Small Block & Big Block Chevy Specific - SBC bottom end questions

Hey guys i am building a street/strip car. 1976 chevy nova. I was wanting some input on bottom end options from your guys experiences. My local machine shop has either a 400 or 350 block available to choose from. This is going to be somewhat a budget build and the machine shop also has a steel crank for a 350ci for $200. Stroker? 6 in. rod? Does the 400ci. over heat? They want a difference of $200 dollors on the blocks.

Parts gathered up so far:
elderbrock aluminum heads (202/160 70cc) straight plugs
victor junior intake
b&m zgate
350 turbo (redline internals kevlar clutches)
12 bolt (456 posi)

Any info/suggestions is appreciated and considered. What brands on bottom ends are better then others? Since hyper pistons are cheap, can they hold nitrous cause we are going to be using about a 150 shot. What other parts do you all recomend considering what i am wanting and what i have already?

Thanks, mark

The 350 will take more abuse usually and is less common to break between the cylinders unlike a 400. Stroke the 5.7 block and be happy with it.

what is your input on 6in. rods? what kind of machine work is needed if any? what kind of machine work is needed with a stroker? can it be done with normal tools? or should i have it done perfessionally so its balanced right? What kit do you recomend?

sorry about all the questions

Thanks, mark

Its OK, i have built 3 or 4 stroker motors, 383s. You have to clearance the block to allow the rods not to hit the bottom of the cylinder, the 6 inch rod is better for high RPM. The 5.7 is better for a mild street motor. I have the 6 inch. The Scat rods made for 650 HP that are the I beam design are EXCELENT for having extra room to clear the cam lobes so a small base circle cam is not necessary. Thats the ones i used. You will have to use a grinder, like a dye grinder with a deburring bit, the bit i use is for porting heads. If you do not have the time and do not want to worry about making a mistake then let a experienced friend or shop do the work so you can sleep better knowing there is no issues. You will have to have the assy ballanced to make it work in harmony.

i heard the scat kit was weak and one of my friends broke a scat crank.

Scat's 9000 series cast cranks and 4340 I-beam rods are VERY nice pieces for the money (cheaper than refurbishing stock parts) and will easily take over 500hp under 6500rpm. I run them in my 450hp 383.

i'd go eagle rods. 6" will be just fine but you must use the correct piston for 6" rods. for the money versus durability, you can't beat eagle.

Go 400ci You will not regret it. I will take a 406 over a 383 any day. And yes scat makes nice parts. Go for the forged pistons.

i have a all scat forged 383. i cut the .500" off the counterweights of the forged crank and i'm running 6" rods. with diamond pistons. very nice piece.

What do you think about the hypereutectic pistons? can they handle around 500hp or nitrous? i am on my way to advance right now to see what my buddy can get me with his discount. So ill post what i came up with tonight.

Thanks for the info guys, mark

What do you think about the hypereutectic pistons? can they handle around 500hp or nitrous? i am on my way to advance right now to see what my buddy can get me with his discount. So ill post what i came up with tonight.

Thanks for the info guys, mark

I am using an Eagle 4340 crank, 6" H beams, Mahle forged pistons in my 385ci. All are top notch parts for what I am using them for.

A 400 apples to apples will outpower a 383 due to the larger bore which unshrouds the valves and makes more power. They are less reliable I belive unless you go with an aftermarket block. Good condition 400 blocks with no core shift are getting $$ and hard to find.

For the small price difference between hypercrap and forged, it's forged all the way.

i have complere 400 and a block i would gladly sell if anybody is interested.

i think i have decided more on the 350ci. But for everyone else how much are you asking and what all is in the complete? stock? freshly done? forged? you know.....

Thanks, mark and sam

For your level of power just buy a rotating kit with forged stuff it'll handle the power you want and take some nitrous, you could probably get a nice kit for a little around 1300-1400 bucks that will take 600 hp plus another 200-300 in nitrous.

what he said.

Any updates on this. I'm trying to decide on a bottem end for my 383. And I also will be spraying 150+ I also heard Scat isn't that good? Any input?

So....... im sure the components can hold upto 500 or 600hp but what about a stock block.....?

look guys heres the combo!
DART BLOCK(RACE SERIES)
AFR FULL RACE HEADS
ULTRA LITE SCAT,CROWER,LUNATI. W/A FULL DETAIL & RACEPREP (3.875STROKE)
H-BEAM RODS(SCAT)6.00"
FORGED JE OR ROSS OR CP "NITROUS" PISTONS 11.5:1(4.185 BORE)
MANTON RODS
CROWER SHAFT ROCKERS
MANLY NEXTEC TRIPLE ROLLER SPRINGS
CROWER SOLID ROLLER LIFTERS
CUSTOM BILLIT 8620 ROLLERCAM
TOTALSEAL 2nd GAPLESS RINGS
DART,BRODIX,WORLD (PORTED & POLISHED) INTAKE
INTERNALLY BALANCE THE THING AND MATCH THE CARB TO THE COMBO

