taguy001

I just picked up a 94ta rolling chassis and am in process of building it up. I'm looking into going with an 406 with a forged bottom end backed with a turbo400. I'm mainly looking for suggestions on my motor as i'm not really familiar with sbc's and carburation. I'm basically looking for a motor that will run on pump gas and i want to build the bottom end to hold a 300 shot reliably. I have a few concerns though, i've heard the 400 blocks are weaker and prone to cracking? I'm also still undecided on the top end of the motor, i want to keep the cam hydraulic and am not looking into a super expensive valvetrain. I also am up for suggestions on what kind of intake to run and what size carb i'll need etc. If anybody wants to through up thoughts or suggestion please do so.
Thanks

rskrause

How much are you planning to spend? What is the purpose of the motor (how will the car be used?). In general, you will be best off buying a proven "package" from a reputable engine builder (like Bret Bauer, who posts here) or maybe even a GM crate engine. You can buy a 330hp "350 HO" complete engine for ~$4,500 and it's really "complete", even down to the plug wires. That engine has iron heads and a hydraulic flat tappet cam. The famous ZZ4 goes for about $5,000 and has aluminum heads, 355hp and a HR cam. But without knowing more about what you want, how much you plan to spend, etc. it's hard to be specific.

Rich

SStrokerAce

Or even starting off with a short block from someone like Shaffroff and putting a good heads/cam/intake setup on it. Unless you want to go crazy on getting everything from a motor or a "crate" short block doesn't fit what you need it's hard to beat them for the $$ when that's a major concern in the build of the motor.

OTOH the swapping of a SBC into a LT1 car doesn't always have to happen. A 383 with ported LT1 castings and a single plane for a carb with a solid roller can make a pretty dam good amount of HP for you either way.

Bret

taguy001

don't have a budget, just don't want to blow a ton of cash. I'm looking for over 500-600+hp on pump gas, i'm no stranger to large cams and am not concerned a whole lot with driveability. It'll be about 50% track and 50% street, i want to still be able to go out on the weekends to shows with it and drive it there. Strokerace, can you convert the lt1's to a distributor type setup? I'd like to get rid of the pcm, that's why i really haven't looked into it. I was also looking into something else due to the heads, i'm looking for a good 18 degree head.

SStrokerAce

Yep I've had customers with single plane intakes and LT1 castings on a 383 do 600hp on a carbed setup.

You don't really need to go past a set of LT4 castings and a 383 to get what you want NA. Put a Solid Roller and a Converted Single Plane Carb intake on it and you will be good to go.

Bret

LameRandomName

I don't know what kind of cash you have, but I'm going to suggest that you start with a new motown block, use a 4" callies dragonslayer crank and those new PM rods that you can get from howards for $599 and top them with a quality piston like an SRP or other similar quality brand.

Now you have a good, solid bottom end that will give you lots of options just by playing with the cam and top end.

jimlab

How much power will the Dragonslayer handle? They seem to be very reasonably priced.

rskrause

The same material and forging is used for all of Callies SBC cranks, the difference between the Dragonslayer and the higher end cranks is that they have more machinig done to lighten the crank, decrease windage, etc. So, it is a very strong crank.

Rich

jimlab

Thanks Rich. Anyone know what the best trade off between power and weight is for a forced induction application? I'd assume you'd want more "beef" in the crankshaft, in which case the Dragonslayer or the Racemaster would probably be the best options, while the Magnum might be borderline and the Magnum X-L might be best suited for an all-out naturally aspirated engine. Any truth to that, or are the ultra-light cranks just as strong as the heavier cranks where it counts? (obviously the counterbalances don't really hold the crankshaft together... )

SStrokerAce

More weight you take out of the cranks the weaker they are.... longer the stroke the weaker they are as well. A Dragonslayer or Racemaster would be a good choice.... Callies also has a deep hole drilling for blower engines to stress the snout of the crank less.... not a bad idea on a blower motor IMHO.... http://www.callies.com/tech/notes/deep_drill.html

Bret

jimlab

Thanks Bret.