Top End vs Bottom End

[gullion454]

I am looking for some advice and figured this is the best place to find it. I am finishing up my backhalfed S-10 project and am looking to add more power. It currently has a 360 SBC with 10:1 compression, a Comp Cam 292H cam, 64cc 2.02/1.60 Dart Iron Eagle heads and a Team G intake. But the bottom end is pretty much stock. The motor is backed by a powerglide with a break and a 5000 stall converter. I am running 32 inch rear tire and upgrading to a 5:13 gear. I am planning on running mostly 1/8th mile. My first question is would I be better off upgrading cam and heads or should I build a new forged short block and keep my heads and intake? If I go with the top end upgrade I was thinking about a Crane Cam F-290-2, which is 252/260 and Darts Pro1 215cc and keeping my intake. My second question is would this be the best combo or should I just build a 383 or a 406 or maybe a 414? I have a 4 bolt main 350 block for a 383 or a 2 bolt main 400 block for a 406 or 414 (or even a destroked 377). I will probably still use the Crane Cam in the new short block and keep my heads and intake. I would rather stay away from nitrous for now but it will probably be in the near future. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks

[fla1976]

If you are seriously considering going with nitrous, I would go for the bottom end first. I would probably go with the bottom end anyway as I have lost more engines due to bottom end failure than top end failure. I have run a 377 and was happy with it until a rod bolt broke. It was an ARP bolt and the next engine was run with ARP but beefier 7/16 over the 3/8.

[Tod74]

I am looking for some advice and figured this is the best place to find it. I am finishing up my backhalfed S-10 project and am looking to add more power. It currently has a 360 SBC with 10:1 compression, a Comp Cam 292H cam, 64cc 2.02/1.60 Dart Iron Eagle heads and a Team G intake. But the bottom end is pretty much stock. The motor is backed by a powerglide with a break and a 5000 stall converter. I am running 32 inch rear tire and upgrading to a 5:13 gear. I am planning on running mostly 1/8th mile. My first question is would I be better off upgrading cam and heads or should I build a new forged short block and keep my heads and intake? If I go with the top end upgrade I was thinking about a Crane Cam F-290-2, which is 252/260 and Darts Pro1 215cc and keeping my intake. My second question is would this be the best combo or should I just build a 383 or a 406 or maybe a 414? I have a 4 bolt main 350 block for a 383 or a 2 bolt main 400 block for a 406 or 414 (or even a destroked 377). I will probably still use the Crane Cam in the new short block and keep my heads and intake. I would rather stay away from nitrous for now but it will probably be in the near future. Any thoughts would be great. Thanks


Build the best short block you can afford and you know you are covered whatever you decide to do to it later on down the road. Sink a ton of money in heads and break a rod or something and potentially lose all of it...or at least damage it.


JMO

[jmarksdragster]

If you are buying an aftermarket block for the upgrade, go to a 421. You can go 434, but it's a bit of a pain. More grinding, smaller cam core, taller lifters.... With a 5000 converter, you can go about [email protected] on the intake for duration. With that CI you can back down the gear to a 4.56, or 4.88 if 1/8 only. If you have the 200cc iron heads you can make a lot of power with a roller cam, I ran 8.70's with a 406, 260/[email protected] Crane .625 roller, and a Super Victor intake/800 Holley on those heads in a 1750 lb dragster.