Thread: Tell me about a 400 sb

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I sounds like you know exactly what I'm looking for, a driver with decent power, not looking for every pony possible.If I would use shorty headers,would I gain much and would that change the receipt for parts? The choices for exhaust on this car come down to 2 1/2 true duels with pressure bends hooking to manifolds. Or shorties with a y pipe going to a single 3 then splits to 2 1/2's to a dual muffler in the rear. At least that's all I can find on the internet, they really limited what you can do under this car, It's pretty tight under there. Right now it has 3:42 gears that can easily be changed because it's a non posi rearend. I'll be getting a different one to swap it with so any gear ratio is possible.It will be getting 4 speed trans also.Thanks a lot for advice on this. I would like to get the exhaust ordered and throw that on the 305 for now and do the engine and trans swap later this winter. My banker has cut my funds until some stuff sells, I sleep with her so I better listen I will need more learning info on the pinch point but I might as well wait till I get the donor motor out and apart.

i will be finding out myself how a 400 does. Found a complete 509 block one with a th350 on it at a flea market type place in perry kansas for 700 dollars. Had a freind rebuild the transmission (2500 rpm converter) then we rebuilt the stock bottom end put a mild cam with 487x heads(drilled steam holes) an performer intake with a 3310 holley up top. hope it will be a fun driver.

on a budget i have tore down, cleaned and put new bearings and gaskets in one. lap the valves . i used a 262 cam for street . kit has new gears/springs . performer rpm intake and 600 holley . low budget motor but i never had a failure .

Originally Posted by partchucker

i will be finding out myself how a 400 does. Found a complete 509 block one with a th350 on it at a flea market type place in perry kansas for 700 dollars. Had a freind rebuild the transmission (2500 rpm converter) then we rebuilt the stock bottom end put a mild cam with 487x heads(drilled steam holes) an performer intake with a 3310 holley up top. hope it will be a fun driver.

What's the static compression ratio? What cam did you use? What's the squish/quench?

Trade off the Performer for a Performer RPM #7101 or a Weiand 8150 or a used Holley 300-36 or a used Weiand 8014. You're gonna leave 30-40 hp on the table with that short intake manifold and the motor will have all the bottom end you can handle with the taller intake (power from 1500-6000) and 2500 converter.
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