Building a 377

We are getting ready to build a 377 motor for our 67 Camaro, 3.48 stroke in a 400 engine. We want to use 6.0 rods and JE 14:1 pistons. I have seen advertisements in the National Dragster for a kit from Shafiroff containing Eagle H beam 4340 rods, Eagle 4340 crank, Clevite 77 bearings, speed pro rings and JE/SRP pistions all internally balanced for $1695. I already know about the pistons, bearings and rings I am not sure about Eagle products. Has anyone here have any bad/good experiences with Eagle products? We are doing most of the machine work our selves the only thing we are having done by someone else is getting the block hot tanked, and having the mains alinged bored. The place where my father works has machines to deck the block and bore and hone the block.

The car is a drag racing car only and will not see any street use. It weighs 3000lbs with driver, 1.82 PG, Stock 12 bolt housing with Moser spool, axels, ford big bearing ends, and 4.56 gears. We are going to buy a set of heads from a friend that are Dart aluminum 220 heads that have been ported and it comes with a .630 lift solid roller cam.

Any info you can pass along would be appreciated.

Thanks

The Eagle stuff is not bad, in fact it's great bang for the buck.
I won't give that 1.82 stamped planet a very long life though.

Originally posted by drop top steve
I won't give that 1.82 stamped planet a very long life though.

We have had that trany behind a 388 that ran 11.10s for five years and then behind a 355 for one year and then I rebuilt it. It has benn behind our current 355 for two years now after the rebuild. We bought it from Coan with a 5500 8" stall

My friend had a set of 6" eagle rods in his 377. For 4 years it reved to 7000rpm and on the 5th year it was revving to 8000rpm due to a cam/head change

never had a problem with the rods in all that time...

NOW

if you want to ask how the rod bolts were doing after 5 years of constant spraying :rolleyes:

Eagles are good for the buck. The Small block rods are good for 600hp at least (this is not the best way to rate them I know) Hell I'll use them in a $20K engine. They are actually built well, the work is very good and the B.S. about chinese steel is crap! Who cares at that level where the steel or forgings came from, the reason you can afford them is because they have some Chinese guy in mainland China poping those things out left and right, it's the work after that you should be concerned with and Eagles rods are very good. Could you spend more on better ones? Yes, bu tmost people never need too, Arrow or Olivers are top of the line and that's a whole different ball game.

Now that I have said that I have heard people have had problems with their cranks. I personally like Scat's work and I would call them up and ask them about the same package. Personally I'm not going to run 14:1 with pop up pistons, I would rather mill the crap out of the head and get the compression with flat tops with valve reliefs in them.

Bret

Originally posted by SStrokerAce

Now that I have said that I have heard people have had problems with their cranks. I personally like Scat's work and I would call them up and ask them about the same package. Personally I'm not going to run 14:1 with pop up pistons, I would rather mill the crap out of the head and get the compression with flat tops with valve reliefs in them.

Bret


Thanks for the reply, I would perfer to mill the heads also but then your talking about having a custom manifold made and right now we don't want to get into that. Right now our 355 is running "pop" up domes with 13:1 compression, with GM rods and ARP wavloc bolts all connected to a GM forged crank. I am thinking that the combo we are seriously thinking of building will be around 500 - 550 hp (probably closer to 500) ;) .

Originally posted by 89ProchargedROC
My friend had a set of 6" eagle rods in his 377. For 4 years it reved to 7000rpm and on the 5th year it was revving to 8000rpm due to a cam/head change

never had a problem with the rods in all that time...

NOW

if you want to ask how the rod bolts were doing after 5 years of constant spraying :rolleyes:

Thanks for your reply, I am thinking that is the rpm range we'll be running in although we wont be spraying the motor.

As long as you are getting the set as a balanced package deal I would say go for it. We've got a set in the shop right now that is having to be freighted back because the rod weights were so far off there was no way to balance *properly.*

I like the eagle stuff though. One of the best bang for the bucks in the business.

"Right now our 355 is running "pop" up domes with 13:1 compression, with GM rods and ARP wavloc bolts all connected to a GM forged crank." LOVE IT!!!!!! 10.90's :-D

Originally posted by bestracing
Thanks for the reply, I would perfer to mill the heads also but then your talking about having a custom manifold made and right now we don't want to get into that. Right now our 355 is running "pop" up domes with 13:1 compression, with GM rods and ARP wavloc bolts all connected to a GM forged crank. I am thinking that the combo we are seriously thinking of building will be around 500 - 550 hp (probably closer to 500) ;) .

Well Milling the heads, probally angle milling will need some intake mounting flanges milled too, but it's not that hard. You could modify a Super Vic easy for that. There is some easy HP there getting the domes smaller and made for better flame travel along with the smaller chamber. The numbers for that are easy, I have them somewhere.

Definately call Scat on that rotating assembly too www.scatcrankshafts.com

As far as pistons go, check out the JE Pistons here: http://www.jepistons.com/pdf/2002-je4-13.pdf look at page 6,
PN 173587 is a nitrous series dome and that one will stand up to squeeze later on and with a 8cc dome and smal chambers will give you 14:1+

What heads are going on this puppy?

Bret

A firend of ours has a set of Dart 220 aluminum heads all set up and ready to go with a roller cam that has a .630 lift that goes along with the heads for $1000. The heads have been ported and polished with the bowls blended. He bought a S10 Pro Stock truck and the heads and cam are comming from that.

I know what pistons you are talking about. I was on JEs web sight two nights ago. I will check out scat later, no time tonight but probably Sat.

Thanks again,

Wayne

how about the flow numbers, you have any?

Bret

Originally posted by SStrokerAce
how about the flow numbers, you have any?

Bret

I wish I did have the flow numbers it would make the decission easier. We race at the same track as the seller and his car runs 9s right now. He bought an S10 and he is getting rid of his Cavilier and some of the motor parts. He is keeping the 400 block that the heads are on though.:( I found another source for the combination we are looking at....Ohio Crankshaft. It is their own crank and rods, made in the USA :D and for about the same price as Shafiroffs deal. Still keeping all the options open though.

Wayne