63mako

This is a build for a forum member. He asked me to help with parts selection. He is building the engine.
Block- Dart SHP 31161211 $1500
Heads-AFR 195 75CC # 1036 w/ 8016 springs $1600
ARP Cylinder Head Stud Kit 234-4301 $220
Rotating assembly BCNC-3704 $2100
Cometic head gasket C5249-027 $200
Comp Cams 08-450-8 Billet core, Iron gear (special order from Comp)$300
CC Lifter Install Kit $130
CC Lifters 875-16 $230
COMP Cams Magnum Pushrods 7609-16 Check length first $100
COMP Cams Ultra Pro Magnum Rockers 1602-16 $320
Melling 10554 oil pump $85
Hamburger Oil Pan 0170 $200
Hamburger Oil Pan Spreader Bar Kit 1178 $10
Fel-Pro Oil Pan Gaskets QOS34510T $35
Edelbrock RPM Air-Gap Intake Manifold 7501 $230
Ultraseal 5822 intake gasket $20
Holley 0-76750BK $500
Machine shop operations
Bore and hone to 4.155
Deck to 9.013
Balance rotating assembly.
Weight match pistons, rod big end, rod small end to +/-.05 Gram before balancing.
Check pushrod geometry and get correct length. This will need to be done before ordering.
All parts are Summit except rotating assembly is CNC Motorsports. You can shop Ebay-internet with the part numbers I gave you and save some money. I figure your around $8000 and it will handle a 250 nitrous shot and the bottom end should be good for 7500 RPM shifts but the cam won't go past 6500. Should be about 550 HP and torque and very streetable. You will likely want a set of tall valve covers and a stud girdle.

63mako

Here is our initial communication.
1. What is your budget? $7000-8000. Less if I can, more if I have to.
2. What is your intended use? The car will be street-driven. Perhaps some light autocrossing in the future. No strip use.
3. What is your type of driving style? I'm a leadfoot. I do like to spin it up in the 4000+rpm range on occasion.
4. Redline RPM needed? Just guessing here. Perhaps 5500-6000 max.
5. Transmission and rear gear ratio now? TKO-600. Ramadei built 3.70 diff. His standard build. Not a super 10"
6. Any changes planned in driveline? No. I've tried to do that first. I've seen people do motors to old drivelines, with the predictable results.
7. Do you have a quality Machine shop in your area? Yes, several in fact.
8. Do you plan on assembling yourself? If so, do you have the tools and knowledge needed to do it? I have a friend with several SBC builds behind him. He will be the primary builder, with me assisting. I would like to be as involved as possible.
9. Do you have a trusted, experienced friend or race oriented machine shop close by and do they have an engine dyno available. Yes. I can't tell you specifically what for a dyno program they use.
10. Fast, Durable, Cheap. Pick two. Fast and durable. I want to do this once and right.

There are some places that you can save money but the higher the power goals and the higher rpm requirement the more you will spend. Durability declines with Redline capability and how often you hit it. That is a fact. That said if your honest with your answers and goals I can help and steer you toward the parts and steps you need to take.

63mako

This build ends up with .040 quench, 10.36 to 1 compression, 8 to 1 dcr. Will probably run on midgrade possibly regular.
Cam is single pattern, .597 lift, 286 duration, 230 duration @ .050 110 LSA.
3.70 rear gear with TKO 600 trans. 1st gear ratio is 10.61 to 1

cv67

8k is a realistic figure for a stout S/Strip 406 and goe$ up from there.

Too bad people still fall for the cheap ebay stuff ....then cry later when they are paying for it all over again.

AGVI

Sounds like a decent build plan. Keep us up to date with more info and pics as you progress.

bluedawg

Why bore the new block to 4.155"?

