balls to the walls 400 build

[JR]

I have a 400/727 with about 68000 miles on them (bone stock) sitting in my shop. What would it take to build a 451 or something just as nasty the cheapest way possible using dirt cheap or stock parts and very low cost catalog parts. I can get any size cam made up for pretty cheap from a local cam shop and I have this other problem, I like tunnel rams and weird carb set ups (think 80's).
This motor is going into a 27 T rat rod with a 8 inch chop, narrowed 8 3/4 rear, cage, zoomies, and a suicide perched streight axle. I want to scare the holy crap out of people just by starting it. I dont care about gas mileage with this thing and it will be just barley street legal. This is a very cheap build and it's the kind that if the motor goes kaboom who cares I'll do a cheap rebuild or slap something else in it. Just remember cheap!!!
This car wont get put togeather untill my 53 pick up is on the road and I need some motivation to get it done!

 

[dave571]

The 451 build originated with using a 440 crank in a 400 with STOCK slugs.

think about it. they are 100 or more down the hole to start with. The stroke difference is .370. So the piston is moved up .185. So it will stick out about .070 or so.

Won't work if there's any ridge whatsoever, but I suppose you could ream it, and try to clean it up with a hone.

May need to use a special head gasket to get the compression down a bit(.070 cometic or something). You could probably ,mill some off the slugs, but I'm not sure how much they would take.

Valve clearance may be an issue. Lot's of things seem to pop up when trying a "frankenstien" type of build.

Should be cheap. You already have the pistons. 440 cast cranks are virtually free. Skip the balance, and giv'er

Another option.
I did a build on a 400 where I milled the deck down .085. with closed 516's that made the comp 10:1. Ssome port work and a crazy cam, and it will rock. Short stroke motor, so you can wind the crap out of it, in a light little rod project.

Valve clearance was no problem, but geometry(pushrod length etc) was a but of an issue