If you don't really like the low compression 400, here is another with a little more compression. Not 87 octane, but on 91 octane pump gas.
...........500 lb-ft from 3,500-7,000+rpm..........
'74 model year 400 block, square decked, line honed, bored and hand honed with a deck plate.
FireCore50 distributor, as I refuse to run a "dizzy"...........barf!
440 forged factory crank, cut to 400 main size, counter weights cut .125" in radius.
Scat H-beam rods with .001" pin clearance.
Ross forged pistons, standard 6cc flycut, .0065" piston to cylinder wall clearance.
Total Seal ring set.
Erson custom solid roller, 276/280 @ .050, .816/.816 lift with 1.6 rockers, 110 LSA/ 108 ICL.
Cloyes 9-keyway 3-bolt timing set.
Valve springs 250# @ 1.900" IH 750# @ .800" lift.
10 degree titanium retainers.
829-16 Comp Cams solid rollers.
Harland Sharp rockers
Our ported Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, 349 cfm @ .800" lift.
Indy 400 single plane intake manifold, dominator flange.
HVH Super Sucker 2" 4-into-1 carburetor spacer.
Pro-Systems XC 1140 cfm Dominator carburetor.
Professional Products SFI Damper.
Mancini Electric water pump on stock cast iron housing.
Factory 4 quart oil pan, factory 3/8" pickup, with factory windage tray, crank scraper.
75 psi oil pressure at 3,000 rpm and 78 psi oil pressure @ 7,400 rpm.
11.7:1 compression on 91 octane pump gas.
17th dyno run...........
RPM..............TQ/HP
3500..........503/355
4000..........519/395
4500..........555/475
5000..........584/556
5500..........571/598
6000..........599/684
6100..........604/701
6500..........590/730
7000..........575/767
One earlier pull made 787 HP @ 7,200 rpm, and every time we took it over 7,000 it made at least 770 HP.
Not a lot of fancy stuff on it. No belts, vacuum pumps, dry sumps, super expensive manifolds.