So some suggestions here. I still have the 400 Sml Blk that came with my 74 and I figure its getting about time to put it back together.

The block, heads and crank are in good shape. Minor scratches on cylinder 8 from a frozen wrist pin in one of the pistons. I should mention this is one of the 400 blocks that has only 2 freeze plugs on the side not 3 and yes I am sure the block is a 400 not a 350, stamping matches the VIN. Also the Engine casting matches up to 400 as well as the steam holes and lack of water passage between 3n5 and 4n6 and the 4.125 inch bore.

Anyway I was Lucky I took it off the road before anything dramatic happened. I was offered 350 for the block about 7 years ago as it sat because some guy got excited over a casting number on the side.

Block has never overheated either. So for arguments sake lets assume the block is sound.

What do we do to get around 350-400 streetable horse out of it. I was thinking of ditching the 882 heads and maybe going with vortec heads and port fuel injection. I guess headers are a given too.

I don't mind a bit of a rumpity idle but nothing too dramatic. So give me some ideas here. :listen:

We might be in a similar boat soon. I'm going to look at a 74 with a sb400 2 barrel carb. Not sure on its heads just that its had them redone and an rv cam.

I'm looking to get 400hp out of one myself and found this combo

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/71298/index4.html

They quoted 460hp 500 tq but when I put those specs into some software I got around 400-420hp and 475-500tq

Mine will be a weekend playtoy so I plan on 2 chamber flowmasters and a big lumpy cam that will vibrate the walls in the garage on idle :)

I've been able to relegate mine to weekend duty. Anyone whose owned one of these for any period of time knows its not the kind of ride you want to drive two hours to work each day 5 days a week in traffic. I had to do that for about 2 years and I ended up spending lots of weekends under the hood.

As for image, I'm more of a "sleeper" kind of guy myself. There's a 69 Firebird in my garage that's fast as hell but tempermental as hell too. I don't want that kind of experience.

I want folks going down the freeway to think it's just another El Camino till I get on it a bit. I know that's possible especially with fuel injection and good flowing heads. I also like a nice low rumble at idle. Not lumpy but kind of a constant Bass note that kind of goes through you. Like those guys with the big stereos except it's horsepower not " Grandmaster MC whatever"

For parts I've had really good luck with Rick over at ECParts.net and the ElCaminoStore has been trying to tool up for some repro parts that OPGI and PADDOCK won't bother with for the 4th GEN.

I hate when they say "RV" cam. That can be anything but chances are its gonna be on the torquey side. While you are looking at it keep some stuff in mind. You probably already know this but in case you're caught up in the excitement of the moment ......:-D

Check the bed near the back wall for rust near the corners. Also check the rear sheetmetal by the back wheel openings. Look at it on the lower part. See if any rust holes or paint bubbles are showing. Real common place for the 4th gens to get rust rot. Also check the underside of the floorpan back under the rear window and about a foot back. The mufflers usually get mounted there and if mounted too close to the floorboard can cause rust holes. Found out that one the hard way.

Anyway have fun with your shopping trip! Hope you find a good one. 8)

4th Generation Elkys like a lot of torque, they are heavy and bulky and it takes a bit to get passed the inertia needed to move it from dead stop. A 383 or a 400 is a very sensible choice for a power plant in these trucks. I'd go 6" rods for the added torque as well, as a matter of fact I did in my 383 and it make a big difference in the torque not a little.

I am using a cam that is a little rough but not so much that a stall converter is absolutely necessary but it is also a way to go. It's the Comp Cams XE268. If your looking to save a bit of cash then get a set of vortec heads, the AirGap Intake and a good 750 Carb. If you use the Edelbrock 750 start with a jet size of 136 and go up from there otherwise you end up too lean. No spacers with the AirGap they have no effect on it and will end up putting the air breather too high. If you went with a standard 1.5:1 rocker than you will get about 350 to 380 Horses and about the same torque or a little more. If you go to a 1.6:1 and a 9.5 compression or better then you can see upwards to 400, 420 horses and the same or better torque.

I am using the 1.6:1 roller rockers, and the Edelbrock RPM heads, all my top half is all Edelbrock Aluminum and I am getting high 10 as far as compression. I used a 6" Scat rod and KB Silv-o-lite flat tops pistons with an offset wrist pin and a Scat Stroker crank.

I've twisted two THM 350's in two with what mine is putting out. Arguably, I guess, it could be said that the transmission was defective but I did it twice. At any rate I am well pleased with my 76 and I do drive it as much as possible. With any high output engine there is always a maintenance factor that is going to be more than just buying a new car, like a Vette or Camaro and having to do maintenance on it. But its not going to be that much more if you do it right.

Just a thought

I had planned on putting a shift kit and torque converter before I make too many mods to the block. I might try swapping out to a 4 barrel intake/carb and open air intake and slap on a set of 2 chamber flowmasters. What headers would you recommend to tuck in there?

The elky I'm looking at already has a th400 thats been rebuilt and seems to shift pretty well so I'm hoping it should hold up better than a th350.

Then the fun part will be getting the back end to hook up.

all the advice given is great..i have just finished putting together a 400 engine myself..Im actually getting the exhaust put on this saturday. If or when you do rebuild the engine definitly go with a bigger rod..I moved up to 5.7s..the stock rods for a 400 wears out the cylinder walls prematurly. If you can afford 6 inch rods thats even better.. As for me i went with basically an edelbrock performer set up...edelbrock carb..manifold..and a cam thats a lil bit different from edelbrocks but pretty much the same. Its bored out 30 over as well with a compression ratio of 9.8 to 1..I would say make sure you have a good machince shop. that would be my only advice..400s have so nice in the sense that you really dont have to do much to them to make them perform..make sure you run a 4 row radiator as well..I have heard that these engines run a little on the hot side.. i have never heard of a 400 with only 2 plugs always thought they came with 3..you have something special on your hands.

Yeah, I got scared at first till I found the stampings on the motor and the vin stamping that matched up with the dashboard vin. Then I measured the cylinder bores and they were still 4.125 and the steam holes were in the heads too and no water passage betwen the siamesed cylinders. I think I already mentioned the guy I bought the 350 that is in it now offering me 350 for the old block as it sat.

BTW it got pulled because someone thought it would be nice to "sweeten" my motor up with about a cup of sugar in the gas tank. Heads were a mess as was the Q jet. But they are both rebuildable..

8)