[uniquechevelle]

I just picked up a 400 small block, and plan on building a 427. Does anyone know of any good combos so I can get the max HP out of it, for a good, reliable street car? This is what I'm looking in to so far...

-Edelbrock Performer Air-Gap Intake Manifold
-AFR Street Cylinder Heads
195cc Intake Ports
Straight Plug Type
65cc Combustion Chambers
64cc Exhaust Ports
1.290'' OD Hydraulic Dual Valve Spring
135 lbs. Seat Pressure
.600'' Max Lift
-Lunati Street Avenger Cam
Adv. Duration: 265°/265°
Gross Lift: .454''/.454''
RPM Range: 1000-5000
-Speed Demon 750 Double Pumper Carb
-TCI Breakaway Torque Converters
2200-2400 rpm
-Crane Cams Energizer Roller Rocker Arms
Ratio: 1.5

I'm trying to get between 500-600 HP. Do you think it's possible to get that with the parts listed?

 

[Greg Owens]

Not with what you have listed. Particularly the cam.

Factory or aftermarket block? If it's factory, just build a 406.

The compnents you have listed would be matched well for a low RPM stump puller motor. If that is what you are looking for, great, go for it. You will be around 400 HP but over 500 lb.ft of torque. If you want 500 HP...
- 195s will get you there with a 406. If you build a 427 go 220's for sure, and they would be better on a 406 as well. My buddy just swapped from 195s to 220s on his 420 and picked up a tenth.

- Cam will be all done by 5000 RPMs. If you want 500 HP you need to be looking at hydraulic roller with at least 240 duration at .05 lift, 290 ish advertised duration. That will put you at the low end of your hoped for range. You'll need bigger to move up from there.

 

[grovey]

you need more head, and cam for sure. if ya want afr's then afr 210's or 220's. get a custom hyd roller cam. keep it less than 11 to 1 comp. get a 10" 3,500 street converter made just for your combo.

 

[Notalent]

TQ is what you should be building for, not HP. Like stated, everything but the camshaft looks good. Swap to a Hyd Roller if possible. Whats your definition of street car? With the cam size needed to obtain the power you are looking for, it will not produce the Vaccum needed for power brakes and will have a lopey idle. You will also need 2500+ stall IMO.

 

[uniquechevelle]

Ok so I will get the AFR 220cc heads. And what cam should I get? I'm trying to build a nice street motor where I can drive it around the city but has alot of hp.

 

[cstraub]

You start putting that kind of stroke in SBC then you need an $800 oil pan to control windage. If you are wanting 500HP then I would back down to 3.75" stroke and build a 406 CID engine.

 

[timvantol]

I am no expert, but I have a 550ish horsepower 406 combo that I just got to the track.

Go with a 406 with close to a 10to1 compression ratio. Stick with the AFR 210 heads and something like the XR300HR hydraulic roller cam from Comp Cams and a Super Victor Intake and a 850 holley. I have almost that exact combo and it ran [email protected] the first time at the track with no tuning in a 3700 pound 68 chevelle.

Plenty of power for the street and will run on 89 octane with no problems and no fancy oil pan:thumbsup:

 

[boldm]

timvantol;
what size and stall of converter are you running,

sounds like a good combo!!!

 

[boldm]

I also agree, stick with a 406,
a 427 in a GM 400 block is work!!

 

[greg_moreira]

500 to 600 horsepower is a lot. What car would this be going into? To put it in perspective...if the car isnt a super heavyweight, this is power to get into the 10's with the right gears and converter(And of course suspension to plant the power).

That original combo you spec'd is uber mild. That cam would probably be done at 4500 and make very little horsepower.

I agree with the others. Build a 406 for simplicity and cost savings, and plan a combo that should be good for about 500 horsepower. I expect even a 500 horsepower 406 build will put a lot bigger grin on your face than you expect, given what you were intending to build with milder parts, and what you hoped from it.

Dont use a performer intake. Use a performer rpm. Stick with the AFR 195 head. Good call on that. With all the money you save on the rotator(stick with a 400 cube platform instead of 427)...use that money for a good hydraulic roller setup.

The carb choice isnt bad. I prefer a holley(-personal preference), but I have no doubt that the carb you want can provide results with a good tune.

Consider better rockers. Scorpion, howards, and harland sharp are all reasonably priced rockers that Id trust more than the bottom end crane energizer. Crane does make some better aluminum rockers though(like the gold for example). I just wouldnt put energizers in a build of this magnitude.

Chris (cstraub, who responded earlier) is who Id be going to for a cam if you do choose to go roller.

10:1 compression would be my target.

 

[timvantol]

I am running a 10" A-1 torque converter. Flashes to about 3800 but cruises like a Hughes 2500. Not the cheapest at $895, but to have the higher stall and still drive VERY nice on the street was worth it for me.

 

[uniquechevelle]

What do you guys think about this CAM?

-Hydrculic Lunati Voodoo
Lift: .489''/.504''
Duration: 268°/276°
RPM Range: 1800-6200

 

[uniquechevelle]

To: boldm
I'm running a 3200 stall in my car now.

 

[RB69SS396Conv]

Go with the next size larger, if you run that series of cam.

I STRONGLY recommmend a roller instead of flat tappet. There's a significant risk of failure with flats these days, no matter how careful you are or what mfr or materials you use; and a failure sends metal chips from one end of the motor to the other, destroying the bearings in the process. Requires a complete tear-down and rifle-brush treatment of all the oil passages to avoid wasting the replacement bearings as well. Not a pleasant consequence of the risk. Avoid if possible.

I disagree with the whole "torque" thing. Usually when people say that, they mean a low-RPM tractor motor type setup, like a stock LG4 or L03 with its peak torque just off-idle and decreasing steadily from there. Not my idea of fun. Build a 400 just like you would any other motor, as far as its torque/power vs RPM curve.

I ran a Comp XR282HR in my last 400. Ran pretty hard. You'd probably like that.