A few questions about stroker small blocks

harrisonm said
For quite a while, I have been seriously considering putting a stroked small block in my 69 340 4 speed Barracuda. The current 340 is built to about 375 HP now, and it is a blast to drive. I have even rat holed some money away for one. But the other day, I was cruising FABO and came across the video where the Engine Master guys tested a 360 and a stroked 360 with the same cam and heads. The stroker made a few more HP and more torque, but I'm not sure if the numbers were good enough to offset the extra cost of building a stroker. I was thinking that the stroker in this test probably did not perform the way I expected due to the heads. I assume that if yo are going to add 70 cubes, the heads better flow really well. Got me to wondering if a lightly built 440 (450 or so HP) might not be the way to go.

I built AND tested my first 408 way back in 2003-2004. Mildly worked some J heads and put a healthy solid cam and 273 rockers on it with an Edelbrock Torker manifold. Made a mind numbing -LOL 465 HP @ a(warp speed) 5200 RPM 528 TQ @ 4300 RPM-felt big blockish for about a second or two on the street-and was not really any more fun or quicker-on the street than the 367 (381hp/417tq) that it replaced. The 360 was so much easier to hook up and revved like a chainsaw in comparison-don't get me wrong here the 367 could melt the tires at will. The 408 was very difficult to launch properly and it had a MOMENT of greatness and then it was over. Gonna stroke it? HEADS, HEADS, HEADS. Unless its for a boat or a tow truck but then I'm on the wrong forum.

The EngineMasters test is not a surprise whatsoever and everyone falls into the trap of TORQUE-TORQUE-TORQUE. Problem is the pendulum has swung way too far the other way. It's all about balance and without balance the driving experience is diminshed greatly. J.Rob

p.s. Don't go bigblock-refer back to balance statement, it applies in more ways than one.