Does anyone here know what vehicles I could look in with a decent degree of success and find a 400 block, and a 302 crank? Preferably something that wouldn't be too difficult to find. I'll be putting it in an 85 Z28 if all goes well.

 

Check out this link it is the block casting, year and "type" of vehical 400s are in . The 511 4 bolts were 70 to 72 they are not the most desirable but it depends on who you talk too. I believe the 509 two bolt is the most desirable you can get into the high nickel high tin blocks but I dont know how reliable these designations are. http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.html Instead of seaching for a factory 302 crank I would check Eagle and Scat it might be cheaper in the long run.

Also for a quick block id the 400 had 3 freeze plugs per side or two freeze plugs and a boss for the third it is one way to pick them out(not carved in stone but a easy check)

 

Well this really bites. I can see it's going to be quite alot of fun to find the block. Seems they mostly came in trucks and Impalas in the late 70's. If anyone's got one they're looking to sell, though, lemme know. I'm not quite ready to buy yet, but I'll be posting a want ad on the forums probably sometime shortly before or after christmas.

 

The 400 SBC I've seen all seem to be in station wagons from about 1972 to 74. A friend of mine put one in a Vega Wagon with a 350 Tranny and 3500 stall, then popped wheelies 1/2 way down the 1/4 mile - lol

These are Siamese Bore such that there is no water passage between cylinders and I've heard prone to warping or cracking if over excessively over bored or over heated. Dodge also produced a similar 400 cu during the period and again usually found in Wagons. These engines usually have a 2 snorkel air cleaner with a 400 cu Decal on the Breather lid.

You do not require a 4 bolt to run a SBC 7000rpm. The 010 4 bolt casting is popular because you can install a Stock GM Windage Tray.

Look for a 010 Casting 350 out of a truck. It will more then likely be a 4 bolt and if your lucky it may have a forged crank. The Cheapest Hp per Dollar would be to build up a 427 BBC. It uses a 2 bolt 454 Block, 396 Crank and STD none balanced Damper and Fly Wheel.

 

Z15CAM You bring back memories of my Chrysler Cordova and its lean burn 400 ci V8 the image of Ricardo Mantibon discribing the genuine corinthian leather seats is still etched in my mind. The car was a dog wasnt even close to the 400 chevys I had although it was very comfortable. There are not a whole lot of 400 chevys laying around mostly because even early on they were recognized for their performance advantage and were used up. The 2 bolt 400 (509)blocks are more desirable because you can splay the caps and leave more metal in the main webbing area.

You can spin a 2 bolt to 7000rpm occasionally as a street engine and get away with it but the 4 bolt 350 is better suited for it because it reduces the chances of cap walk. A 2 bolt 350 with splayed caps is stronger than a straight 4 bolt.

The 010 designation you mention is that the end of the block serial number or the number on the block front?

Is the 396 crank internally balanced?? I think the cheapest hp per dollar should be quantified by the amount of hp Id guess that a 500 hp small block would be cheaper to build than a 500 hp big block + add it that the big block would need 40 hp more to make up the weight and reciprocating weight difference to obtain the same et at the strip.

 

The 010 is at the end. The Full Casting # is: 3970010. This Block was used from 69 to 1980 for 302 and 350's. A very few Canadian 327's used this block in late 68 and housed the extremely rare medium Journal Forged 327 Crank.

The 396 crank is internally balanced and fits in the 454 Block; Hence you can use the 396 Damper and SBC Fly Wheel. You are not paying extra for the 454 weighted Damper or Fly Wheel. 427 Piston like the 327 piston are considered a delete item and are cheaper then either 396 or 454 piston.

Any 2 Bolt Psgr 454 block will work and you can expect to rev a cast 396 Crank to 6500 providing you use something like Eagle SIR 4130 Rods and hyper-eutectic Pistons. Run some thng like 9.6:1 to 10.25:1 compression and a Flat tappet Hydraulic Extreme Marine Cam with specs close to .232/244 Dur@ .050 and .554/.560 lift and 12 deg C/L. EdlelBrock RPM with a 830Dp. You will be looking at 525 Hp and shifting at 6000 plus providing you use a stud Girdle.

To get any were near this Hp and Torque with a SBC you looking at BIG MONEY.

 

That canadian block was it a 2 bolt main

The more I think about it the more I like your big block idea . The advantage of the big block is clearly the heads and the block strength. The disadvantage is weight 150 to 200lbs more? Heavier reciprocating assembly will require more hp to be equivelent. Please dont get me wrong because I am kind of thinking out loud here because this question comes up alot and I think it is really worth analyzing.

Maybe a few questions the guys on here could offer input to analyze this further.

1) Is the cost for machine work the same for a big block as it is a smallblock?

2) What is the real weight difference between a steel headed big block and a steel headed small block?

3) Given the weight difference including rotating mass what would be a good hp goal# to add to the big block to achieve an equievalant et if we shoot for a 500 hp smallblock.

4) big block heads what type of hp will normal factory big block heads support? If sombody knows the flow specs or can give me head # I can input the data in desk top dyno for comparison. If they dont what is a aftermarket head that will.

5) How much would a good 454 block cost?

6) Once we get the above data(and possibly more) I could put together a rough price list for both and see what we come up with.

 

Much appreciated. I intend to spend big money on this project. It's gonna be my birthday present to myself for the next 5 or 6 years, and I figure that if I wanna have a nice car, I might as well make it as nice as I want it. I'll probably buy a car to put it in that still runs, and will be emissions exempt by the time I'm prepared to install the engine. One other thing, what would I be looking at if I used a forced induction system of some sort, and what change to the cam and intake would you suggest?

And besides, what fun would it be to get 500 horses out of a big block?

 

Some of the 010 4 bolt main blocks found there way into 1968 Canadian Pontiac's. My Dad Special Ordered a Pontiac Parisienne 2+2 because he wanted a posi-unit for our Canadian Winters. I was 18 at the time and put my 2 cents in on the order and requested the 327 with the L79 option and the Holley Carb. Dealers could order a Holley/Q-Jet replacement direct from GM at that time. When we picked up the car in the fall of 68 it had the 4 bolt 010 Block, forged Medium journal Crank, the Fuelie Heads and a Spread Bore 650 Holley Dp on a Cast intake. The drive train was a Turbo 400 to a 12 bolt 3.23:1 Posi Unit. Needles to say I was ecstatic. My dad and I had no Idea just how rare the combination was until years after. He sold the Pontiac to buy a 75 Volvo Wagon. He switch to a Volvo as I had impressed him by literally beating the crap out of 68 142S attending rallies. I put 500,000 on that 142S, rebuilding the motor once after braking a piston. Lucky for me I had replaced the 327 with a fresh rebuild which I savaged from the wreckers the year before he sold the car. I still have that L49 engine and keep it as a spare for my 70 z28.

 

I never knew they made a 4 bolt 327 amazing what is the journal size " the regular 327s were large journal by this time do you know the crank number this is a great bit of trivia did the use larger bearings or were the caps and bore different?

I do appologize for getting off track on this post but I just gotz to know about this engine.