new car!

SCREW THAT! Go with a big block. :headbang: You will make much more power! A 400 with stock heads, and RPM intake and a an XE284 cam will make 475 hp. And this is considered a mild street engine. Get a set of Edelbrock 84cc heads and you will be making 550 hp. The 100 lbs weight penalty is worht the extra 50-100 HP you will be making. Remember, the SB Edelbrock heads flow as well as stock BB heads. If all things were equal, the BB will always more power at lower rpm, under less stress and with more torque. I am talking from experience, until the 383 I just got, I have always built 360's, now I am a big block believer.

The last 360 I built was with fully ported (by Koffel's) Magnum heads, roller cam (220/228 @ .050/ .528 lift), M1 intake, and 9.1:1 compression. This engine dynoed at 301 rwhp and 320 lbtq, which translates to 370 hp and 400 lbtq. This engine cost about $6500 to build, the 383 cost about $5000 and it dyno'd at 458 hp and 450 tq. Granted, the cam was a little bigger, but the displacement is more, so the engine needed a little more cam.

Also, if you go balls out and decide to stroke the engines, it will cost you about $2200 for the rotating assembly for the 360 to get a little over 400ci (406 @ .030) while a balanced assy for the 400 will get you about 500ci and cost about $1600 complete.

If you figure a general rule of thumb for mild street engines of 1.2hp/per ci with med duration camshafts and good flowing heads (appropriate to the engine size), and a good flowing intake.

Then this is what you get:

360: 432hp Ported Magnum heads
406: 487hp Stock Edelbrock heads

383: 459hp Stock head casting
400: 480hp Mild bowl ported stock heads
440: 528hp heavily ported stock or stock Edelbrock
500: 600hp Edelbrock Victor