Big Block Engine Builds

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There are a bunch of options. MP has some, as does Indy, Hughes, and most other builders. If it's honestly what you need for power, you're at about the limit of a factory casting block, and to stay alive there, you'll need some bottom end strengthening. What are you planning to do with it? What kind of budget do you have?
 
I've already got a '72 #630 400 block. I'm planning a 470. Haven't decided on heads yet. Probably ported eddys or stage 6s. H beam rods and ross flattops. Solid flat tappet cam. Thats about all I know right now. I may go solid roller, but I don't think its needed for a 575hp 470. Its going in a 66 Dart. I'm shooting for high 10s, but i may just need 550 hp in a 66 dart to achieve that goal. Any ideas?
 
That's a 3.9 stroke. It can make that kind of power easy. Is this a bracket car? It's going to take about 450hp to the tire to get a 2800lbs car into the 10s. 550 is not a big deal really, but takes a little support in the lower end. If this is primarilly a race car, you could make more power with more compression, and use aluminum main caps and a girdle. I'd stud the lower end in any case, and run the best crank you can afford. The chevy sized rods will get by the oil pickup no problem. I'd lean away from MP heads, but they can be made to work with some correction. The CNC Edelbrocks are a nice choice for it, in terms of port volume and intended use. Flat tappet will make that 550 number, but if you want over 600, I'd go solid roller, and have the lifter bores bushed.
 
Thanks for the help moper. It's going in a 66 Dart GT. I want to be able to drive it on pump gas, so that's kind of a limiting factor. I figure the weight will probably be around 3,100-3,200 with the 8 pt bar and frame connectors. I'm leaning towards ported eddy heads. It'll have a new 4340 forged crank. On a .020 over block the CI will end up at 468. I'll probably go with main studs. Once I start building it, the budget will determine if I go with a solid roller, or flat tappet. Do you know of a good solid flat tappet cams that will work well with ~10.5 compression and eddy heads? I might even put a 4.15 crank in her for 500 CI. I just don't know if eddy heads can support that many cubes. What do ya think?
 
thing the eddy heads will suport it just fine, a friend of mine has a stroker 440 i believe its a 496 with untuched eddy heads and a hydraulic roller cam in a 3900lbs charger it runs on pumpfuel and runs low 11´s it runs 10.80 all day long on a small shoot of nitrous..
cant give much more help on this topic but i hope it may help some..
 
I think if your '66 weighs 3200 with a cage and you in it you need a diet..lol. I read the heavy weight Dart was 2800 for '66. The motor with aluminum wont be much heavier than a 273, and the cage and connectors shouldnt add more than 100lbs. My 8pt for an E body was 81lbs from Competition Engineering. The 500 from a 400 block is a good package, but depending on rod choices, you may need an external oil pickup. You better have studs in any case. I dont think I'd go for bigger, unless it is the 4.25 stroke crank with the short rod. I'm not a fan of oil support rings (where the oil ring crosses the pin bore on the piston), and Diamond and Ross both make use of them for the 4.15 stroke and 6.76 rod , and the 4.25/6.76 combos. I also think the extra stroke will make the Dart almost undrivable on street slicks. The 400 B block is the strongest, and the 470 is a nice package. Bigger gets more expensive, and while it will put a smile on your face, you're paying a lot for tire wear...lol. As far as a cam..What gearing, tire size, and convertor range were you thinking? Most setups tend to make nice flat torque and good hp in the 3800-6K range. A tight 3500 convertor, and milder gearing would be the slick way, IMO. That body is very tire limited, so targeting a peak hp of say 6200 means you'll want to run a gear around 3.73 with 26" tires. That puts your high gear cruise at around 3300 at 65.
 
Thanks for the reply moper. I'm actually really curious what the 66 will end up weighing. It won't have a back seat or heater box. It's a shell right now. I just figued at a stock weight of 2800 + 8 3/4, big block, connectors, and 8 pt bar it may approach 3100 maybe.

I think the 500 CI low deck motor requires the support rings too. That was another reason I was stickin to a 470. Plus, I really don't think a hot rod 470 will have any problems shooting a 66 into the 10's. As for tire size... I just got done minitubbing it and am getting started on the spring relocation. I am going to move the spirngs back an inch or so for more room on the front lip. If I have to, I may snip the font on the lip a litte also. I'm pretty sure I could get a 29 x 12.5" tire in there with no problems.

As far as gears, I was most likely going to go with a 4.30 with a 9.5" dynamic converter. I won't be cruising it on the freeway, just cruisin a bit on the street once in a while. I may even go with a 4.56 gear depending on the final combo I come up with.

Here is a picture with a 28 x 9" slick jacked up into place for mock up.

 
Wow..cool...I cant see the pic..Damn firewall at work..But...that much tire, you're fine. You should be able to hit tens with less power if you can use a real tire and hook it. I'm still thinking it will be in the 2800+driver area tho, if all the aluminum stuff is used. For a 29" tire, I'd run 3.91s or 4.10s if you plan to sreet drive it. You could go more, but you wont have to. The 9.5 is a great convertor when chosen carefully and with the right usage in mind. Talk to Sean, and be honest with him..Get the real weight BEFORE you order the convertor..lol. He's helped correct a few issues for my customers and recently turned around a "re-stall" job in under 2 weeks door to door.For a couple of cam choices, I like Comp. Here's a solid flat tappet and a solid roller. Op[tions are almost endless, and the head choice and flow should be a known value before the cam is finalized. I'd expect both of these to make peak torque around 4500, and peak hp around 6K. Solid flat: XTQ294S-8 Solid roller: XR292R
Different heads may want more cam, without those numbers its a partial guess, but those should give you an idea. Stay between .550-.600 lift (.520-.580 after lash) and between 255°-265° @ .050 and you're close.
 
see if this one comes up:

b4bare2.jpg
 
I keep getting "The Page You Are Viewing is Unavailable" or something like that. I'm no PC guy, that's for sure...lol.
 
I ran 10.9s @ 122 in a 3100 lb. duster: here's the combo.
75 Duster
400/451 .030 over, 440 crank & rods
ross FTs, 9.73 comp.
stock 906s with small valves, 90cc chambers, 1009 gaskets.
comp solid, 543/529, 250/256@ 50 108*
crane 1.5 ductile iron rockers, isky 8005A springs
M1 single with 750 proform (74/82 jets)
PTC 9.5 4100 stall, 411s, 28/10 MTs.
It adveraged 1.58-1.59 60fts.
This was an all metal car (including hood) the only thing fiberglass was the bumpers, had all running lights & w. motor, all glass, car weighed 2930 without me.
 
Hey Joe,
Nice combo! Been a while since we last talked, looks like it's still running good! Just think what you could do with the other set of heads that I have on this engine, man 9.90's would be there easy.
 
JoeDust451 said:
I ran 10.9s @ 122 in a 3100 lb. duster: here's the combo.
75 Duster
400/451 .030 over, 440 crank & rods
ross FTs, 9.73 comp.
stock 906s with small valves, 90cc chambers, 1009 gaskets.
comp solid, 543/529, 250/256@ 50 108*
crane 1.5 ductile iron rockers, isky 8005A springs
M1 single with 750 proform (74/82 jets)
PTC 9.5 4100 stall, 411s, 28/10 MTs.
It adveraged 1.58-1.59 60fts.
This was an all metal car (including hood) the only thing fiberglass was the bumpers, had all running lights & w. motor, all glass, car weighed 2930 without me.
Click to expand...

Thanks man. Thats about what I'm lookin for. I wonder why the car was so light. I'm assuming you had a roll bar and connectors or no? How'd you like that cam?
 
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