76- 4oo engine Can i get 500-550HP stock exhaust

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73dart360

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I found a 76 400 Engine today ,I want to stroke it to 451 or 471, cut down a 440 crank , can i use stock rods ? keep stock manifolds if possible or get HP`s,If no other choice schumacher BB headers if i need them,I would like as quiet as possible ,Real sleeper,Is pump gas possible, I would like to keep the cost down as much as possible I know Hp Cost $ but im sure there is alot of tricks out there ,Steel heads are ok even if porting is needed ,I want to be able to drive it to the track 90 miles run 11`s and drive it home if possible its going in my 68 valiant,The chassis is good,Frame connectors , 6 point, caltracs, 3" exhaust, pro systems 950 flows 830 cfm will change rear to 323 or 355
26 tall M/T drag radials, Will a 727 small block tranny bolt to a big Block?
Please help ,
Thanks in advance
 
The only way I see this happening is NoS or some kind of forced induction.

Its a tall order. 550hp, quite(as in smooth idle for sleeper affect), stock exhaust manifolds, low money output, pump gas. I think the best you can hope for is 450-475 with what your asking for. Im not saying 550 is not possible, but it will cost a ton to get, like the top runners in the FAST class. Those engines rock, but cost a ton.

SBM trans will not bolt up to a BBM.
 
Mike Thanks , ok maybe i need to spend some more money Can you suggest a build using headers and different heads ?
 
There is nothing wrong with using what you have. Use what you have, buy what you can afford.

Yes, you can use stock rods. Pump gas is possible, 800+ HP is possible with pump gas. Porting WILL be needed with the iron heads. 550hp iron heads are gonna be $1,200-1,700. Aluminum would be cheaper.

But Mike is right, that is just the beginning.
 
Its the stock exhaust manifolds that will hold it back the most. if you cant get it out, you cant get it in.

Ditch them and run headers, then your home free.

We have found 40hp 0n a 340 just by using a better HEADER, I would bet a set of manifolds would have cost that 340 100hp.
 
Turbo charge it. You will have an almost stock idle and it could be extremely quiet if a guy kept the stock ex manifolds, a fairly quiet exhaust system and exhaust cutouts for the "surprise"...
 
Aluminum heads are gonna be a big plus for pump gas.Will help avoid pump gas detonating with higher compression. 451 with some indy ezs should make 500 easily.
 
Just a set of RPM heads cleaned up a bit, headers and a cam with around 235-240 duration will do the job. You dont need EZ heads to make 500hp. Good ported stock heads will get 500hp and they dont have to be hogged out to get it.

SBM stoker 408's make 500hp with RPM heads pretty easy, BBM should be cake. Its just a lot harder to do with manifolds.
 
There is no argument as far as I'm concerned. Any of the big blocks require headers at 475 or more HP, why would you add a big assed cork to the engine, and a minumum 2 1/2" exhaust system. A B Body sleeper is next for me with a stoked 400 or 500 (probably 400) and long tubed headers with 3" exhaust and she'll be nice and quiet with the restrictive mufflers up and until the second I open the electrically operated dumps just up stream.:burnout::burnout:
 
Just a set of RPM heads cleaned up a bit, headers and a cam with around 235-240 duration will do the job. You dont need EZ heads to make 500hp. Good ported stock heads will get 500hp and they dont have to be hogged out to get it.

SBM stoker 408's make 500hp with RPM heads pretty easy, BBM should be cake. Its just a lot harder to do with manifolds.

But? Can they do it and still maintain stealth quality? No nasty lope and with quiet hydraulic lifters. I recognize you are the expert but a little overkill compensates for other build short comings we amatuers tend to have.
 
I found a 76 400 Engine today ,I want to stroke it to 451 or 471, cut down a 440 crank , can i use stock rods ? keep stock manifolds if possible or get HP`s,If no other choice schumacher BB headers if i need them,I would like as quiet as possible ,Real sleeper,Is pump gas possible, I would like to keep the cost down as much as possible I know Hp Cost $ but im sure there is alot of tricks out there ,Steel heads are ok even if porting is needed ,I want to be able to drive it to the track 90 miles run 11`s and drive it home if possible its going in my 68 valiant,The chassis is good,Frame connectors , 6 point, caltracs, 3" exhaust, pro systems 950 flows 830 cfm will change rear to 323 or 355
26 tall M/T drag radials, Will a 727 small block tranny bolt to a big Block?
Please help ,
Thanks in advance

i have a 440 im trying to sale thats sounds like what your looking for. 550 doesnt come as cheap as one would think. i trying to sale my entire drivetrain out of my duster it has ran 6.90 in the 1/8 on pumpgas with a 100shot of nitrous in drive weighing a little over 3500 lbs. 7.40 in the 1/8on motor. message me if interested. pump gas big block, custom 9.5 dynamic convertor and 727 trans built for abuse. $5500 i have some video up on youtube
 
Stealth quality is relative. Some factory stuff had a good sound, some were so smooth you would even know it was running.
 
i will go with headers,I already have 3" TTI exhaust any suggestions on the Headers , anything less expensive Than TTI`s but still good and what mufflers to quiet it down?
 
Unless it weighs 4000 pounds or leaves like a stubborn mule, you'll only need around 450hp to run 11's.
 
Hi Eric ,If i had 5500 i wouldnt even hesitate because i know how much it costs to build ,I just finished my 408 w2 headed 580 hp it costed me a ton , I am just going very slow with this because of money ,Thanks


Cracked- its the car in my sig i would think it weighs about 3200 at the most I have fiberglass hood,Bumpers,no back seat, does have 6 point,mini altrnator, a-100 seats w/Aluminum brackets ,Manual steering that should have the weight down a little bit
 
I tore the engine apart today does anyone know the size of the Bolt for the crank im guessing 1-3/4" but not sure thats the only thing holding me up
 
I just read an rticle by Andy finkbeiner(low buck low deck Mopar stroker)
He got 550 HP with cast iron exhaust manifolds , does anybody know which cast iron Manifolds he used?
 
Likely 68-69 hp manifolds. The pass side looks like that style
 
I think that was Andy's mule for a while - 470", used the B body hi-po manifolds for that I believe and I think they were extrude honed, but I may be wrong on that. He tested so much stuff witht hat engine if it's the one I'm thinking of.
 
Im pretty sure that engine had a solid roller cam too. And Ill bet the sleeper affect wasnt a concern either.
 
That was a good combo. It's too bad Manley does'nt make those specific connecting rods anymore.
 
I did a lot of cam testing with that low deck engine. It ran best with a Mopar Performance .528 solid flat tappet. 550 HP was no problem on the dyno with the exhaust manifolds and pump gas. It wasn't exactly a sleeper because the .528 cam has a bit of lope and I had 3 inch exhaust on the car, but it was pretty darn quiet.

With a hyd flat tappet the engine was much quieter and it only gave up a little bit of power. If I was going to do that engine again I'd probably use a hyd flat tappet or a hyd roller. Just depends on the budget.

There is a trick to making power with the exhaust manifolds. It isn't an expensive trick, but it is important. Guys like Dwayne Porter can solve the equation for you. Or just follow my build using the same exact parts and you'll make the same power.

I wrote a bunch of magazine articles on that motor so do some searching. You should be able to find the cam article as well as some intake testing and the dyno tests.

My big block book is also available on Amazon.com if you're interested. I covered that engine in the book as well as various other builds.
 
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