383 stroker or 400 sbc for my wagon

ok so I have a 350 roller cam block and a 400 small block .I've been thinking about putting an engine together for my wagon. a 383 stroker or 400 + 30 over. guess i'm looking for torgye over hp . your intelligent opinions are gladly welcomed and appreciated

 

Sell both and buy a 348 or 409...

 

Both together probably wouldn't make a partial down payment on a W block these days if you can find a good one.

59 Brook, from experience with a 77 Chev 1 ton 4x4 crew cab I had a tired 400 has more poop than a fresh redone stock 350 that replaced it. Dollar wise I'd probably go with the 400. Fun and bragging rights wise I'd go with the 383 and there are some $$ friendly kits out there with the whole rotating assembly now that make it real interesting.

 

While cubes are king, you won't notice much difference in a torque application between the two, BUT...

You will notice the roller cam. In terms of reliability, a flat-tap cam isn't the end of the world, but not ideal. A roller cam not only adds the peace of mind, but it adds much faster ramp rates, less friction, and the additional area under the torque curve can easily make up for streetable torque with the 17-cube difference.

For me, hands down; roller cam.

 

Yep, What he said /\ /\ /\

Yes it will cost about 2 or 3 times as much as SBC but FUCK there's nothing cooler! or sounds half as good. (well maybe a old mean Hemi but that's more expensive yet and wouldn't look right in your wagon anyway)

The last 1965 348 motor I bought I paid $250. (6 months ago) I had it hot tanked and crack checked for $50. It turned out good. Now it's time to look for good used performance parts. Otherwise go buy a built one on flea bay for $6,000 and be done with it. Even with cheap parts I'll still have around $4,500 in it when I'm done and it will take me 2 years to find the parts cheap. Just to save $1,500 or so. Being the low buck cheap bastard I am...lol

 

400s are finicky - definitely not very forgiving in hot temps. A 400 will overheat in many situations where a small block of any other displacement (using a non-Siamesed block) will not. I've owned several and I was always of the notion that "MY 400s won't ever overheat like everyone else's do - because I know wtf I'm doing" - well let me tell ya, it just ain't true. If you put a 400 in it, you will have problems with it at some point. Build a 383 if you want to use a small block with a 3.75" stroke.

 

I would go with the 383. HRP

 

Even when the 400 was new and completely stock they were known for overheating problems. I worked with a chevy dealer tech who had a 400 in a 71 wagon he bought new. He claimed they were a constant overheat problem.

383 is a better choice 400 is for drag race stuff.

 

thanks for the help guys . if the car was an original 348 or 409 we would not even be having this discussion , it was a 283 - powerglide combo originally.
now for those who have a 383 anyone have a scat or eagle kit? happy with it?

 

Yup, I agree...383. If for no other reason than it's got water between the cylinders.

 

Here is a look at the 2 engines with Vortec heads 224@.050 .470 cam and dual plane/750, small tube headers. The darker line is the 406.

 

Since they'll both have the bottom end torque needed for your heavy wagon due to a shared 3.75" stroke, build whichever's cheaper. As far as heat issues? Keep in mind something........whenever guys replace a 6 cylinder with a V-8 they go bigger on the radiator. But, whenever replacing a 350 with a 400, seldom do the guys increase the radiator as they should. While the siamesed walls do come in to play, this probly accounts for more heat issues than the siamesed walls IMO. I've had many 400's in "drivers", race cars, and tow vehicles without issues. Bigger motor-bigger or better radiator.

 

I've been running an aluminum headed, roller rockered, 30 over 400 with a Holley 750 and headers for almost 15 years in a 59 Chevy wagon and have had zero overheating problems. The thing runs great with a 700r, belt driven fan, no shroud and a 4 core radiator. 180 on the highway, maybe 190 if stuck in traffic.

I like the 400.

 

Put a trailer hitch on it and pull something with it - you'll see. lol Love your wagon.

 

I had a 72 Elcamino w/mild 400 that I towed my 3350lb race car on a trailer 45 miles uphill (San Fernando Valley to LACR in Palmdale) on a 95 degree day with the AC on and never went over 190. It was upgraded to a Ron Davis aluminum radiator. Those things WORK

 

I would do a 400. I have had several, and never had an overheating problem. I do always use a big block type rad and clutch fan.

Make sure the steam holes are drilled in the head, and you have the proper head gaskets with a 400.

 

From John Lengenfelter's book..

 

Hell how about putting in a 426 Hemi... MUCH MORE INTERESTING !!!!!!!!!!!

 

Here's a story of a 1 ton Chevy truck I got to tow my Nova to the track. It was an old county truck which had a tired 327, two barrel with a 4 speed. The first time I towed my car to the track, I had to down shift on slight grades, it used a quart of oil going and a quart coming back. Mileage was dismal, full tank of gas for 88 miles and she smoked like a pig.

I found a disassemble 350 in the Recycler newspaper for $500. The block was bored .30 over, forged flattop pistons, reconditioned 492 heads, new rings and bearings and a complete gasket set. I bought the long block and had the block aligned honed. I micro polished the crank at home, bought an RV cam and lifter set. I assembled the engine and and used an old Streetmaster manifold and a 600 Holley.

That engine towed like a champ. Pulling grades and accelerating uphill pulling a U-haul trailer (heavy) with my Nova on it. The engine never noticed the extra weight. I got tons better mileage (1/4 tank for the same 88 miles, half uphill), never got over 160 (whereas the old 327 was puking water on hills).

That 350 ran and towed better than another truck I bought that was a 3/4 ton Chevy with a 400 (396).

 

isn't the 350 roller block a one piece rear maim? then the 400 crank won't work in it anyway.
just build the 400 and don't look back..........



as was pointed out below, an adapter lets the 400 crank work in a 1 piece rear main block,
(I gotta get out more, all these 283's and 327's I been building have me in the "dark ages"), LOL !!
Oh wait, one piece rear main, is that "traditional"??

 

Do the cooling mods and build a 5.7" or 6" rod 406.

 

Cubic inches! Why do you think folks brag about beating big blocks? No joke, all I ever hear is "small blocks rule! "why this 327 with double hump heads beat a Corvette 454! " The trick is too tell all that it is a 283 and let them be amazed!

 

Another vote for the 400. Steam holes and proper radiator are key. Stock crank, 5.7 rods, flattop pistons, and good heads it'll out pull a similar 383.

Ron

 

That's why they make adapters to put 400 cranks in a later model block. GM offers a crate 383 also.

 

Build it with a new 1 piece stroker crank

 

For a street motor - a 5.7 rod 400 is best. The 6" rod puts the pin into the oil rings, and the short compression height piston rocks a lot in the bore.