I m in the position to get a FREE,FREE did I say FREE 400 w/727 and all brackets.Complete from fan to tailshaft and carb to oilpan.My question to ya ll is,is this a smog motor,when was this motor produced.At present the motor is just sitting in a 68 b body,never has been hooked up.Does this motor have torq and hp?And yes it has a thermoquad.Would this have a date stamp on the side of the block?Thanks guys.Charlie
Joined: Tue Mar 21 2006, 10:24AM
Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 49
The 400 came out in 1971 as the replacement for the 383. Yes, they are considered a "smog motor" but respond to any hop ups like a 383 would. Plus free is always good.
Joined: Mon Feb 20 2006, 08:12PM
Location: Ontario,Canada
Posts: 950
I run a stock piston 1977 400 with cleaned up 452 heads & 494/292 cam, the short block has almost 180 000 miles on it and it ran 12.80 @ 108 in a 4000 lb Aspen.... the engine would be a good score..
You can make great HP and Torque even though the compression numbers are low...
"If it ain't for free, it ain't for me" is my moto so scoop it up...
I have a 78 Doba 400 in my 71 Powerwagon, 3.55 gears and it will pull like there is no tomorrow! Hauled back a 70 Fury Vert on a tandem trailer with it and could barely tell it was back there! This 400 has a Eddie 600 Performer on it and is pretty loose. Don't know much more about it, other than it gets 10 mpg on the hwy, around town or when towing that 6000+ lb load with the Fury. HA! It is a mizer compared to my 440 Fury!
Throw a stroker crank in there and have some real fun!
Joined: Sat Mar 25 2006, 07:31PM
Location: Nebo, NC
Posts: 86
Charlie,
I agree with the others: grab the free engine!
Now, you other guys please correct me if I'm giving Charlie wrong info here: my memory recalls that the 400 has a bad rep because it is a cast iron crank engine which has to have exacty the right balanced torque converter in order not to shake like a dog drying off. The cast crank is somewhat weaker, should not have its journals turned (like a 360) and does not have the degree of internal balancing that the forged-crank 383s did, hence the need for abalanced torque converter. None of this really means a hill of beans as long as you get a package with a good crank, a matching torque converter and you don't beat it to death.
Now I m not sure of the year yet,what do ya ll think the stock hp is for a 400,i m sure that varies thru the years.Whats the story on this motor,open chamber heads and dished pistons?Could it be lacking more?
If it does have dished pistons and open heads ,would flat top pistons make up for the open heads to boost perf and is there a draw back to that kind of thinking ?Or should I search for better heads?