Originally Posted by
jokerforever
That would be a lot easier and possibly cheaper to just slap in a refreshed 460/C6 combo than to install a stroker and getting it set up right.
I'll agree that building up or freshening up a 460 is easier, but if you're going to go through the trouble of finding an engine and tearing it apart to check if it has leaks/cracks/issues with the block and heads, why not do it with what you have instead of using a block you don't necessarily know as well as your own?
Plus slightly worked over but mild 460 will put out so much power without even trying. There is also so much more in there than a stroked small block could ever offer and it gives you some place to go when it’s time to upgrade again in a few years.
Sure, I can agree that a slightly worked over 460 can put out some decent power... but it's not what I have, and I don't like to take chances with what I know nothing about. For me, it would be like starting back at square one when I first got my 1972 351W (knowing nothing about it at first).
However, I don't agree that a stroked out small block can't match up to a 460 at all. If you want to go toe to toe, motor to motor, a 351W beats the 460 with what you can do if cash is endless... my example would be the 351W being turned into a 1000 hp drag racing engine vs. the max output a 460 can get which is a 557 IIRC, which puts out 900 hp. Not the same type of engine, nor is it the same application... but I can still prove my point in terms of power (which is what we're looking for).
Then theres the 400. This is a very underrated motor and could very be what you're looking for. It never reached its full potential in stock form and with a bump in compression and a cam change will easily hit the 400 HP mark. Plus with its 4" stroke it has more torque potential than a 393s with its 3.85 crank.
Just to correct you here, a 393 engine is meant for street/strip because it has a "short" stroke which performs better at higher rpms (drag/street racing applications). A 408 is meant for towing/hauling applications because it has a "long" stroke which performs better at lower torque ratings (towing, long haul applications).
The comparison of a 4.000" (long) stroke 400 to a 393 3.850" (short) stroke engine is a bit like a comparison of apples to oranges. A much better comparison would be the 4.000" stroke 400 to the 4.000" stroke 408. Nit picking, I know... but the 393 isn't meant for towing... it's mean to be raced...
400s are everywhere and cheap.
Not in my parts they aren't...
Find a set of flat top pistons, stab in a slightly warmer cam straight up (what killed the stock engines was the smog based retarded cams) and just refresh the rest of the long block. Top it with a dual plain intake, a 600 cfm carb of your choice and a set of small primary full length headers
You're basically rebuilding the engine, so why not just rebuild what you already had at this point?
and you will have the power of a 393 and only have to pay a touch over a grand for the whole thing.
I'd like to see some math on this one, but it looks like you're from the states with numbers like that. I don't think I've ever heard of someone nearly rebuilding an engine for a grand... at least in Canada...
Just something to think about. A stroked small block would be a cool build too.
Yes, a stroked small block would be cool. A gas guzzler, but a cool build nonetheless!
I've got a 1972 Ford Galaxy 351W small block waiting to get rebuilt. For towing applications, it needs a longer stroke for that low-end torque increase.
I COULD go for a different engine, but why? I have a kick-*** engine already! If it passes the checks of a wash and has no cracks afterwards, then I COULD sell it, or build it. Decisions... decisions....
Now, if my 351W block DOESN'T pass the crack check, then it's off to the cleaners and I'd pass it up for a different block (400, 460, something else, etc...).
EDIT: The links at the start of this thread were very helpful to me because now I see that the statements I made at the beginning of this thread were wrong. For instance, a 393 stroker is not meant for towing, and thus, not what should be used for my application (towing). A 408 stroker is much better suited for towing applications.
Also, my information about my truck has changed if some of you have noticed. My 351W is NOT out of a Cougar, but is from a 72 Galaxy (I had a chance to check the block casting numbers when taking apart some of the engine, and got the starter off). Also, I have now acquired a C6 small-block tranny to mount up to the 351W if I ever end up rebuilding it (got it at a great price).
Now that I know a heck of a lot more about what I want to do and where I can go with my block, this thread should really say "is a cheap 408 stroker build possible?"