[slowbird]

Since I like the 400 and most everyone seems to be running 455 or stroked 400 now days (there doesnt seem to be many 400 out there), I thought I would start a post for people that are still running a 400 to list their combo and et (if they have one for it). For some reason I have always liked the 400s for street engines.

[*67firebird*]

stock 400 haha, getting a performer tomm in the mail or saturday. and a summit 2802. Does that count? really cant afford much now that im going to school, need to pay loans oh and gas.

[Midnight Goat]

I have a 400 in my 67 but its pretty much stock except for the holley up top. 670 heads, no porting that i know about and some really nasty rusted headers. Engine came with the car so i dont know what it has internally but im pretty sure its close to stock. I would like to eventually build a fast 400 combo so im interested to know what combos people have.

[Z Code 400]

Slow,

I am running a .060" 400 based on a 1970 400 4-Bolt Main Block. It was align honed and both the block surfaces and caps were cut to maintain the correct crankshaft to deck centerline.

The oil passages were drilled out with special extra-long bits and everything was polished to a mirror finish. The oil pump was blended to match the new, larger oil pump feed hole in the block.

The front oil galleys were tapered, tapped and plugged with narrow 3/8" 'flush-fit' plugs with a pointed back profile pirated from a 429 Ford.

The stock 'N' crankshaft was cut .010" and micropolished. Stcok rods were polished and resized with new bolts. All rods were lightened to the weight of the lightest rod. Balancer is a Professional Products unit.

The pistons are Speed-Pro Coated Skirt Hypereutectics (L2262F) and the block was squared and decked. Pistons are .005" 'out-of-the-hole' at TDC. Speed Pro Moly Rings were used. The deck is drilled for the '421 style' colling modification.

The 6X-4 heads were also drilled for the '421' cooling modification and ported, polished and gasket matched. Guides are 'K-Line Bronze' inserts with S-I OEM Valves 2.11" intake and 1.66" exhaust.

New (OEM) dual springs were used with ARP Studs, Crane Poly Locks and Comp Cams 1.5 Roller Tip Rocker Arms.

Airflow was 220 cfm intake and 195 cfm exhaust @ .600" lift and 28 in/H20.

The camshaft is of my own design and lift was based on the airflow of the ported and polished 6X-4 heads. Lift is .461"/.461" with 220°/226° @ .050" on a 111.5° LSA. This is a flat-tappet hydraulic.

Intake is an Edelbrock Performer with exhaust crossovers welded shut and 1/4" pass holes drilled, similar to those found on the popular Edelbrock Heads.

Carburetion is a List #80783 Holley 650 Vacuum Secondary and a stock HEI was recurved to provide 16° initial, 20° mechanical by 2800 rpm and 10° of ported vacuum advance.

The engine will be fitted with Hedman #28150 1-3/4 primary Headers and a Flowmaster #17103 Crossflow 2.50" Mandrel Bent System with the #42585 Crossflow Muffler. This complete system is already in the car and running.

Flywheel is a new hays 30 pound steel unit contained in the stock Pontiac Aluminum Bell Housing. Clutch is an 11" Diaphraghm unit.

Gearbox is a 1968 M-22 'Dual Drain Plug' 1" Countershaft Case fitted with a new M-20 gearset with 2.52:1 first gear ratio. Tailshaft is the small 28 spline unit with a 'passenger's side speedo' tailhousing.

Shifter is a new Hurst Competition Plus and linkage is the giant 1/2" rods from an early Corvette.

The Differential is a 1979 8.50" 10 Bolt with disc brakes and 3.23:1 gearset. Brand new Superior stock replacement axles were used. The entire brake system is new and D.O.T 5 Silicon Fluid is used, as it has been since 1986 in all my cars.

Wheels awaiting installation are 15 X 8 X 4.5" Corvette Rallye's powder coated silver, mounted NASCAR style withou trim rings or center caps.

Since the build is in-progress, I cannot tell you what kind of performance the car will have. However, I can tell you that even with the stock 42,000 mile 350, it is a blast to drive.

I hope this information is helpful...Robert [email protected]

[76transam76]

I just finished rebuilding my stock 400 for a little more performance. But today I am taking it out to fix my dipstick problem. Anyways, it is a stock crank with CAT rods I beam. Bored .040" with speed pro forged flat tops and the assembly is balanced, and I polished the valve reliefs on my pistons. Polished the combustion chamber on my 72cc e heads. Harland sharpe 1.5 rockers. Comp xe274 cam with their hydraulic lifters. Butler 9.350 pushrods. Spotts no PCV valley pan. Performer rpm intake. Stock Qjet for now, but my teacher is very knowlegable about quadrajets that he is going to help me tune it. Seems to run pretty good like it is now. Moroso tall valve covers with a dent on the drivers side to clear booster. Midolen aluminum water pump. Soon to be redneck 3000 converter. Hedmen hustler headers and flowmaster complete exhaust. Canton road racing oil pan and m54ds oil pump. All of this in a 76 trans am. I think thats everything.

