[racerboy]

I’m about to pull to pull the original WS 400 out of my ‘70 TA because it pings pretty bad on 93 octane. Engine has less than 6000 miles on it, but previous rebuild used the 8-eyebrow stock pistons. It has the original #12 heads. Everything else is original to motor (except alternator - different thread.

I’m trying to decide my best choice for an engine build, and I would really like yo run a stroker assembly. Here are my options, as I see them.

1. Simply get a stroker kit for my RA III engine. I’m not sure what kind of dish I would need to run the #12 heads, but this option is appealing to me because it keeps the car numbers-matching. One potential downside is that I think I would never feel 100% comfortable with beating on it too much because I’d be concerned about damaging the original 4-bolt WS block. Is that concern unreasonable?

If I pull the original engine out and tuck it away, then I have two other options:

2. I have a complete 1971 400 w/ #96 heads. I don’t know the history of this engine, but assuming everything passes magnaflux, I would build a stroker using this block. For originality, I’d prefer to have my #12 heads ported and run them on this block, unless running the #96 heads (which would need a complete rebuild) makes more sense on a stroker due to larger cc.

3. I also have access to a 1972 455 bare block. This block is already fluxed and bored .030 over. It is ready to be built. I don’t have any concerns other than reading some opinions they a stroker based on 3.00 inch mains might be a bit safer than using a 3.25 main block.

Plan is to run a SD Performance ‘Stump Puller’ hydraulic roller. I would also have Dave CNC machine a cast-iron intake. Car is a 4-speed (M-21) with a 3.73 12-bolt posi.

Other options I might consider (if I didn’t just build a stroker out of the original motor) would be to run a set of KRE d-ports they were ported by SD Performance. Biggest issue with this is that it’s not really clear when those heads might be available. Dave is still catching up on past work due to the flooding in his shop.

Asking for opinions here and also want to know if I could run #12 heads on a stroker or would the dish need to be so large they it would kill the quench area. Also, is a 400 that much safer to stroke than a 455, or is either equally fine. If I did go the SD Perf. aluminum head route, would a Street Dominator/Tomahawk intake be a better choice. This is going in a Trans Am so the aftermarket intake choices are limited due to the shaker.


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