SBC 400 Block + 327 Crankshaft Dyno The 350 Chevy Should Have Built (2016)

- repurposed 400 SBC Dart block
- 3.25" stroke 327 steel crankshaft
- 6.250" Scat H-beam connecting rods
- 4.165" SRP forged pistons w/ 1.125" compression height
- 10.8:1 compression ratio
- 4/7 swap; mild 218/224 @duration .050 solid roller cam
- Edelbrock RPM Air-Gap intake manifold
- stock cast vortec heads with upgraded rocker studs
- running on 87 octane pump gas

Producing:
- 435 hp
- 440 lbs ft
- giddy up!

A huge thank you Jim Richmond of Richmond Engines! ~ the video capture/creator guy.

Shot on a iPhone 4, after the cold killed our primary camera's battery. Ha!

#283 #302 #327 #350 #377 #383 #400 #sbc

[strattuner]

mopar guy here, chevy has made two engines that impressed the hell out of me, 1---- 292 6 cylinder, marvelous engine, and then the best high winder--- 2--- the 327 something magic about that stroke of 3.25, that 327 put ME in the 12's in a shoebox 55 chevy every weekend, see mopar guys like all AMERICAN IRON

[davescbradiorepair]

I've always loved short stroke motors like the Chevy 283, 327 and the Ford 289s that turn 9 grand in super stock. Also loved the way Glidden took the Ford 351 Cleveland destroked it to a 330 and cleaned house with for years, you just can't beat a properly built short stroke big bore motor.

[ruthlessronniethemechanic]

I built a dirt track motor that got us kicked out the class for dominance. It was a dart 400 block custom Bryant 2 1/8th stoke crank 6.50 rods and a 4.125 pistons made a high winding little motor would hit 10 k rpm before we knew it. An little 317 cu motor was a monster. But was with in the rules. So they kicked us off the class the smallest motor in the class

[stlchucko]

I remember reading the article “The 350 Chevy should have build” in HotRod back in 1996. 400 block, 327 crank, with 300 i6 Ford rods (machines to fit, pistons with raised wrist pins for the length to work), 11:1, good heads, etc. Similar results… over 400hp and torque on 87 oct with a mild cam.

[immrd]

Wonder engine! We did a 377sbc for sand drags and it performed WONDERFULLY!

[nelsoncollier]

Back in the day, the original article so impressed me that I made a copy for my SBC performance files.

[tommywicker]

In the 80s into early 90s I built several sb 400s with the 350 crankshaft, badass builds, made alot, alot of money on the streets with this combo

[BrainDeadEngineering]

I built 348's for dirt late models . Spools FAST ! 635HP 8400 rpm . 6 track championships . Killer engine !

[JT-SE-OHIO]

No matter what combination of parts you put together Chevy always comes thru with power. I've had many different size Chevy engines over the years and the one's I liked the best were the one's using the 400 block.

[irongoatrocky]

In the mid 80's I built one of these strokers for a street stock class I was running using a 400cid 4bolt block, a 327 Large Journal Forged Steel Crankshaft w/ 2.02 1.6 54cc Camel Back Heads, Pink the time Arais made a forged flat top piston for the application, turns out on paper using stock dimensions it was a 348ci Little Mouse of a motor that would run a 350ci into the ground!

[hitekredneck]

Lol....love it!!! 350 torque and screams like a if both worlds!! We put didge 318 rods (6" ish iirc) in a 350 in high school. The small ends were the same size and we had the engine builders resize the big end to accomodate the stock 350 crank. We turned the tops of the stock low compression smogger dished pistons to clear deck height. That sib was near if course it would float valves at 7k rpm and bend push rods it was a very budget build. It woulda been a great motor for off roading cuz you could rev it to the moon.

[thegizmo]

TO THE GUYS AT C F PERFORMANCE IT IS NICE TO SEE YOU PEOPLE KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT AND HAVE SOME GREAT COMBINATIONS KEEP UP THAT GOOD WORK

[badcamaro]

Nice build. Did a similar build in 1991 using a factory 2 bolt gm block. I was stuck with the Ford rod due to budget constraints. About the most trick thing in the engine was the Pistons from a local MFG in Long beach CA. I do not remember the name of the MFG but it started with a V and set me back over 300$ 1991 dollars. And a set of bowtie Phase 1 iron heads home ported. It was a awesome combo with a solid tappet Isky z35 cam (also locally MFG in Torrance CA) Many friends / racers Questioned the 350-claim due to the 400-block missing freeze plug. Never raced it on 87 fuel but drove it to work many days with 87 in the tank. Nice to see a modern version built without the Weak 300 rod. I never broke one due to rod failure mostly due to the rpm limits of the Z35 cam as it was all done before 6500 rpm. I never had mine on a engine dyno but at sea level (brotherhood raceway in long beach) it was very constant 10.70 in a 3200 lb car (72 vega). I guess it was in the 450- 500 hp range on pump gas.

[brucegillies]

I believe the BB W 348 had a Bore/Stroke comb like this ! Pretty torquey, used in 2-5 ton trucks !
409 had huge bore and short stroke…….My favorite Bow tie !

[alleyoop]

Back in the 80's my uncle in Merritt BC had an old school 348 in his 56 Chevy 1/2 ton. We hauled 100's of loads of bedrock with blocks between the rear end & the frame. It worked great, and I always thought about building a SBC version of it. I DO have a 509 block & a large journal 327 CAST crank that I could use. It would get used in my 61 C10 that would see alot of towing up to 12, 000 lbs GVW truck & trailer weight up to 9% grades here in the Kootenays

[PerformanceEngines]

This is a common street stock engine build in areas with NASCAR tracks. Most have a 360C.I. limit and this combo goes thru tech with an engine pump. Gives an advantage with the big bore for cylinder head flow. Spacers or spacer bearings make this doable.

[waynetessier]

Excellent build, love that it's on 87, and here I was all happy i'm making big power on 89 octane with 10.7 to 1 with aluminum heads.

[KennyFisher-iodm]

Own a 350 Camaro '67 model and have for 49 years! Been well satisfied, but wish Chevy engineers would have done it this way!

[vincel]

This exact combo was tried decades ago and written about in one of the major Hi Perf magazines, with similar results. Also a 350 with 1/8" stroker (370 ci) also does well built with Smokey Yunick specs; his Smokey Ram manifold, too. Streetable 500 HP single 4 bbl.

[boomer]

Very cool, still have a copy of the magazine. Always wanted to build one for my Z28. Never took the time and eventually sold the car. Awesome to actually see and hear one run. Thanks