the right intake and carb to get a good all around running engine.

Pete

Lunati makes a quality camshaft. I have a complete rotating assemebly from lunati. Been beating it to death for 14 years. Comp stuff is ok. I'd go with crower, lunati or purple line. Be sure to read the break in oil thread. Hahahaha

Good news the engine is coming home on Thursday,get it on the engine stand and start taking her apart.Gotta do a compression test first I have an engine stand that I made for one of my chevy 6s,I'll have to leave the trans on for now.Can't wait.

Pete

Well got the engine and trans home and of course it's 0 out,welcome to Chicago.


Pete

Got part of the engine apart on Saturday it was rebuilt like they said ,30 over pistons.I have decided on the cam a lunate # 10230702K cam and lifter kit with # 73815-16 valve springs.The cam specs are lift 475/494and duration of 220/226.Its a hyd.flat tappet.

It's one of there Voodoo series cams.

Pete

What's the "advertised duration"? Those are obviously the .050" lift numbers. Lunati builds some good drag race cams, never tried one of theirs on the street. Have fun!
Jerry

I can't wait to get this one started and on the road!!!
Jerry I'll look up the numbers and post them.
The numbers- 262/268

Pete

Lunati makes good stuff. What's the rpm range and lobe seperation angle?

Looks good- - - -that one's very similar to the Comp Cams 268H. Good low end torque, and not so much lope you can't use an automatic trans with a little stall speed increase. A 2200 RPM converter works well with that type of cam.
Jerry

I run a tci super street fighter with 2200 stall converter. Does fine on the streets. Doesn't heat up. Trans has lasted 14 years and I try to break it at least twice a week.

I got a tour of the TCI facility just south of Memphis a few years ago- - - - -They're just a bunch of redneck Mississippi good ole boys having fun tinkering with transmissions, but they're very good at what they do!
Jerry

My kind of people! You're not watching the game! I'm thinking of going big block in my truck in the next year or so. 65 c-10 I wonder what it will take? I have a 505ci in the garage I need to do something with.