[Old Man Taylor]

Z Code 400 – Great information, but I don’t feel like typing that much. Below are summaries of the 400’s I have run.

’64 Tempest Race only (still in car) – 10.71 at 124
’68 4-bolt main 400
Stock crank turned 10/10 with Crower Sportsman forged rods
Ross pistons, 9.9:1 compression ratio
Bored 0.060 to 4.180
E-heads that flow about 315 cfm
271/278 solid roller, 106 LSA installed at 102
1 7/8” headers, T-400 with 4200 stall
4.56 spool (now 4.10’s) in ’68 Chevelle 12-bolt
Victor and 4500 Dominator
Slicks were 28x10.5 and are now 29x11

’64 GTO Streetcar (many years ago as it got upgraded to a 428) – 12.20 at 114
’68 2-bolt main 400
Stock crank turned 10/10 with ’73 SD forged rods
TRW pistons, 10.5:1 compression
Bored 0.030”
670 heads with mild porting
1 ¾” headers
244/252 hydraulic cam, 110 LSA installed at 108
4.33 posi in ’66 Chevelle 12-bolt
’66 Tri-Power
29.5x9 slicks

[steve]

is this the same "jim taylor" i see in HPP all the time ???

[OLDFLM72]

Balanced .030 over 400
Bullet 224/230 .485/.491 110LSA
e-Performer/Holley 780cfm
Ported #13s/HS 1.65s (1.72)
Dave's Small Body HEI/MSD 6AL
Summit 4-tubes/Pypes x-2.5"
TH350/Hughes GM25 2500
Auburn Posi/3.42 gears

72 Formula 400

V/R,
Ty

[screamingchief]

is this the same "jim taylor" i see in HPP all the time ???

Nope,this one is west coast Jim Taylor,the other "builder/HPP" Jim Taylor is out east.

My race car will be sporting a 400 when I get it together sometime this year,here are some basics:

400,bore is + .030" over,eagle rods (6.625"),TRW/speed-pro forged pistons #L2262F 30,2 bolt mains,N crank,block is early seventies vintage ('72 IIRC).

Heads are 670,with port match and some bowl cleanup,flow ???,stainless undercut valves,comp 995 springs,retainers,10 degree locks,viton VS seals.

Cam will be a custom ground crower,specs are 288/292 adv.,256/260 dur. @ .050",.518/.523 NET lift with 1.5 RR,ground on a 108 LSA,installed @ 104 ICL.
Lifters are crower as well.

Rockers will be harland sharp 1.5's for now,maybe up this later when the heads get ported further.

A stud girdle will be in place,have a comp and a jomar,will likely use the comp girdle for now.

Oiling will be melling M-54 with the spring shimmed just a tic to get 70 or so PSI,pan will be the deep moroso,modified OE 4/5's windage tray,and a HD driveshaft will be used.

Timing will handled by a billet gearset.

Will use SFI balancer and flexplate.

Intake is a port-matched torker II with a 1" open spacer,carb is a modified 800 holley DP with down leg boosters.

Ignition is locked out HEI,with an external coil,MSD 6AL,MSD timing computer w/retard for when nitrous is used,MSD cap,rotor,bushing,wires and such.

Drivetrain will be a 3000-3500 convertor,a hd TH400 with manual VB,rear is a spooled 12 bolt with 4.10's,C-clip elim. and moser axles.

Slicks are 28.5x10 M/T et drag mounted on 15"x8" 5.5" b.s. weld draglites.

Fronts are standard skinnies.

Car is a '70 lemans/GTO,glass front end,hood,decklid,6 point rollbar,harness,fuel cell,weight empty should be in the 3000-3200 lbs. range.

Nothing exotic,but should be fun,and I'm gonna spray the life out of it after I get it dialed in somewhat,but I've also got some parts I'm gonna use for a few back-up 400's I'm gonna throw together for more fun when I nuke this one!

Will update with times when it gets to the track.

