Looking for 400hp on 383's
#242
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Its an old GM 400 block with spay capped mains, and brodix track 1 heads with a decent port job. Custom ground engle roller cam on a victor jr with an 850 demon throated down to a 750 with inserts in the body. Its got an Eagle rotating assembly with Ross pistons but internally balanced.
Pretty basic SBC stuff - just good parts. Idles like a bit rough, but workable - but she'll rock balls.
It make a tiny bit more than you see here after we ported the intake a bit, but this is the gist of what it puts out. I really wanted to put an RPM air gap on it with a 1" spacer
You got me on pins and needles Diego we been waiting since JULY!!......
UD
Pretty basic SBC stuff - just good parts. Idles like a bit rough, but workable - but she'll rock balls.
It make a tiny bit more than you see here after we ported the intake a bit, but this is the gist of what it puts out. I really wanted to put an RPM air gap on it with a 1" spacer
You got me on pins and needles Diego we been waiting since JULY!!......
UD
#243
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,189
Likes: 55
From: Cape coral, FL
I had read an article recently on a block built by dart I believe to mimic but be better than the old siamesed 400s. It ended being a 427 cu inch small block but supposedly reliable. Ha me interested. They achieved some of it by moving cam higher. Pretty cool article.
Dart one http://www.dartheads.com/products/sh...rt-blocks.html
Dart one http://www.dartheads.com/products/sh...rt-blocks.html
Last edited by Crude Intentions; 11-17-2012 at 10:07 AM.
#244
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I had read an article recently on a block built by dart I believe to mimic but be better than the old siamesed 400s. It ended being a 427 cu inch small block but supposedly reliable. Ha me interested. They achieved some of it by moving cam higher. Pretty cool article.
Dart one http://www.dartheads.com/products/sh...rt-blocks.html
Dart one http://www.dartheads.com/products/sh...rt-blocks.html
- - but now things get expensive on the raised cam block- you need custom pushrods, chain lengths, covers etc.. and need to be very careful about geometry. Not a huge deal, but enough of a pain that I didn't want to go through it.
You can mimic my build pretty darn cheap- and if you do it right can run it wide open tank after tank for about a decade summer after summer.
UD
Last edited by Uncle Dave; 11-17-2012 at 10:32 AM.
#246
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Joined: Aug 2010
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What about the siamese walls scare you? The dart blocks are siamese as are the Bowtie and the 502 big blocks. The Darts are better because they are cast around better cores with modern materials and definitely better machining. Your link you referenced is a standard cam location block. It says it is their SHP which isnt available with a raised cam.
Last edited by cheech; 11-18-2012 at 12:16 AM.
#247
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 3,066
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From: Ocala, Fl
The first run of siamese wall blocks from the early 70's that I have experience with were problematic. I built a few 406 motors based on Chevy Truck 400 cu in SBC's 20+ years ago that ran like a raped ape but were tough to keep cool due in part to what was available head wise in the day. The new stuff is a different ball game with technology advancements that eliminate the problems we had back in the day. I would't be overly concerned with the siamese pieces of today.
Having said that....as anyone plans to build strong SBC's for marine use today, strong consideration must be given to the LS architecture that GM has bestowed upon us. The way I look at those motors is that they are as much a technological jump as the original 265~283 SBC's were in 55~57.
Scouring salvage yards for 2002~2006 LQ9 6.0 HO Escalades, Denalis and Silverados provide some impressive hardware to work with. Six Bolt Splayed main bearing caps, roller cams and valve train that were considered "after market Hot Rod" 10 years ago...not to mention heads that out of the factory flow like no tomorrow with minimal modification.
Many street enthusiast as well as high performance marine people consider this engine to be the replacement for the old "Tonawanda" BBC. In my view this is the engine you build to move from boat to boat as you follow the natural cycle of "got to get a bigger boat." A pair of these in a 272 straight hull get you past 80 reliably, do the same thing in a 292 FasTech, and probably run surprisingly well in a 35' step hull.
Just for fun sometime read threads in the Corvette and Cadillac CTS/V forums about how those guys thrash LSA blower motors making 600+ horsepower and torque.... pushing 1000,000 miles and still have a reliable daily transportation engine.
I am excited about the prospects of building a pair of these for my next project
Having said that....as anyone plans to build strong SBC's for marine use today, strong consideration must be given to the LS architecture that GM has bestowed upon us. The way I look at those motors is that they are as much a technological jump as the original 265~283 SBC's were in 55~57.
Scouring salvage yards for 2002~2006 LQ9 6.0 HO Escalades, Denalis and Silverados provide some impressive hardware to work with. Six Bolt Splayed main bearing caps, roller cams and valve train that were considered "after market Hot Rod" 10 years ago...not to mention heads that out of the factory flow like no tomorrow with minimal modification.
Many street enthusiast as well as high performance marine people consider this engine to be the replacement for the old "Tonawanda" BBC. In my view this is the engine you build to move from boat to boat as you follow the natural cycle of "got to get a bigger boat." A pair of these in a 272 straight hull get you past 80 reliably, do the same thing in a 292 FasTech, and probably run surprisingly well in a 35' step hull.
Just for fun sometime read threads in the Corvette and Cadillac CTS/V forums about how those guys thrash LSA blower motors making 600+ horsepower and torque.... pushing 1000,000 miles and still have a reliable daily transportation engine.
I am excited about the prospects of building a pair of these for my next project
#249
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Joined: Jan 2012
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From: Sunny Isles Beach,Fl.
Yeah you can do that If you are going "custom stuff" then build it as big as you can. - better yet build a 434 454 or go as big as you can if you were going to build a 427.
- - but now things get expensive on the raised cam block- you need custom pushrods, chain lengths, covers etc.. and need to be very careful about geometry. Not a huge deal, but enough of a pain that I didn't want to go through it.
You can mimic my build pretty darn cheap- and if you do it right can run it wide open tank after tank for about a decade summer after summer.
UD
- - but now things get expensive on the raised cam block- you need custom pushrods, chain lengths, covers etc.. and need to be very careful about geometry. Not a huge deal, but enough of a pain that I didn't want to go through it.
You can mimic my build pretty darn cheap- and if you do it right can run it wide open tank after tank for about a decade summer after summer.
UD
Wont have numbers until at least Friday,maybe Monday due to thanksgiving.
Btw I wish everyone a happy thanksgiving.



