Quote:
Originally Posted by F ROCK
You've got a fresh, 5K mile 301, with a fresh 350 trans, and your ditching it for an old 400 w/ $3K for upgrades?
It will have more power for sure but 3K wont get you far in rebuilding; at least not as i have experienced.
Cylinders will likely have taper and need bored. heads will need to be milled and redone, crank trued, rods reconditioned, carb gone through, parts purchased, etc.
My Econobuild 464 cost me 5K$ with stock rods. The two reputable builders here in my area hate the idea of "Freshening up" an old engine.
you've still got the "Y"pipe.
If it were mine, I'd run the 301 for now, and gather other stuff; I'd get a nice stainless exhaust under there, ($400?) i think there's one at jegs or summit for $300; and use the remainder of the money for other stuff, maybe gears and posi.
Just my opinion.
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No matter how you slice it the 301 is a 150 hp turd no matter how much to try to polish it.
Maybe 175 to 200 hp?
Still a turd. There’s not much horsepower to be had with those anemic Siamese port heads that all 301s are saddled with.
Slipping a Summit 2800 cam and plopping a set of 6X-4 heads onto that running 400 bottom end would yield 275 to 300 hp. A new Melling M54D 60 psi oil pump with a new Melling driveshaft and a top quality timing chains set and a recurved HEI would round off the build. That way you’re removing the oil pan, cleaning it and resealing it.
If the lower end is still functioning and in decent shape leave it be. Getting the compression bumped up to a little over 8:1 by replacing the 6X-8 heads with 6X-4 heads won’t over stress the short block.
300 horses good.
200 or less won’t put a smile on anyone’s face.
