Torn between 360 or 408 .. Advice??

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wyoduster

wyoduster

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I can buy one of these kits on ebay for $385. which looks to have everything.. or Purchase the 408 assembly for $1200. What to do??? Don't even have a car for it yet but Might as well have it ready... Any advice? I'm thinking street not strip.



Dodge Mopar 360 Master Performance engine rebuild kit


ERWWBK357

Dodge Mopar 360 Performance Master engine rebuild kit 1971-81..

Kit includes.

Pistons
#
Speed Pro Hypereutectic Coated Skirt Flat Top (4-Valve Relief) Piston Set (9.0:1 w/ 63cc & .050" deck clearance)
#
Rings
#
Rod bearings
#
Main bearings
#
Cam bearings
#
Camshaft and lifters
#
Timing set
#
Complete gasket set
#
Oil pump
#
Brass freeze plug kit

Please include bore and bearing size with payment.
 
I'm going 408 myself. I didnt think the cost difference was great enough not to do it. I found a brand new cast Eagle 4 inch crank locally for 200 bucks so I couldnt pass that up. Now I'll get the right pistons and will be good to go.
 
The pistons listed with the 360 kit do not offer much compression in a standard rebuild with 70 cc heads and .050 head gasket. If you decide to go with a 360, I would get KB107's.
 
Well Money is always a consideration and If I go 408 then I need different than stock heads... (more cost) Am I right??
 
If money is an issue stay with the 360 if not go with the 408. The rebuild kit is gonna be less than half what you need to spend for the stroker kit plus any work you may want done on your stock heads or buying a new set. Its pay to play just depends on how much power you want!
 
You don't NEED different heads... it will just work better with more flow. You still get a lot more torque even with stock heads.
 
Agreed, you don't NEED different heads, but it will work alot better with them or the stock ones ported well. That is a cost you can wait on. The level of porting is also determined by the cam and how fast you want to run. Stock heads can go quite far and be cheaper in the long run.
 
408 is what I recommend since you have the motor apart.

I went with a 360 because I found a fresh short block assembled for $900. I knew what has been done to this motor far as machine work. I didn't have a 360 to even work with so I just switched out my heads, intake, etc...

I'm undecided but later down the road my motor might get stroked but that is economy dependent ... LOL!

Yeah I would definitely go 408 if I was you. Have fun!!
 
You should not use those pistons in the 360. The two engines' costs are very similar, with a little more for the new crank, the balancing, heads or headwork, and a larger carburetor. But putting in stock design pistons is a waste of good money and effort.
 
hkeller said:
I would go with the 408 but its going to be allot more expensive to build.
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really isn't that much more. the biggest expense difference is the rotating assembly. but you'll most likely need pistons anyway, maybe rods so that leaves the cost difference to the crank. the machine work will cost the same either way.
 
abodyjoe said:
really isn't that much more. the biggest expense difference is the rotating assembly. but you'll most likely need pistons anyway, maybe rods so that leaves the cost difference to the crank. the machine work will cost the same either way.
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I agree with joe here. I've got the crank-$200 and pistons will probably cost me around $475. Just about everything else I'm using I would use if I were building a 360 (rods, bolts, magnum heads...) I think it all depends on what you want to spend (h-beams, eddy heads...) I'm using the magnums for now and probably a XR274 cam and will save some money down the road to upgrade to eddy heads. I just want to get the thing built so I can have some fun. This /6 crap is getting old! I didnt buy it for gas mileage!!
 
I have both a 360 and a 416 stroker,if your staying on the street go with the 360..the strokers properly built can be "animals" and like to run..i think you'd be more happy with a 360..as for heads any 340/360 head properly prepared will work with a stroker,i myself prefer the Edelbrocks....
 
if your staying on the street go with the 360..the strokers properly built can be "animals" and like to run..i think you'd be more happy with a 360.
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whys that? a stroker with the proper cam selection can be a TQ monster on the street (what you want in a street car) and have the driveability of a stock motor. you will have the best of both worlds.
 
Joe, I'd say the only reason would be cost and head selection for best operation. That's it. MPG's will suck no matter what.
 
408...because up in Wyoming you will need all the torque you can get.
 
abodyjoe said:
whys that? a stroker with the proper cam selection can be a TQ monster on the street (what you want in a street car) and have the driveability of a stock motor. you will have the best of both worlds.
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What i'm saying is a stroker makes more power/tq if your going to build it use it..if all your doing is running around on the street its a waste!!!! thats like all the show only cars with their big mega cube motors that have never seen the strip what a Waste!!!
 
The last 422 I did gets 17mpg and the E body it's in runs mid-high 12s with 3.23s and a cheap mild convertor. And iron heads...lol. 360 will be cheaper because of the items I mentioned. But, nothing can beat a properly matched 4" stroke combo on the street.
 
The real cost of the 4" stroke engines is in the top end if you really want to make some serious power and turn some RPMs. Building a 4" short block is really only a few hundred dollars more then a standard stroke small block. And for the few hundred dollars more you are getting lighter and stronger parts. For people on a budget build the 4" short block and then when more funds free up down the road put some ported heads on there. Street cars are heavy and operate at lower RPMs which is more reason to build a 4" motor.
 
And for those that don't like the 4" stroke there is always the 3.79" stroke. That stroke is a little bit more friendly.
 
Alright ! Lets do the 408 ! Whats the best one for the money ??? Got to cut costs here a little bit. I've seen them for $895 and up what am I looking for. Ok Tell me where and next the question is :
I buy a balanced rotating assembly right? Then I use a 340 harmonic balancer & Flywheel cause the engine is internally balanced?? Am I thinking right?? This is all new territory for me so I got to see it all.
 
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