408 or gen 3 hemi

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SlantedDart

SlantedDart

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Hey guys I’m thinking about what to do next.. right now in the car is a .30 over 318 and it’s fun but only for so long when you wanna smoke a hell cat..
So I want to make some power staying on pump gas 93. I’m thinking I’ll need about 500/550 to the ground to get the point across at the end. Main goal is keeping it naturally aspirated! I have a Holley terminator that can support it. The car is a 68 dart originally a slant 6 no option so its somewhat light. Let’s hear your thoughts on set ups to get 500/550 wheel hp out of a 408 or gen 3 hemi. Thanks!
 
GEN 3 all the way, you cant touch a massaged 5.7 heads flow with an LA or a Magnum without a full blown port job. 5.7 wrecker Hemi's are probably cheaper to buy as cores than big LA's nowadays. In Chevy terms, why build a mouse when you can build an LS cheaper? Buddy is building a 1300HP TT 6.1 and he's upgrading from a 482 crate Gen2 hemi.
 
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5.7 was the smallest lowest flow Gen 3 as a comparison. The 6.1 and the 6.4 are even better
@.500" 5.7=256 6.1=289 6.4=315
 
Either way you're going to need more car than what you have to get 550+ to the ground. If it can't hook, what's the use.
 
toolmanmike said:
Either way you're going to need more car than what you have to get 550+ to the ground. If it can't hook, what's the use.
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This is true. I’ve got that covered though. Been building drag race cars for a while now. Planning on my own custom fourlink. Or a caltrack system
 
pishta said:
5.7 was the smallest lowest flow Gen 3 as a comparison. The 6.1 and the 6.4 are even better
@.500" 5.7=256 6.1=289 6.4=315
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Wow didn’t know 6.4 head flowed that much. So get a 6.4 bore and stroke. Stock head with a port job. Single plane intake with my Holley system. What’s the deal with the cam shafts and vvt and all that other crap. Not too up to date on that stuff. Any experience with that?
 
SlantedDart said:
This is true. I’ve got that covered though. Been building drag race cars for a while now. Planning on my own custom fourlink. Or a caltrack system
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Good, then you should know what kind of a balance it takes. All the technology in the new cars can't even do it well. It either hooks up with the traction control (and not all that fast really) or you blaze the tires for a city block. Just like a drag car, add a couple hundred more horse and back to the suspension drawing board to get it to hook.
 
toolmanmike said:
Good, then you should know what kind of a balance it takes. All the technology in the new cars can't even do it well. It either hooks up with the traction control (and not all that fast really) or you blaze the tires for a city block. Just like a drag car, add a couple hundred more horse and back to the suspension drawing board to get it to hook.
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I know right! It’ll need some traction for sure. Leaning toward keeping it leaf springs.. I know a four link( like a drag pack style) will work more consistently but I like the original style leaf springs. Cal tracks with custom sliders
 
500-550 rear wheel hp is a lofty goal for a 5.7 and I don't thing you will see it from a traditional SBM. your going to have to go to a 6.1 or 6.4 or like I said a stroked big block.
 
Why the aversion to forced induction? Obviously a small block V8 can be built to those power levels but usually, getting there with a turbo or SC is a heck of a lot cheaper and the result is much more drivable. It might require selling your current Terminator and buying a flow through FI version (?) for your new motor but I bet you’d still be able to get there with less cash.
 
MRGTX said:
Why the aversion to forced induction? Obviously a small block V8 can be built to those power levels but usually, getting there with a turbo or SC is a heck of a lot cheaper and the result is much more drivable. It might require selling your current Terminator and buying a flow through FI version (?) for your new motor but I bet you’d still be able to get there with less cash.
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Not that I’m totally against forced induction but being a a fabricator I know what’s involved.. the materials turbo doing it the right way with stainless, good waste gate and turbo along with intercooler will be around 8k before I put my time into it. A good intercooler core is a thousand alone. I won’t put no back yard eBay crap on my car lol. Then build the motor to hold good boost. I’ll have 20k into it before I know it. Supercharger is a bunch of head aches with mounts and belts bs . Only way to go is a crank driven procharger and that’s just not going to happen on the street haha. Naturally aspirated is expensive with big power but for 500 hp I think it’s reasonable. I know I could slap a turbo on a 6.4 or get a hellcat motor but I’m not feeling it.
 
SlantedDart said:
Not that I’m totally against forced induction but being a a fabricator I know what’s involved.. the materials turbo doing it the right way with stainless, good waste gate and turbo along with intercooler will be around 8k before I put my time into it. A good intercooler core is a thousand alone. I won’t put no back yard eBay crap on my car lol. Then build the motor to hold good boost. I’ll have 20k into it before I know it. Supercharger is a bunch of head aches with mounts and belts bs . Only way to go is a crank driven procharger and that’s just not going to happen on the street haha. Naturally aspirated is expensive with big power but for 500 hp I think it’s reasonable. I know I could slap a turbo on a 6.4 or get a hellcat motor but I’m not feeling it.
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Small block N/A is easy peazy to do at those levels, keep your car cool with the old school
 
550 at the rear wheels with a n/a small block isn't going to be a cheap endeavor either. Especially if you have nothing to start with.

I'd like to do a boosted Gen III but at this point I'm invested too deep in small blocks.
 
thesiren74 said:
Gen3 or big block
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Yeah do a big block.....the car will handle like crap and they hog up all the room in an A bodies engine compartment so they are a real pain to work on. Some of you guys seem to enjoy working extra hard and going slow....
 
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