tazman03

Ok I have been pricing everything. I found an old motor for $100. I have to see what year the block is, I forgot to ask. Is there a way to tell by the stamping on it? This will be a NA build, but I want a solid bottom end just incase. I plan on keeping this car for a long time as I have owned it since I was 16. This is going to more or less be a street car to play in. NOT a Daily Driver or a drag car. I want to run Premium fuel so Im staying @ or under 11.0 :1. RPM range will be probably be under 6,500. I dont see this motor turning power after that. If Im wronge please throw your input.

This is what Im thinking so far after reading a ton of articles and forum post's......

First off I have to get the block work done.... I have never had one machined before so I really dont know what it runs. I need the usual for rebuilding a motor. with .030 over bore. Any ideas?

Eagle Competition assembly = $1600 from http://www.adperformance.com/index.p...roducts_id=336


As far as heads goes, I need some help... I am on a budget here. I really dont want to spend long dollar for AFR's 205cc's. I was thinking more along the lines of the Victor Jr top end. Should be more than enough for what I need I would think.
Found them for about $1350 @ summit.


Intake will be Edelbrock.... Vic. JR. single plane is what Im thinking, But it will probably be better to go with the dual plane for the lower RPM range and a larger carb. Still havent found the best place to get one ? Any imput?? I have found them on EBAY here and there also.

Cam.... I heard that a "hot" 351 cam is considered mild in a 408 stroker? Any ideas on which direction I need to be heading?

Decide on carb later.....

The car will be geared at 3.73 more than likely unless I just stick with a auto then I will run 4.10's


This is my first build so I want to do it right and have all the info I will need befor I buy a single part. Right now I am working with about 5K. Maybe a little more if need be.....

tazman03

Everyone forget this thread???

psuhillbilly150

Sounds like your building the exact same motor that I built. I put a large solid roller cam in mine to turn the RPMs that the Victor Jr intake and heads are built for. My rpm range where i make power is 3500 to 7500 but my cam runs outta steam at 7200. My cam specs are in my signature. The -5cc dish pistons with the eagle kit with a 70cc victor jr head will give you either extreamly close if not exactly 11:1 compression. Also the victor just head is a 210cc intake head. I run 93 pump gas in mine with no problem. Got a 950 carb on the top of it nets me around 2 to 4 mpg. With no drag suspention or anything in the back but 245 tires I can smoke em off doing 40 mph in 3rd gear through a fully built T-5.

The cam is really where your going tofigure outhow radical of a motor that you want, and if you go with a big camI would recomend getting bare heads so once you pick your cam you can have the valve train built exactly right for that cam. At least thats the route I went. To pick the cam it sounds like you have all your specs in order. Time to start making phone calls to all the cam places you can think of and getting recomendations from the guys with the software and the experiance.

My motor cost me 8,000 dollars as itsits in the carjust fyi, not going solid roller will save ya cash as the lifters i used were 550 bucks for the set and I went with that holly950, 4150 carb which is expensive.

92civy

After all is said and done My motor will end up costing me $5000 MIN, And I am on a budget and buying most of the stuff used!

tazman03

psuhillbilly150 You just hit the nail on the head for me. I wasnt sure if this motor would turn up to 7500 or not. I am on a budget too as 92civy working with about the same amout, but I am finding alot of used misc. parts. Im not skimping where I need the good stuff though.

I really dont need a radical cam in it. I want to be able to drive this car and have fun but be reasonable. (as if a 408 reasonable, ) Not trying to build the baddest out there by any means. Anything more than the v6 it has will make me happy, but if your gonna go to the trouble you may as well build it right and be done. EDIT: Im gonna try and go roller cam. I am not sure what the block is yet. I havent picked it up yet. A family member knows someone who has one laying around so I will see. What is involved for the retro fit?

