Overlooked big-blocks that may work for you.....

Gearheads are always looking for more power, but many of us are also looking for big power for low bucks. The trend in magazines is toward the biggest possible engine you can afford. The key word being "Afford." Not all of us can swing a $15,000 572 inch Chevy Rat motor or 514 inch Ford, or 505 inch Chrysler. If your playing with a 50's or 60's or 70's car and want some tire-boiling torque but don't have a ton of expendable income don't despair-there are ways to go to get 400 or even 500 streetable horsepower cheaply. In people's "Bigger is always better" frenzy-you can find some overlooked gems. # 1. 396 / 402 Chevy. Everyone today wants a 454, or a 502. 427's weren't that plentiful to begin with, and most of those are snapped up by Corvette collectors. However-besides being used in SS396 Chevelles, El Caminos, Camaros and Novas-this engine was used in hundreds of thousands of Impalas, Bel Airs, Monte Carlos, station wagons, and light and medium duty trucks from 1965-72. A 396 can make just as much power as a 454, it will just be at a higher rpm. In fact-all other things being equal-i.e.-heads, cam, induction etc-a 454 only makes about 40 more hp than a 396 / 402. The bigger-is-better crowd will argue that the 454 will make more torque; that's true. But when you already have 480 lbs ft of torque-do you really need 525? Honestly if you need more power than a  properly built 396 /402 can deliver then you need a Pro Stock drag car, a competent therapist, or a cage. # 2. 428 Pontiac. Everyone fights with machetes over 455s, and the hot setup now is to put a cut-down aftermarket 455 crank in a 400 block. The 428 is largely overlooked. Even though they were only used from 1967-69 their were hundreds of thousands of them built in Catalinas, Bonnevilles, station wagons, and Gran Prix's. I personally love 428s. They make as much torque as a 455, and they rev up like a 400. They have thicker cylinder walls than a 455, and can be safely bored .060 over-which gives you 440 cubes. You can make 400 hp and 500 lbs of torque with an iron Q-jet intake and iron exhaust manifolds and the right cam. With aftermarket Edelbrock or Kauffman heads and a Performer RPM intake and headers you can make 500 or more hp easily. Stuff that into your '60's Tempest or '70's T/A!!  # 3. 383 / 400 Chrysler. Every  Mopar restorer wants a 440-so these can be a bargain. Some people are putinng stroker cranks in 400 blocks to get 451 inches. Since the 383 was used from 1963-71 and the 400 ( which is just a bored out 383 ) from 1972-78 there's a lot of them around. Again-a 383 / 400 can make just as much power as a 440-it will just be at a higher rpm. You may need stiffer rear-end gears or a higher-stall torque converter with a hot 383 as opposed to a 440; but you'll go just as fast. The only difference between "B" engines ( 361-383-400 ) and "RB" engines ( 413, non-hemi-426-440 ) is the deck height. The intake manifolds won't interchange. However Edelbrock, Weiand and Holley all make performance intakes for "B" engines. Edelbrock even makes a "Six-Pak" intake for them if you want to run 3 2bbls. #4. 390 Ford. Ford fans will give blood and a first-born child for a 428, or a 429 / 460, but 390's are largely overlooked. They were used in millions of cars and trucks from 1961-76, so finding one shouldn't be a problem. They got a rep as a "dog" because 99% of them-( except the 4bbl Mustang / Cougar versions ) were saddled with 2bbl carburation, a lazy cam, single exhaust and high gearing in big cars and trucks. They were considered a "towing" engine. However, with the right equipment, they can really rock. Edelbrock makes performance aluminum heads for these engines, as well as matching Performer RPM cam and intake. I think Edelbrock claimed 422 hp and 447 lbs of torque with this combo. One of these "Junkyard Jewels" might be just the ticket for big power for low bucks in your blue-oval ride.  Mastermind