360 stroker help

[Argometer]

Hi,

After looking at some of the posts in here, I feel even more clueless than I thought I was. I'm looking to build a 360 stroker for a '66 Valiant and need tons of advice. Some background info first...
--The block is out of a '76 Cordoba
--I want to have fun on the street, not run at the strip. I might make a few passes to see what it will do, but this is basically a fun thing. I'm hoping to get the feel I had out of the 340 Dart I used to own.
--I will be running a small block 727 behind it backed up with an 8 3/4 with a 3.55 sure grip.
--I want the car to be functional as something I can drive to work if need be.
--I plan to start off with the stock 273 manifolds. I may eventually go to headers, but I haven't decided yet. I have bad memories of continually bottoming out on the headers I had in my '70 Duster...

I guess my first question is since I'm not planning on running really high RPM's on a consistent basis, and since I'm not going to be racing light ot light, do I need a forged crank, or can I go with cast. Also, who have people had good luck ordering parts from?

Next question...I would like to be able to use mid grade or high grade pump gas. Should I be looking in the 10:1 or 10.5 to 1 compression range for the pistons. And agian, can I go with cast, or should I be putting out the cash for forged.

Next question...Since I want the car to behave on the street, what should I be looking at as far as a cam goes?

I think I would like to go with the equivalent of a 340 "X" head. I am assuming aluminum heads are the way to go, but who should I be looking at and what specifically should I be looking for.

Finally (for the moment), should I be looking at something like an ACCEL ignition system, should I just go with a stock electronic ignition system and recurve the distributor or is there something in between that seems to work well.

Like I said, I'm really clueless. I figure this is the right place to come to get a clue, so I 'm looking for any and all help I can get.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[70aarcuda]

there are many kits available....

scat makes them...eagle makes them...several places sell them on ebay...

cast cranks are good up to 500hp...only problem is that they will cost more to balance since they usually require mallory metal to be added to crank...

Order a kit from someone that includes crank, rods, pistons, rings, and bearing. In that way if something does not fit, you can go to them to get it fixed.

dont know what part of the country you are in...but you can try manciniracing.com...

as far as igintion...mopar peformance electronic ignition...P3690426 kit , distributor is already recurved and everything is new... or get a kit from FBO.

cam...comp HE275HL is a good starting point...valve springs 978-16, retainers 740-16, locks 626-16.

 

[needsaresto]

I feel that for the street,you can use cast.

http://www.indyheads.com/rotatingassemblies.html

Cam duration is a big consideration for street engines.Too much makes them badly behaved! A stroker however,loves duration so you can probably fudge the 230 degree duration cap by a fair margin.

Compression and cam are also tied into the heads. Wich ones do you want to use? As far as aluminum goes...

http://www.indyheads.com/smallblockheadkits.html

Cast iron I would use the EQ heads. They are also the biggest bargain and outperform the stock magnums.

There is a new head available too.

http://www.compperformancegroupstor...?Store_Code=RH&Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=CHRY

You will notice 2 styles,LA and Magnum. Sorry,no idea what the flow #'s are. They are pretty new.

A have not had good luck with Accell. I prefer FBO but many here like MSD.

What's your budget like,seeing as we are gonna help spend it? LOL!!

 

[340sFastback]

You definitely want forged pistons due to a stroker's piston speed. A cast crank will work. You should buy a stroker kit that has crank, rods, pistons, bearings, and rings. The Callies kit Mancini sells is pricey but very very nice. I bought some Edelbrock aluminum heads from Shady Dell Speed Stage 2 ported for my small block stroker. You will need some good heads to allow the larger cubic inches to breath. I recommend TTI or Dougs headers. Both are high quality, won't leak, and hang up tight for outstanding ground clearance.

You should pick up the book How to Build Big Inch Mopar Small Blocks. Lots of good information in there.

 

[70aarcuda]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SB-M...1QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1638Q2em118Q2el1247


here is something to look at....not an endorsement nor have i bought anything from them...just something to compare with...

 

[moper]

I think I might caution about a few things... first, those chassis cannot accept tall tires... So instead of 3.55s and a 25" tire, you may want to raise the ratio to either 3.23. another issue is exh airflow. The 4" stroke needs to breath. 273, or any manifold simpoly can't move enough air. What you end up with is having to build for a higher hp level, to overcome the losses resulting from the restriction. Another one is hood clearance with the assiciated manifolding on top. Where I'm going is, building the right engine for you is what matters. If you want to go big, you need to commit to the cost and effort of the support systems. Your usage to me says low rpm and mild would be fine. You can take your iron heads and have some basic porting done, and run a factory rod. The cast cranks will take 600hp, well beyond what you are doing. Pistons need to be forged. I like to use a dished piston that will allow for zero deck and future cylinder head upgrades. With the Diamonds I use this yeilds about 9.8:1 with a lightly milled X or J (or whatever casting you have 360 head). I'd get the stock rods redone with good bolts, get all the machining done to the block, stud the mains, and run an Edelbrock RPM. Run a carb that is at least 800cfm. I would find the cash for the early A body underchassis headers. They do not leak when installed properly. I buy most of my hard parts from either Summit or Mancini... Mancini can help a lot more than Summit can in terms of putting a kit together without rods. You can buy rods, but stay away from the H beams and ESP rods. The ESPs are marginal (I have more faith in stock used rods) and the H beams are heavy when using the cast cranks.

 

[70aarcuda]

rods...i would use the scat 4340 I beams...

 

[Argometer]

Wow! You guys have really hit me with a lot of info. I think I have a much better idea of where I am headed. As far as my budget goes, I was kind of hoping to come in somewhere in the $4,000.00 to $4,500.00 range for the engine parts. I don't know how realistic that really is. I haven't reaally thought about how much total horsepower I want. I know that enough to have fun is a completely relative term depending on who I'm talking to. I guess the final output depends on how far I can go with the budget I have. I am basically starting with just the block and buying everything else. Although I do have a couple of older Edelbrock Performer intake manifolds. I don't know how efficient they are, but I would like to be able to keep everything under the factory hood.

By the way... I live in the Pacific Northwest about an hour and a half north of Seattle.

Thanks again,

Stve

 

[moper]

That's enough for parts, if just barely. The total would be in the $6500-7K range.