Thread: SB350 or SB400?

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I have the choice of building a SB350 or a SB400. Which one
be more worth my time and money. Or should I combine the
400 block with the 350 crank for a 377ci. I am looking for
decent tourqe, but leaning more towards the higher RPM
horesepower. It won't be a radical performance motor, but
somewhere around 1500 RPM's to 6500 RPM's. Any help would
be much apreciated, thank you.

I'm gonna go the other way, and disagree with Mr.Streets here....

400 ci motors can ROCK when built. And dispite common belief that they run hotter- if they are build right, they really don't.

Torque of a big block- weight of a small block. Thats the exact reason Bill Mitchel/World products came out with their own Motown small block castings.. More cubes in a smaller lighterweight package.

I don't have a bunch of numbers to back me up on it- but there is a good reason why all the circle track racers snatch up all the 400sb's they can find.

Originally posted by Streets

I have a special made "Tap" that will thread the "core plug" holes which enable you to thread a pipe into the 3 holes on each side of a 400 and actually run the engine cooler than a 265-350 race engine.. I tried this on my homebuilt "200 cubic inch, 14,000 RPM" 400 Chevy mouse one time and it was amazing how, when you flow cooler H2O from the rad to the coreplug holes the engine ran at 160 all day w/no problems...

Streets, I have been looking around for information on building a 377ci SBC and found this post from last year. The goal is a "streetable" road-race engine that turns 8000 RPM and produces 650-700 bhp and 450-500 (+) TQ. Have been reading what I can on line and will probably select a Brodix aluminum block to start with. Cooling is always an issue and was interested in your modification listed above. Can you tell me a little more about it? I have never built an engine from scratch before, but I can't wait to get started!

It has nothing to do with this thread, but I like combo #91. That's my motor! Well, not mine, but one just like it.

Thanks, guys. Yes, I have those pages bookmarked. Interesting reference...that bit about God driving a Chevy!

Streets, I know what you mean about the "streetable" HP. Take a look at this page. The dry sump 377 on here is what I want to build. I just don't want to pay someone $20k to do it!!!

http://www.amerspeed.com/ultima.htm

The car mid-page is the "kit" I am building.