I just blew a head gasket in my 390, replaced it, and now i'm assuming the head or block needs to be decked because it is still leaking. While I have the motor out, I want to do anything I have to, to make 400 at the crank. right now this is what i'm dealing with.

Forged rods w/ ARP rod bolts
Forged pistons (flattop)
C4AE-G heads with 2.03/1.56 valves
Elgin Pro-Stock cam .536/.562 224/234 @ .050 110LSA
Edelbrock Performer RPM intake
Holley 650 vac secondaries
Longtube headers
Flowmaster one chambers
MSD ignition module
MSD pro billet distributor
MSD coil & wires
Edelbrock waterpump
TCI 3500 Stall
FRPP planetary gear set
Richmond 3.89 gears Moser full spool

I really don't care about "streetability". My truck has no heat/ac and manual brakes/steering. I'd like to keep the RPMs down to 6500, so hopefully can have the HP peak around 6200-6300. Are the aluminum edelbrock heads worth the price over what I have now? Is there another factory head that will make more HP? Has anyone run the Edelbrock dual quad intake and liked it?

 

There are many ways to make 400 hp with a 390. Nitrous would be the cheapest. If you want to spend the money to do it right, then use your headers, and intake and buy heads, cam. Edelbrock rpm heads, 750 cfm carb, Call comp cams for your build and they can provide you with the correct cam for your application. At this point, you will exceed your 400 hp goal. It just takes money.

 

I'd also like to add than I would like to make 400 before poweradders. I'm also looking at a 250 direct port fogger.

 

Is this a drag truck then if not looking for streetability? Maxtor has it pretty much right on. Remember a stock 390 gt was RATED at 335, so its not too hard to get to 400.

 

Not really a drag truck, more like a weekend truck. If it idles at 1500rpm and needs more converter and gear it doesn't really matter. Pretty much just a stoplight cruiser.


So the heads cam and intake I have are capable of it? Or not?

 

No, you'd be better off with the edelbrock heads and a call to comp cams as mentioned. Your heads aren't as good as GT heads and would have too much into them to be worth while. I've got a set of gt heads off the car in my pic and a matching aluminum intake with them fully ported sitting on the shelf deciding what to do with them. Think I'm gonna put them on a street 427 I'm going to build. I was just stating that the 390 made good power with just a few upgrades as the gt had. MSD is a great choice imo too. Have fun with your build

FWIW, I'm not a big fan of TCI, haven't had good luck with their convertors or a trans brake I purchased before. I stick with coan products, just suggesting to look around a little before deciding for sure on TCI. JMO

 

Actually what I listed is already built plus more. Just looking to see what I need to change to get where I want to go

 

Sorry, I misread your original post. You shouldn't be far from 400hp with that combo I wouldn't think. Little better cam and some headwork and you're probably over that number.