Old school build vs a stroker build

[dodgedifferent2]

I went down the rabbit hole twice.

340 I needed Pistons and needed the crank turned for the price of getting crank done and not trusting the local engine shops. Made more sense to replace reciprocating assembly. Which created the indy headed 418. I could of got by with the stock heads and would of been happy but nooo I wanted more .

Now I came across a 400 block without any internals. For same price of stock internals I created a 512. I had no heads but got some indy heads which I horse traded to purchase the trickflow heads.

Would I do a stroker again? If same situations arose I likely would.

 

[Dakotaacres]

I did exactly this when I rebuilt the 383 for Jigsaw...

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Stock 383 block, bored .030...

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Stock 383 crank, cleaned up with no machine work needed.

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Speed Pro pistons. Block square decked to achieve .015 deck clearance.

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'346 heads with mild port job, milled approx .070 from stock measured 84 CCs.
Springs rated for the 280/474 MP cam.

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Stock RB stroke windage tray....used and on the shelf so I put it to work here.

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Edelbrock Performer RPM intake.

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The rest was basic hot rodder stuff.....Holley 750, 1 7/8" headers, 2500 stall converter and the car runs great. The 383 Magnum was rated at 335 HP gross with a smaller cam, smaller intake and carb, exhaust manifolds and points ignition. The advertised compression ratios were exaggerations, by the way. This was a 2 barrel engine originally and the pistons sat .076 in the hole for what actually calculated to 8.12 to 1. Simply putting .039 Fel Pro head gaskets in place of the .020 steel ones would have left me at 7.8 or so. Holeeeee crap! It is calculated at 9.35 or thereabouts with the current arrangement. It had not knocked except when I overheated it on the freeway a few months back. I've since replaced the radiator and WP along with adding a good shroud.
Being a 383, it does run stronger with more gear. I had a 3.23 in it and was not impressed. I slipped in a 3.91 and it came alive. The 3.38 stroke is so short, it needs the leverage of gearing to get out of the hole quicker. A 440 could pull okay with a 3.23 but they have the longer stroke.

This id what I'd like to do. Do you have an idea of how much you put into engine?

 

[Kern Dog]

I can only guess.
machine work was about $800. That included bore, hone, deck, clean block and install cam bearings. Valve job, light surface.
The pistons were around $500. The cam was used for under $150. Intake was around $300 with tax. Add in paint, gasket sealer, gasket set, oil, spark plugs and that is about it. I had the headers, the carburetor, distributor, cap and wires.
I'd say about $2500 total in the engine since I had some of the parts here.

 

[Dakotaacres]

I can only guess.
machine work was about $800. That included bore, hone, deck, clean block and install cam bearings. Valve job, light surface.
The pistons were around $500. The cam was used for under $150. Intake was around $300 with tax. Add in paint, gasket sealer, gasket set, oil, spark plugs and that is about it. I had the headers, the carburetor, distributor, cap and wires.
I'd say about $2500 total in the engine since I had some of the parts here.

Thank you.
uff 800 for the block work. Been awhile since I built a engine. I'm hoping to get by cheaper...maybe a dream.

 

[Kern Dog]

It may be a dream.
The guy I have is semi-retired and has to limit his income at the risk of affecting his Social Security.
$800 seemed cheap to bore, hone, deck, clean and install cam bearings.

 

[Dakotaacres]

It may be a dream.
The guy I have is semi-retired and has to limit his income at the risk of affecting his Social Security.
$800 seemed cheap to bore, hone, deck, clean and install cam bearings.

OK
I'll have to see what it'll cost here in ND. A friend, a specialist here built my 340 back in 1972. I want him to work on my blocks before he retires.

 

[Kern Dog]

Uhh, just a thought but I hope that you have adjusted your expectations on pricing....your buddy sure wants more than 1972 era wages for his work!

 

[SlingLow]

It may be a dream.
The guy I have is semi-retired and has to limit his income at the risk of affecting his Social Security.
$800 seemed cheap to bore, hone, deck, clean and install cam bearings.

Does he not accept cash?

 

[Kern Dog]

He actually prefers to be paid in ground beef, Ibuprofen and whiskey.

 

[451Mopar]

I think a stroker kit adds about $1,000 to the cost of the rebuild, depending on how much work your old crank and rods would need.

 

[HawkRod]

Thank you.
uff 800 for the block work. Been awhile since I built a engine. I'm hoping to get by cheaper...maybe a dream.

Don't skimp on the block work. Having proper bearing crush on your mains and making sure your block is square and bored properly (without taper, honed with a stress plate and square to the crank) is critical to a good engine.

 

[myfeather626]

I see all these stroker kits and strokers in just about every classic car in my area.

Is old school build (340/383) still popular, like touchup maybe turn the crank, maybe bored with HP pistons if needed, stock heads maybe reworked (906/452), a different cam with stock rocks springs etc., aluminum intake, edelbrock carb, with stock manifolds or headers.

I don't have deep pockets. I'm assuming strokers are more expensive, or am I wrong.

Thank you

My problem is I get used to the speed and want more Horsepower?

 

[68 HEMI GTS]

All depends on what you have to buy for the stock stroke engine. Need pistons, rods resized with good bolts, balancing? The cost of a stroker kit isn’t much more. Same deal with the heads, by the time you have a quality shop work over a set of old iron heads, you’re probably close to a new set of alum heads. Machine work on the block is a wash.

 

[Cojohnso1]

If you want economical stroker, a 400 based 451 is about the most economical with stock rods and Kb pistons. I would probably buy the crank rather then machining a 440 crank to fit. But if you can turn the counterbalances and mains down affordably...they are a lot of engine for the $, and it will look like a 383.
383 doesn't have as many aftermarket pistons available but that doesn't mean you can't have fun.
A small block can run good and can be stroked as well pretty reasonably. I just Like the BB design better.
496 and larger I would expect to spend around 2k more on just the shortblock OVER a stock type build...if YOU can do the clearancing and assembly at home.

I'm a believer in the classic 451. If you have a good machinist resource? The advantage of having one in the know cut down a forged 440 crank is they can balance as its machined. Buying one you are assuming its right. Again, it's about the machinist. I matched mine with Ross 4 375 bore 99494 (flat top) piston. With stock 440 6.67 rods. Thru a decent ported 452 head. Pushed a 3100 lb Duster easily into the 10s. On a .590 purple grind cam. Pump gas build. Build was about $2500. With pistons being the highest cost. An old rebuild 850 dp Holley plenty big enough. On M1 manifold.

I lovingly call the 451. "A big block that thinks it's a small block." The dirty truth? (I believe) the stock RB block is too tall of deck height for its stroke. The short deck B-block with an RB crank? Solves that problem. Fast and cheap.

JMO of course.