Matt Gruber

i agree with bluedawg, i'd not bore a new block,
... but i'd look into a longer stroke.
Cold start drivability will be so much better with the RPM(not the air gap). If there is a problem with excessive torque, an open gasket can be added later. The guy will have to learn how to roll into the throttle anyway. So i don't see how the airgap is going to kill enough bottom end to use the throttle as an ON/OFF switch with 400+ cubic inches!
He is not going to notice 2 or 3 extra HP at 5500, but he will notice a big power dip, when driving off gently on a cold start. It will stall easily with the airgap. A 2 minute warmup will solve that problem. But, without that cut down divider, the car won't need any warmup, and it will drive off cold like it did when the car was new.

garygnu

looks like a great engine .a 3.875 stroker crank would be nice.but you probably have pistons picked out with the piston rings & rod wrist pin at a safe height for NOS.

larrywalk

That's an awfully tight tolerance on weights - 1/20th of a gram! What tolerance will you really use?

SuperBuickGuy

Let me add my voice to the chorus singing "no bore" 400s have trouble with cooling (thus the steam holes) between the siamesed cylinders - taking material away from the cylinder wall makes that problem worse -been there, done that, read the book, inked the TV deal.


That said, solid build with the right parts

MotorHead

195cc heads and a little cam like that what are you thinking you need at least 227cc Eliminators .....
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Only kidding sounds like a good build, should make 5-550HP and very streetable, you have my permission to procede

MotorHead

He is using an SHP block not an OEM block, big difference.

bluedawg

The shp blocks have scalloped block walls to aid in the cooling issues. They don't have steam holes so the heads don't need to be drilled accommodate steam holes. Dart recommends that the block not be bored no more than .040" so boring .030" limits the rebuild capabilities of the block. This build is real similar to what I built. Mline cost 10,000$ but I think 8k is doable.

7t2vette

Big difference!

63mako: your build is very similar to my 406, the parts list is almost identical. Should make a stout 406!

TheSkunkWorks

Call me conservative, but since we're only talking about ~6 cubes between 4.125" and 4.155", I'd hesitate to bore any brand new iron block out to within .010" of its max the first time around. JMO


And, for the sake of discussion, since the possibility of a 250 shot of nitrous was mentioned, shouldn't a dual pattern cam or additional exhaust port improvements come into consideration?

63mako

Could go with 4.125 bore. That kit is available with standard bore pistons. He never mentioned Nitrous but this should take it. Forum member was looking for 6000 RPM hydraulic roller build so that is where the cam selection came in. The rotating assembly is lightweight Callies/Mahle W/ 6.00 rods. There are thousands of combinations available. This is a well matched combo that matches the gearing and trans and meets the needs described.

63mako

good catch meant .5 gram. Closer the weight match the better the balance.

bluedawg

Callies compstar crank and h beam rods with mahle pistons is the same I went with. Seemed to be quality steel. There lighter weight stuff is way more money. If I was to build an engine that was going above mid sixes on power I would have probably went with the dragon slayer or lunatics sledge . If the owner wanted more bore, I beleave the little m can be bored a lot more than .040".
& can tolerate more stroke but costs a thousand more.

63mako

Yes, I speced lightweight. Standard would save $250. I would go with a Fidenza #15 flywheel too. This lightweight rotating assembly is nice with manual trans with the right gearing especially autocrossing. I used the Callies compstar rods and Mahle pistons in my build. They come with upgrade rod bolts and the weights were within the specs I posted out of the box. Tried to keep him as close to budget as possible.

71scgc

Hey guys,
Thanks to all for chiming in on this. I asked 63mako to help me out on parts selection for this build because I find his advice here very straightforward and practical. He was very kind to take the time to come up with this list for me. I'll be going over it with my friend who will be helping (actually me helping him) put this thing together. I plan on sticking to the list provided. I think it's going to be a lot of fun, and I know I will learn tons in the process! Given the time of year, and that I have to head out west (OK, TX, LA) for the holidays and business, I probably won't get to ordering parts until after the new year.
I will do my best to keep up with this thread. I will bone-up on my picture posting skills, and hopefully the result will be an informative thread that will be helpful to CF members in the future.
Again, Thanks all, and especially huge thanks to 63mako!!
Carter