More "Junkyard Jewels" for your musclecar project.....

Yesterday I spoke about some late-model engines that are plentiful in junkyards and would be a low-buck power infusion-especially if you didn't have or need a numbers-matching engine. All of these were small-blocks however-the largest was 360 cid. For those of you searching for big-block power on a tight budget you might have to search a little harder, and pay a little more, but there's still stuff available that could make your car really rock if your willing to compromise a little. I'll list them in no particular order. # 1. 390 Ford. These were used in millions of cars and trucks from 1961-76. If you can't find a good deal on a 390 then you aren't looking past the end of your nose. There is great aftermarket support-Edelbrock offers performance aluminum heads and single and dual quad intakes for these engines. and Lunati, Crane, Comp cams, etc, all offer cams from mild to wild. They look externally identical to a 428 so if you were cloning a GT500 or Cougar Eliminator no one would be the wiser. Edelbrock claims 418 hp and 434 lbs of torque for their "Performer RPM" 390 package. Magazine writers spout hp numbers flippantly-but trust me 418 honest hp will make any street car into a rocket. # 2. 430 Buick V8. These were only produced from 1966-69, but there are millions out there in old Rivieras, Electras, Park Avenues, Centurions, and wagons. Buick enthusiasts fight with machetes for 455s, but these are largely overlooked. Anything 430 cubes is going to have some serious low-end torque, and Edelbrock offers performance aluminum heads and intakes that fit these engines, and their are cams, headers, etc available from various manufacturers. Even bone-stock dropping 430 cubes into a Chevelle-size Skylark or Century is going to give you a serious power infusion.  Even if your building a GSX clone-they look identical to a 455 and have just as much grunt. # 3. 428 Pontiac. Same thing-Poncho builders will give blood and a first-born child for a 455, or spend a ton of money on a custom aftermarket 455 rotating assembly to stuff in a 400 block, but 428s are largely overlooked. They were only produced from 1967-69 but there were millions sold in Catalinas, Bonnevilles, Grand Villes, Gran Prixs, and station wagons. I personally love 428 Pontiacs. They rev up like a 400, and they have as much torque as a 455. If you have one, or can buy one at a reasonable price they would definitely give any Firebird, LeMans, Gran Prix or Ventura some serious street cred.  # 4. 403 Olds V8. Again-these were only offered from 1977-79 but there are millions out there in Pontiac Firebirds and Trans-Ams, Catalinas, and Bonnevilles, Olds 88s and 98s, Buick Rivieras, Electras, and Park Avenues, and all of the BOP full and mid-size wagons. They are externally identical to a 350 Olds. This means you'd get an instant 53-73 more cubes for your '60's or 70's Cutlass ( over the 330-350 motors ) and any speed equipment that fits a 350 fits these engines. Don't scoff at these "smog" motors. Because they were in heavy cars, saddled with a lazy cam, single exhaust and salt-flats gearing-2.41:1 or 2.56:1 was standard on most GM offerings in this period-they got unfairly labelled as a "dog". Trust me- if you had a 403 in a '70s Cutlass, Omega or Firebird and gave it an Edelbrock Performer intake and matching cam, some headers and an axle ratio between 3.23:1 and 3.73:1, you'd give those smug 400 Pontiac GTO and T/A owners a lesson they'd never forget. I had a '77 T/A with a 403, and after adding headers, a Holley Street Dominator intake, re-curving the distributor and re-jetting the carb, and adding a TransGo shift kit-I showed my taillights to many an aghast Z/28 Camaro, 5.0 Mustang, ,400 Pontiac T/As, and '70's and '80s small-block 'Vette drivers. Hope this gives you some ideas or saves you some money.  Mastermind