look guys heres the combo!
DART BLOCK(RACE SERIES)
AFR FULL RACE HEADS
ULTRA LITE SCAT,CROWER,LUNATI. W/A FULL DETAIL & RACEPREP (3.875STROKE)
H-BEAM RODS(SCAT)6.00"
FORGED JE OR ROSS OR CP "NITROUS" PISTONS 11.5:1(4.185 BORE)
MANTON RODS
CROWER SHAFT ROCKERS
MANLY NEXTEC TRIPLE ROLLER SPRINGS
CROWER SOLID ROLLER LIFTERS
CUSTOM BILLIT 8620 ROLLERCAM
TOTALSEAL 2nd GAPLESS RINGS
DART,BRODIX,WORLD (PORTED & POLISHED) INTAKE
INTERNALLY BALANCE THE THING AND MATCH THE CARB TO THE COMBO

Man I'm on a college budget, unless you want to donate all this to the "Southern69chevy is building a Nova Foundation" then I will consider this setup.

im in college too, plus raising a family! trust me i feel ya bro! im trying to get goverment grants to ease the pinch! u should try it!, what could it hurt?

What do you think about the hypereutectic pistons? can they handle around 500hp or nitrous? i am on my way to advance right now to see what my buddy can get me with his discount. So ill post what i came up with tonight.

Thanks for the info guys, mark


x2 on that

Hyper pistons are ok for a mild performance, 6000 RPM on a 383 or 6400 on a 350 is ok, but they are so hard that they are kind of brittle, i had a set lose one on a 383 and it destroyed so much that i will never use them again on a motor that makes real power.

They are ok for about a 150 shot of the dope, but that is really your limit.

Lets do it this way. What's the best forged bottom end kit for 383's that can be sprayed they hell out of and on a budget?

eagle. Everyone says eagle is vary reliable and good company

What do ya think about this deal right here

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250333549765&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=

Personally i prefer Scat, it is cheaper and just as strong, the bad news...all scat and eagle products are imported steel, making it cheaper technically, that is why Callies and other castings cost more, BUT, i dont know ANYONE who has built their engine correctly that had a problem with Eagle or Scat, like i said, the price of scat is better and just as good.

Personally i prefer Scat, it is cheaper and just as strong, the bad news...all scat and eagle products are imported steel, making it cheaper technically, that is why Callies and other castings cost more, BUT, i dont know ANYONE who has built their engine correctly that had a problem with Eagle or Scat, like i said, the price of scat is better and just as good.

Well I figured awhole 4340 forged bottom end for 1500 wasn't bad.

Ive heard alot of good things about trikflow heads but ive never used them. Im an afr man myself! The deck on them is nice and thick, good for nitrous!

Well I figured awhole 4340 forged bottom end for 1500 wasn't bad.

Yea, that is about the going rate, but for H beams it will usually be a bit more.

Yea, that is about the going rate, but for H beams it will usually be a bit more.

That kit had H beam rods

im in college too, plus raising a family! trust me i feel ya bro! im trying to get goverment grants to ease the pinch! u should try it!, what could it hurt?

Honestly man I'm paying for it all out of my pocket and I'm kinda proud of that one, plus I'm trying to build a car on the side lol.

A good way to look at T6 Hypereutectic pistons is this:

They are just as strong as a low-buck forged piston, but not as detonation resistant.

According to David Vizard.

That kit had H beam rods

What was the cheap part? Usually they are more with H beams from eagle, so there is usually a cheaper part in the kit.


A good way to look at T6 Hypereutectic pistons is this:

They are just as strong as a low-buck forged piston, but not as detonation resistant.

According to David Vizard.

The cheap hypers do not like high RPM as they are so hard they are actually brittle and can come apart at the higher revs(It happened to me).

look guys heres the combo!
DART BLOCK(RACE SERIES)
AFR FULL RACE HEADS
ULTRA LITE SCAT,CROWER,LUNATI. W/A FULL DETAIL & RACEPREP (3.875STROKE)
H-BEAM RODS(SCAT)6.00"
FORGED JE OR ROSS OR CP "NITROUS" PISTONS 11.5:1(4.185 BORE)
MANTON RODS
CROWER SHAFT ROCKERS
MANLY NEXTEC TRIPLE ROLLER SPRINGS
CROWER SOLID ROLLER LIFTERS
CUSTOM BILLIT 8620 ROLLERCAM
TOTALSEAL 2nd GAPLESS RINGS
DART,BRODIX,WORLD (PORTED & POLISHED) INTAKE
INTERNALLY BALANCE THE THING AND MATCH THE CARB TO THE COMBO
your looking at around 12000.00-16000.00 motor here....

What was the cheap part? Usually they are more with H beams from eagle, so there is usually a cheaper part in the kit

I was thinking the samething when I found it but it has 4340 eagle crankshaft, 4340 eagle H beam rods and SRP forged pistons.