This is for my 1968 chevelle
A friend has a mid 70's sbc 400 complete engine.
Is this engine a good engine to MOD.?
Will it help with the value of my car?
What type of power do these engines make stock?
It burns just a little oil at start up but it feels real strong
1-the car got stripped to the metal
2-repaired and painted 1977 caddy dark aqua with 5 coats of urethane high build/glossy clear.
3-it has the 2 stripes on the hood and trunk.
4-new springs and kyb shocks.
5-100% new rebuilt front end.
6-bench seat (front and rear seat have new covers on them)
7-PWB, PWS disc brakes up front.
It has a 250 inline six and a PG
I need to sell the car after it’s finished
So I am shopping for an engine
1-i currently own a 1987 Grand National engine with everything I need to drop it in. witch if I don't find a good V8 at a very good price will end up in the car.
But I know some hard core Chevy guys would catch a hart attack at that even if it’s faster, drivable and more economical than a Chevy v8.
So the GN engine or should I continue to look for a V8?
I want to bring up the value of the car for selling purpose
Please help.

This is for my 1968 chevelle
A friend has a mid 70's sbc 400 complete engine.
Is this engine a good engine to MOD.?
Will it help with the value of my car?
What type of power do these engines make stock?
It burns just a little oil at start up but it feels real strong
1-the car got stripped to the metal
2-repaired and painted 1977 caddy dark aqua with 5 coats of urethane high build/glossy clear.
3-it has the 2 stripes on the hood and trunk.
4-new springs and kyb shocks.
5-100% new rebuilt front end.
6-bench seat (front and rear seat have new covers on them)
7-PWB, PWS disc brakes up front.
It has a 250 inline six and a PG
I need to sell the car after it’s finished
So I am shopping for an engine
1-i currently own a 1987 Grand National engine with everything I need to drop it in. witch if I don't find a good V8 at a very good price will end up in the car.
But I know some hard core Chevy guys would catch a hart attack at that even if it’s faster, drivable and more economical than a Chevy v8.
So the GN engine or should I continue to look for a V8?
I want to bring up the value of the car for selling purpose
Please help.
anybody help.

Don't put the 400 small block in the car.
There are a lot of period correct 396-402 big blocks out there fairly cheap.

Don't put the 400 small block in the car.
There are a lot of period correct 396-402 big blocks out there fairly cheap.

This is for my 1968 chevelle
A friend has a mid 70's sbc 400 complete engine.
Is this engine a good engine to MOD.?
Will it help with the value of my car?
What type of power do these engines make stock?
It burns just a little oil at start up but it feels real strong
1-the car got stripped to the metal
2-repaired and painted 1977 caddy dark aqua with 5 coats of urethane high build/glossy clear.
3-it has the 2 stripes on the hood and trunk.
4-new springs and kyb shocks.
5-100% new rebuilt front end.
6-bench seat (front and rear seat have new covers on them)
7-PWB, PWS disc brakes up front.
It has a 250 inline six and a PG
I need to sell the car after it’s finished
So I am shopping for an engine
1-i currently own a 1987 Grand National engine with everything I need to drop it in. witch if I don't find a good V8 at a very good price will end up in the car.
But I know some hard core Chevy guys would catch a hart attack at that even if it’s faster, drivable and more economical than a Chevy v8.
So the GN engine or should I continue to look for a V8?
I want to bring up the value of the car for selling purpose
Please help.
bump

I'm building one right now for my 67 until I can rework a 454 next year or so. I "tested" this engine in the car before I did the frame off tear down. It's a screamer. Check the specs, more bottom end torque than a stock 325hp 396 and the advantages of a small block (stock SB brackets,fitment, etc), including being some 75lbs lighter. However, I'm running 2.02 double hump heads (cuz I have them) with H/S roller rockers, headers and a 286H Magnum cam. (yes the steam holes have been drilled)

For other opinions just stay tuned or do a search on "400 small block" or my name. This subject has been discussed thousands of times in the Engine forum.

thanks dude

No problem, DUDE.

Why not put a 400 in? IMO it's basicly a 396 in a small package.

Plus you can stroke them to 434. And since a 400 sbc looks like any other Chevy sbc you can put 307 decals on it and fool everyone into thinking you're slow when you're really not.

The only downside, aside from their notorious cracking is the heads were low perf. heads. Then again no factory sbc heads flow as well as factory bbc heads.

In 1970 a 400 sbc was rated at 265 hp/400 tq. My dad has one of these in his '68 Camaro coupled to an M22 and a 3.55 posi out back. It's a blast to drive.

Of course I think it would be cool if you were to boost a 400 sbc....I think they'd make some seriously sick hp.

Herb I'd like to know what kind of numbers is that 400 with a 268 cam and double humps is making????

I just put a 400 SB in my 70 and so far I like it but I need to get a few miles on it before I open it up. But so far I like it.

LK

Herb I'd like to know what kind of numbers is that 400 with a 268 cam and double humps is making????

JYD - I'll let you know when we get it done. I have a free dyno run offered to me by an outfit that wants the know the same thing. BTW - it's a Comp Cams Magnum 286H not a 268. Should be interesting. We took a Crane 296h out of it when we tore it down. The cylinders still had crosshatching in them from the PO's rebuild. That cam is like new but it was too much. Barely idled below 1100. I also think the Q-jet was bad. We've got another one to go on it after we rebuild it with new jets etc. I'm interested to see how those Harland Sharp rockers help. They're only 1.5's but with the mild porting that's been done on the heads, it should walk the dog ok.

Remember this post? http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115568&highlight=Herb

That's also what we found when we opened the bottom end. Turns out there was a pice of carbon or some crap under the rod bearing insert. You can see the hot spot in the picture. It was pure coincidence that that particular rod was a different color, which caused us to pull it and check it. It was also ovaled from that dirt under that bearing insert. We've had it resized and now it's fine. The crank is new still, no damage, all the other bearings were fine. It also had the wrong flywheel (a neutrally ballanced) on the engine. Still ran like a stipped ape. That also contributed to the "rough" idle.

Moral of the lesson is that you never know what the somebody else has done to car/engine until you tear it down and check it yourself.

/herb

BTW - Turbo-68 (name?) if you want the real dope on SBC400's, talk to Tom Parsons (a.k.a. DZAUTO). He helped me a bunch. He's the 400 king here.