[David Jones]

400, .030 over, TRW 2262 pistons, Ram Air III manifolds, stock intake with the water crossover seperated and the exhaust crossover removed and the runners gasket matched and aligned, Thermoquad 9800 carb, 1" 4 hole spacer, 220/224 hyd roller cam, 1.50 roller rockers, #48 heads mildly ported, 2.5" exhaust, 11" PTC Converter, T400 trans, 3.55 posi, Dave Ray smallbody HEI.
255/60-15 rears which yeild no traction. Loads of fun when the secondaries come in.

[norton70]

what does it mean to have your water crossover seperated and the exhaust crossover removed? i know u can block your heat crossover, but i dont know what it means to have it removed.

[Old Man Taylor]

Steve - What screamingchief said.

Norton - separating the water cross over allows you to line up the ports in the intake manifold to the ports in the head more precisely. Removing the exhaust cross over typically means you ground it off of the manifold. What is what I did to my '66 tri-power intake.

[Bill Eveland]

My 400 is a 66 389 bored to 4.120" /Trw forged pistons. Headers.
670 heads. 1.52 magnum roller tip rocker arms and magnum lifters
Comp Magnum cam [email protected]", 480" lift on 110.
70 cast iron intake, 800 cfm Quadrajet by Cliff.
26-2800 Redneck 9.5" stall, th400/ 3:90 rear end

[norton70]

i understand the heat crossover...but the water crossover, i still dont understand...the water leaving or entering the heads come thru a tube, correct....thats as far as my knowledge goes...is there a idiot guide or picture i can refer to. thanks.

[David Jones]

When I seperated the water crossover, the saw blade left a faily wide slot (kerf) where the metal was cut out. I then ground on the new cut and removed more metal. As you can see from the picture all of that gap was taken up in correctly aligning the ports. They weren't very accurate from the factory.

[Skip Fix]

400 that was in my TA before the 455 - 76 2 bolt 400 0.030 over zero decked, 2262 TRWs with the heavy pins. Crower billet rods. 0.010 400 crank. 614s pocket ported/gasket matched. RAIII type valves. 72 HO intake. 73 SD replacement Qjet. Comp flat tappet 242/236 @ 0.050 on a 110 lobe sep IC 106. Norris 1.6 SS rockers. Hedman/Fix 1 3/4" heders 3" H pipe, 3" flowmaster 2 chambers,2.5 mandrel tailpipes. TH 350 4000 stall 4.56 27x9x15 M/T slicks. 12 teens 111 mph 3900lbs.

[69birdboy]

Here's my 400.

400 .040 over
Stock bottom end
Performer intake
holley 3310 750 cfm
#16 heads stock
UD 280/288 223/231

[mrtonegto]

OMT:
Would you post some picks of your tri-power manifold showing the crossover ground off? I'd like to do that on mine.

[455_regal]

a 400 for the street.....keep it simple...6x heads shaved .060" deck and intake side, summit 2801 cam, stock 4 bbl intake and Qjet, headers and 2.25" duals. not too steep of gears, use the torque.

[Will]

Previous 400:

#13 heads, mildly ported (maybe 230 cfm)
+.030" with TRW slugs shortblock, stock rods, ARP bolts, zero decked.
Comp XE274 cam, Comp Magnum 1.5 rockers.
HEI distributor.
Performer intake, cut down under secondaries, 800 Q-jet.
HO Tri-Y headers, 2.5" Flowmaster exhaust.

Installed in 3840 lb race weight '72 Formula with 3.23 gears and Coan 3000 stall 11" converter.

Performance:
13.60s @ 101-102 with 1.9 60' on street tires.

Engine had internal problems and self destructed before I got it fully wrung out.

Next 400:

#061 heads, ported by Dave Bisschop, flow 270/195 cfm, exhaust crossovers filled.
+.030" block, TRW pistons, stock rods beam polished, ARP bolts, zero or +.005" deck height.
Old Crane solid roller 232/244 @ .050", 113 LSA/109 ICL, .335" lobe lift - roller version of RAIV.
HS 1.72 rockers, .560" lift at valve after lash.
HEI distributor/Crane HI-6 (rev limiter set to 6200)
Holley Street Dominator intake, port matched, plenum ported, water crossover separated, exhaust crossover removed. Various spacers will be tried.
800 CFM Q-jet by Cliff. Will also try Holley 850 DP.
Holley Super Comp headers to 3" exhaust with X-pipe & Dynomax Ultraflows.

I'm building this combo because I have all the parts except rings & bearings on hand and I'm too poor to buy new parts right now (like rods & a more modern cam design).

Going into my '73 4-speed 'bird with 3.73 rear gears. This car is going on a serious diet, hope to get weight under 3400 lbs with me in it.

Expected performance - ???? Hoping for mid 12s on street tires.