I here you say your getting 2-4 mpg with your setup? ouch..... Im gonna finish this motor and gas is gonna shoot to $5 something a gallon, lol. Oh well. I hardly drive the car as it is with the 6er in it...... I still baby it.

I am having a hell of a time finding header big enough...... They are all 1 5/8". Thats pretty small. Does anyone make some a little bigger without a custom job?

psuhillbilly150

Roller block is 86 or 87and up if i am not mistaken for the 351w I am sure I will be corrected ifI am wrong. Also the machine work and valve train fitment and some other really techinical work was done by the owner of a machine shop thatI am aquainted with so i got a deal andI am sure it help my bottom line.

I live in a rural area so guys run some wicked stuff, circle track and whatnot, but the motor that I built was a little more than I had expected to get myself into. After driving it, the car is getting a 12pt cage and I haven't had one person say I was going to live past 27 who has ridden in it, (I am 23 right now.) I have had a couple of people refuse to get into the car with me though, and the cops have been brought to its location on a couple of occasions.

With not turning to 7500 thats nothing you have to worry about I am sure a motor with the parts you and I used or are thinking of usingwould spin to 9k before it made pieces. I know mine has seen 7600 at least just from me having a heavier foot then brain. My engine builder and machinist think it could hit 10 on a one shot go before there was catastrophic failure, not to say it wouldn't hurt everything on the way.

Also roller cam is one thing, solid roller is another, solid roller will unseat your rockers and make the car sound and work like **** unless you spend the extra money and get stud girdles and even then you will have to keep after your rockers every 50-100 miles especially if your spinning alot of Rs.

*Edit* Just gotta watch, if ya go like me with a HUGE cam,andya get something that loves RPMs like i did your into 2-4mpg, go a little milder and ya might get 6-8, either way 408 is not a gas sipper

S351R13

Roller block is 94 to 96 only.F4TE casting.

psuhillbilly150

thanks for correction s351r13, thought I was a bit off.

tazman03

Thanks for the casting #'s. Youve been helping me all over the board with some of the finer details I need to know and I greatly appreciate it.


psuhillbilly150...... is the 2-4 mpg with the foot buried in the throttle , lol. I know a 408 is not easy on gas either way though. It's a nice weather/ weekend car but I still want to be able to drive it a couple times a week through the summer. I will be running the 4R70W auto trans behind it so maybe the OD will help it out a bit if I took it easy with the right foot.

I laugh my a** off at the looks I get riding around with this 4" cowl hood and no sound coming out from under it. People will get used to seeing that a bit and thats alright with me. They cant see me anyway behind the 5% tint with black interior. Then I will change it up a little on them.

I dont want to go Solid roller at all. Im not lashing the valves everytime I drive it. Like you said even with girddles you still have to keep on them.

I am going this week to get the car repainted to get rid of the flames and get the motor from Alabama. Plus I get to see my family so Im excited. Project is getting under way finally. I will see what year/type the block is.

tazman03

S351R13..... What kind of numbers are your 351's putting down? Im assuming they are just the standard 351's? Head work or new heads, intake?? comp ratio? Just picking your brain a wee bit more

I guess all together I am looking for say 400 HP. I dont want to get stupid with it. I would rather this car be fast light to light versus huge HP#'s. Been mulling over some #'s and trying to figure out for the money and reliablity which route is better. I REALLY want to build the 408 but if I can turn a reasonable amount of power with the 351 cammed right and a good set of heads I could save myself alot of money and still have streetable car whenever I want. No need for me to get greedy. Plus I really started weighing the disadvantages to the 408 and where I live, I more or less can only cruise in the car. Detroit has cops up the ying-yang and traffic is a nightmare. I really cant race it and dont want to be sitting there at light after light burning a full tank of fuel while she starts overheating.

What would you guys do in this instance? Go big and have a bad *** 408 or go moderate 351?


EDIT: psuhillbilly150........ You have any video from this setup? Curious to hear what it sounds like with that big a** cam in it.