Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific - Info On A 377 Needed

I have been thinking about some different ideas for my car. I'd like to get the new dart LTX block, but the cost of building one of those I could build anything I wanted to and put on a Fast kit or a megasquirt or whatever....

I have always wanted a big block car, but I personally don't think they belong in a 4th gen, but if it was an aluminum block it would be badass but still expensive and a PITA as far as headers and such

But my newest idea is a 377 (400 block with 350 crank) I know where there is a 400 block that could be had for a really good price, but then I'm going away from the LT1 but it would still be fuel injected, but I don't know.

Just thinking out loud I guess, but what would be better stay LTx and go big or do something a little different

I know this isn't exactly fitting for your question but my engine builder built a 388ci for me (1st gen) and a 377ci for his brother in-law to put in a 2nd gen. My engine was probably a midrange motor in terms of power/cost (roughly $13,000, should make about 675hp, redline 7,200 rpms)) and his was a little more low end ($8,000, 550hp) BUT it revved like an SOB. It hit 7,600 no problem and redlined at 8,000 and wasn't anything amazing. So point being, you should decide if you want high rpms and good power, or a little bit lower rpm peak and more power. With a big block, you'll obviously have even more power (and torque) but generally a lower max rpm. If you are mainly driving on the street then a mild big block would be fine, but if you plan on doing some street/drag racing then maybe a higher rpm small block would be better?

Personally I liked the 377ci, and building one with 4th gen technology could probably turn that 550hp into 600+hp with similar specs. Hope that helps?

Appreciate the input, gives me more to think about....

I currently have a mild 355 and I spin it to 7000 rpms and it makes power the whole way. I'm really wanting to do a motor swap mostly because I cheaped out on a few things on my motor and really regret it now and rather then rebuild it I would LOVE to build another motor.

The 377 would be badass for me since my car is more setup as a road racer than a drag car. I'm more into the sprinted style driving than building a drag car. I'd like to build something that would make around 550 rwhp and I think that a 377 built right would do that no problem, especially with a fuel injection setup, but the downside is the standard cooling verses the LT1 reverse cooling. My motor is about 12:1 compression and in a traditional small block running that compression would most likely require higher octane fuel than 93 octane pump gas.

But a 377 with a nice big hyd or solid roller cam, good set of heads (lots more for SBC than LTx) good stought bottom end, victor JR fuel injected intake, wilson elbow, LSx throttle body and that would be a badass motor.

But on the same hand I could get another LT1 block and build a 383 or a 396, but then I'm stuck with just a few head choices again and still have the opti spark :(

But like I said I'm mostly just thinking out loud right now, and really don't know where my ideas will go. But I'm really leaning towards a SBC, mabye with an LSx PCM and coil per cylinder......that would be interesting

377 is a good revving combo

Just trying to muddy the waters but have you seen this?

http://www.eficonnection.com/eficonnection/coil_per_cylinder.aspx

Just trying to muddy the waters but have you seen this?

http://www.eficonnection.com/eficonnection/coil_per_cylinder.aspx

Yeah I have seen that, and thats part of the reasoning for wanting to go Gen1.

Lots more options for affordable big cube engines, and lots of CNC heads that would outflow a good set of ported LTx heads right out of the box.

But there are some downsides that I'm trying to weigh out right now like standard non reverse cooling that makes the LTx kick ass and not having an LTx in my LTx car.

But the EFI Connection kit might be the thing for me to keep an LTx in my car since I can loose the POS opti

But for the cost to do a Gen1 swap the way I want it, I would be almost better off making the swap to an LS motor

And an ls motor is more expensive

If you stick with Lt1 and put the victor jr FI intake on it like you said above you will be able to run a standard Distributor ignition system and use a MSD box and so on. Goodbye opti

If you stick with Lt1 and put the victor jr FI intake on it like you said above you will be able to run a standard Distributor ignition system and use a MSD box and so on. Goodbye opti

I could do that too, but then I would still have to run some kind of trigger for the fuel injectoin wouldn't I???

Or I could make the switch to the EFI connection and run coil per cylinder and keep the LT1 and do a victor jr.

I think that mostly I would like to stick to the LTx platform, but do away with the opti, but I'm still unsure and just throwing around ideas LOL

I have a stock steel 350 crank. It may need to be turned 10/10. I had it for a while because I wanted to do the same. I put grease on it but you know how that goes. I would like to see someone do something with it. If you have a holley 750 around the house. I'll trade you. I'm not talking about a pro system or anything like that but one that works maybe needs a rebuild. This is my gift to you and only you.