Are 400 CI SBCs Considered Collectible Yet?

I stumbled across a SBC at a wrecking yard yesterday that had a harnmonic balancer on it that appeared to be a SBC 400 balancer, so I wrote down the casting number (from the rear driver's side of the block) on the back of my wrist. Later in the day back at home when I was washing up, I saw the number inked there and decided to go online at look up the casting number at the mortec site. Sure enough, it decodes as a 400 cubic inch engine. I was wondering if these engines are sufficiently collectible to snag onto and stash away for future use yet. With the "Cash for Clunkers Program" and possible future versions of it, even 350s might become 'collectible' in another decade or two. Is the 400 SBC at that point now? I know that they didn't manufacture them for very many years. Your opinions please.

 

The 400 was collectible 20 years ago, grab it.

 

Here they've been collectable for 20 years now. I only know where 2 are,,You need to get it.
Damn whats the odds of us posting the same sentence a few seconds apart?

 

Awesome engine, even if it wasnt collectable.

 

Grab it - cheap, easy power.

 

If you dont get it,someone slse will!

 

I think any 1st gen small block is getting rare. Just try to find a used running pre 87 350. It is getting tougher every day.

 

I had one in a 78 Monte Carlo....torque monster.

 

I sold a 406 smallblock that bought my roadster body ,I have not come across another one .

 

They are getting hard to find and always were desirable if u could get 1 i got 2 still Most guys are spending the money for a new merlin, dart etc block but if you want old school and cheap its the 1 for torque

 

Grab it. My Buddy got in trouble with the law and had to leave his 4 bolt 400 in the machine shop. The four bolt main caps are still in the trunk of my old Caddilac.

 

I have one in a future project, perfect small block it has the torque of a big block but the weight of a sbc.

 

the 509 block is one of the better ones...the 2 bolt blocks are stronger then the 4 bolt blocks, from the factory..factory 4 bolt blocks have the extra 2 bolts drilled into the lower section of the cylinder bores...the other thing to check is spider cracks around the steam holes...this is where the 509 block casting resists these cracks...generally...my 73 vega wagon..blown 40 over 400 509 casting..beat that thing till no end and never had any issues..i found them no harder to cool then a 350 also... i sold the vega as a roller to help finace the topolino..but the 40 over blower short block is hanging out on one of my engine stands in the garage....next to a virgin bore with no top ridge 350 3 bolt main/ high nickel block....oh yeah, the 509 is considered a hi nickel block 400 too

 

I had a bone stock, 4-bolt main type with a 2bbl carb, 4-spd and stock open rearend in a 69 Nova.
Off the line, it was a fast car. So fast, that people who raced me, would shut it down because I was at least a car length ahead of them right off the line. If they would've kept their foot in it, they would've easily overtake me. Intimidation has it merits.
People would ask me what I had in it, I would lie and say it was a big block. They believed me.
I remember reading that Smokey Yunick didn't care for the motor (rod and piston angle, siamese bore, etc.). I rebuilt the motor top to bottom and added a few performance parts. It was a good for running around town and at the track. But I hated it on long trips, ran hot and had problems with oil consumption (consumed oil when it was stock)
It was more fun with the stock motor with the 2 bbl.

 

The 509 and 817 2 bolt blocks are the ones to have if your going for power. The 4 bolt blocks are fine for a stock rebuild.

 

My buddy's got one in his '57 Chev, I always thought of it as just another run of the mill belly****on motor out of some old POS beater truck he used to have...the '57 scoots pretty well, but it's nothing I'd write home to mama about...I'll stick with Pontiac motors ...

 

the racers have just about burned all the ones around here to the ground. grab it, if you don't want it sell it.

 

my dad had one in his 55 truck with stock parts, he would race people towing a trailer and win people would get so mad..great engine any way you go GET ITTTTTTTTTT

 

When I looked at it yesterday, I noticed that the SBC has 882 heads on it. If and when I snag the engine, are these heads going to be an OK choice (with a rebuild, of course), or are there better cast iron heads to put on the thing?

 

400's were pretty rare when new. Really getting hard to find a good one now. Most of them around here ended up with a rod stuck thru the block.

Damn bunch of racecar trash......

We've junked a few of them. The 2 bolt blocks with aftermarket splayed caps were the best.

Kevin

 

Grab it, I love them! I've got a couple in my garage, and one in a 39 Pontiac coupe. I've scared the **** out of the local ricer boys many times with that old coupe and all that torque.

 

We raced dirt cars and ran a .030 over 400 for 3 years only freshening it at the beginning of each season. I traded the 400 for a 383 stroker. Ranks on my top 5 worst trades ever. The only problem that I had with the motor was at the end of each season the cam bearings were over worn and the timimg chain was always stretched. Replaced the cam and still had the same problem. I would gladly buy another though.

 

I love mine............

 

I've always wondered why Chevy guys bothered to put a 400 crank in a 350 when they could've just had a 400.

Shawn

 

They are only collectible if the wife asks how come you have soo many!!! I've got several and I tell her everytime I ask for money to get another...They are rare as hell, very collectible..and will be worth just hanging onto. They don't make them anymore dear...so far she has always bought that!!!

 

Guess I lucked into mine. I was just looking for any SBC and came across a guy with a dis***embled 400. Put it all back together with new parts, but it was in such good condition it is still std bore. I had no idea they were considered rare.

 

I had one in my '72 Caprice Cl***ic with a 350 4-bbl intake.

 

Its cheap small block hp, I have a mildy built one in my street strip chevelle (3000 + pound car), runs mid 12's in the 1/4.

 

Me and my buddy have several, all 2 bolts, and all virgin.

The one that had the wrong main caps on it now has a set of splayed 4 bolt mains, with a billet front cap.

 

I have one in my 40 Chevy. It's been running 30 years and it still going strong.
Snag it if you can.