400SBC ??? STROKER KITS
02-19-2011, 07:22 PM
#21
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: La.
Posts: 2,890
Sam, Mark,
Time for the old timer to weigh in on this thread. First of all the 400 crank/stroker was not the first stroker to be used in a 350 block. In 1964 i had Delta build me a 3 5/8" stroker form a Chevy 350 steel crank. They welded up the rod jurnals, reground them, and hard cromed them to a 3 5/8" stroke with a 4.030 bore= 365". That was yrs. before the 400 sm/blk was ever introduced. I used Isky off set alum rods, which i would almost bet no one on this forum has ever seen. The rod cap was rotated 45 degrees so the bolts had more clearance on the blk rails. I built a main gurdle that covered the 3 ctr. mains out of 1" steel. I had to grind the main caps flat for a .002 interferance fit,i had to step the pan down in the pan rails because the gurdle was bolted to the blk with 3/8" allen head bolts. I used double hump heads opened up to the max. On top of that was a 671 blower with a hilborn shotgun injection. This engine was in a 1956 T'bird that set a world (MPH & ET) record in AHRA and many other records over the next couple yrs. (as Bjuice has mentioned) I had a hydromatic 4 speed trans with 3,000 stall and problably slipped 20%. I had a 456 gear with 10.50 X 31" M&H tires. I don't know for sure how many RPM's i turned,( no recall tacks and a 102" wheelbase car can be a hand full at that speed) but the car @ 2450 lbs ran anywhere from 138 to 148 MPH in the low 10's and the rod and main bearings had to be changed every 12 to 15 passes. I put 100's of passes on this engine and never broke it and almost never got beat.
Now back to the 400 crank, the problem with the 400 crank, they are cast Nodular iron and flex like a pretezal, but wont break. (if you have in your shop a good large C'clamp, tighten it down on someting and it will bend like crazy, but won't break, they are Nodular iron) The crank will eat main bearing like you have never seen in your life.
Just some old history
Zip.
Time for the old timer to weigh in on this thread. First of all the 400 crank/stroker was not the first stroker to be used in a 350 block. In 1964 i had Delta build me a 3 5/8" stroker form a Chevy 350 steel crank. They welded up the rod jurnals, reground them, and hard cromed them to a 3 5/8" stroke with a 4.030 bore= 365". That was yrs. before the 400 sm/blk was ever introduced. I used Isky off set alum rods, which i would almost bet no one on this forum has ever seen. The rod cap was rotated 45 degrees so the bolts had more clearance on the blk rails. I built a main gurdle that covered the 3 ctr. mains out of 1" steel. I had to grind the main caps flat for a .002 interferance fit,i had to step the pan down in the pan rails because the gurdle was bolted to the blk with 3/8" allen head bolts. I used double hump heads opened up to the max. On top of that was a 671 blower with a hilborn shotgun injection. This engine was in a 1956 T'bird that set a world (MPH & ET) record in AHRA and many other records over the next couple yrs. (as Bjuice has mentioned) I had a hydromatic 4 speed trans with 3,000 stall and problably slipped 20%. I had a 456 gear with 10.50 X 31" M&H tires. I don't know for sure how many RPM's i turned,( no recall tacks and a 102" wheelbase car can be a hand full at that speed) but the car @ 2450 lbs ran anywhere from 138 to 148 MPH in the low 10's and the rod and main bearings had to be changed every 12 to 15 passes. I put 100's of passes on this engine and never broke it and almost never got beat.
Now back to the 400 crank, the problem with the 400 crank, they are cast Nodular iron and flex like a pretezal, but wont break. (if you have in your shop a good large C'clamp, tighten it down on someting and it will bend like crazy, but won't break, they are Nodular iron) The crank will eat main bearing like you have never seen in your life.
Just some old history
Zip.
02-23-2011, 07:19 PM
#22
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 2,190
WELL GUYS-- I have really learned alot about the 400's :evil: :roll: :cry: :roll: :cry:
I SOLD IT 2 DAYS AGO FOR A PROFIT :lol:
The old 500 CADILLAC is sitting there all apart and waiting 8) :shock:
I SOLD IT 2 DAYS AGO FOR A PROFIT :lol:
The old 500 CADILLAC is sitting there all apart and waiting 8) :shock:
