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Build 346 or go bigger cubes....

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Old Apr 29, 2009 | 09:24 PM
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Question Build 346 or go bigger cubes....

ok guys so heres the deal i have a 6 speed cam, bolt ons, & nitrous car and ive been debating on which way to go with it... i want the car to be street/strip and be able to drive decently on the street. is it worth the money to build a stock bottom end 346 or should i at least forge the bottom end? or is all this kinda pointless and should i upgrade to a L92 setup or something? its NOT going to ever be a outright strip only car but it is used for street and strip. i need something that will hold together and produce good power.

am a college student so a budget is a must just not sure how big yet. what i do know is...

-will NOT be a strip only setup
-i dont want a trailor queen
-must be able to still somewhat enjoy driving it on the street
-nitrous will be used but still want big power all motor.
-would like to get it tuned for 93octane
-my cars a 6 speed and staying a 6 speed

*what you think guys?

Last edited by CaMaRo67RS355; Apr 30, 2009 at 09:51 AM.
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Old Apr 29, 2009 | 09:30 PM
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judging by the your sig; i would do a full suspension then 9in before you start diving into a powerful stroker motor. i plan on doing either a pro charger of ls3/l92 one day. i can't even hook with the stockish power i got now. that's changing though in the next few wks.
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Old Apr 29, 2009 | 10:30 PM
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do a 402-408 type stroker. no substitute for mid range power from teh big motor on the street or track
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Old Apr 29, 2009 | 10:39 PM
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Definatly bigger cubes. Thats what im gonna do someday...
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Old Apr 29, 2009 | 10:49 PM
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If your going to stick with the go gas as your power adder go bigger cubes.
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Old Apr 29, 2009 | 10:51 PM
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Go the biggest cubes your budget can afford.
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Old Apr 30, 2009 | 06:33 AM
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i got full suspension need the 9" then the only thing i wont have suspension wise is a k member


Originally Posted by airforcemanss
judging by the your sig; i would do a full suspension then 9in before you start diving into a powerful stroker motor. i plan on doing either a pro charger of ls3/l92 one day. i can't even hook with the stockish power i got now. that's changing though in the next few wks.
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Old Apr 30, 2009 | 06:58 AM
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now ofcourse i cant afford to buy the most baddest bigger cube motor out there, but what are most people using when they go bigger with cubes? where do i need to start?
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Old Apr 30, 2009 | 09:25 AM
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A 408 is very popular. It can be boosted or n2o and will handle it fairly well. You can make anywhere from 450 rwhp - 600 rwhp n/a depending on the setup. It's about the best bang for the buck right now as far as cubic inches and per dollar.
It all steps up from there. Are you going to run a power-add?
The short block is one thing but the top end is where the power is made. You need to set a budget, then go from there.
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Old Apr 30, 2009 | 09:39 AM
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Originally Posted by 99blancoSS
A 408 is very popular. It can be boosted or n2o and will handle it fairly well. You can make anywhere from 450 rwhp - 600 rwhp n/a depending on the setup. It's about the best bang for the buck right now as far as cubic inches and per dollar.
It all steps up from there. Are you going to run a power-add?
The short block is one thing but the top end is where the power is made. You need to set a budget, then go from there.
i be using n2o... im trying to figure up a budget but this is what i know for a fact so far. i am a college student so a budget is a must just not sure how big yet. what i do know is...

-will NOT be a strip only setup
-i dont want a trailor queen
-must be able to still somewhat enjoy driving it on the street
-nitrous will be used but still want big power all motor.
-would like to get it tuned for 93octane
-my cars a 6 speed and staying a 6 speed

what you thinking so far?
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Old Apr 30, 2009 | 09:46 AM
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408, or maybe a 370 if that is all your budget will allow, going with an l92/l76 top end should allow you to make good power without going too radical on the cam selection, and should love the juice
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Old Apr 30, 2009 | 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by CaMaRo67RS355
i be using n2o... im trying to figure up a budget but this is what i know for a fact so far. i am a college student so a budget is a must just not sure how big yet. what i do know is...

-will NOT be a strip only setup
-i dont want a trailor queen
-must be able to still somewhat enjoy driving it on the street
-nitrous will be used but still want big power all motor.
-would like to get it tuned for 93octane
-my cars a 6 speed and staying a 6 speed

what you thinking so far?
Well.... I would look to saving up about $7500-$9000.
408 short block (from me) is $4474 or $4274 with Callies and Wiseco or Scat/Eagle and Wiseco. I know you can find a 408 for less money, just not from me...LOL

Then you need the top end and this is where the budget really comes into play. You can spend any where from $1300 to $7000 for a top end for it.


-will NOT be a strip only setup
-i dont want a trailor queen
-must be able to still somewhat enjoy driving it on the street


Those points all are pretty much the same and the cam selection will dictate most if not all of that with the 408.

-nitrous will be used but still want big power all motor.
-would like to get it tuned for 93octane
-my cars a 6 speed and staying a 6 speed


Big power will come from the heads and cam selection but you need to define your idea of big power. a 408 making 600 rwhp is not as streetable as one making 535 rwhp. (n/a)
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Old Apr 30, 2009 | 07:46 PM
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now do i want a aluminum block or iron? how much difference is it in weight compared to my 346 i have now...

anyone else wanna chime in?

Originally Posted by 99blancoSS
Well.... I would look to saving up about $7500-$9000.
408 short block (from me) is $4474 or $4274 with Callies and Wiseco or Scat/Eagle and Wiseco. I know you can find a 408 for less money, just not from me...LOL

Then you need the top end and this is where the budget really comes into play. You can spend any where from $1300 to $7000 for a top end for it.


-will NOT be a strip only setup
-i dont want a trailor queen
-must be able to still somewhat enjoy driving it on the street


Those points all are pretty much the same and the cam selection will dictate most if not all of that with the 408.

-nitrous will be used but still want big power all motor.
-would like to get it tuned for 93octane
-my cars a 6 speed and staying a 6 speed


Big power will come from the heads and cam selection but you need to define your idea of big power. a 408 making 600 rwhp is not as streetable as one making 535 rwhp. (n/a)
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Old May 1, 2009 | 02:21 AM
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Originally Posted by airforcemanss
judging by the your sig; i would do a full suspension then 9in before you start diving into a powerful stroker motor. i plan on doing either a pro charger of ls3/l92 one day. i can't even hook with the stockish power i got now. that's changing though in the next few wks.
i agree, as soon as you put any power to it its just gonna spin the tires. then you're gonna want traction and break a rear end.

rear end first!
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Old May 1, 2009 | 07:40 AM
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Originally Posted by kmracer
i agree, as soon as you put any power to it its just gonna spin the tires. then you're gonna want traction and break a rear end.

rear end first!
i already have full suspension minus the k member so im good there Midwest Chassis 9" is coming soon
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Old May 1, 2009 | 10:02 PM
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the lq4/lq9 based 408's are iron, the other route would be to go with a LS2 402 or 408 which is an aluminum motor. the iron motors weigh about 65 pounds more. I've read that its worth going iron if you plan on big boost of big juice but with a moderate shot (about 200-250) the aluminum motor will probably be fine seeing that people spray that much on their forged LS1 aluminum motors.

If i had the money I would do the LS3 aluminum 408 with the L92 cnc heads and L76 intake. Those cnc'd L92's flow better than the most expensive cathedral port heads because of the rectangular port and only cost about $800 from scroggin dickey. I've seen iron 408's with the L93/L76 combo run in the high 9's low 10's without the cnc heads in fox bodies and weight reduction cars. That seems like the easy/cheap way to make about 450-475 to the wheels.
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Old May 2, 2009 | 02:42 AM
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Originally Posted by 78novacaine
408, or maybe a 370 if that is all your budget will allow, going with an l92/l76 top end should allow you to make good power without going too radical on the cam selection, and should love the juice
staying with the bigger bores for N/A and NOS for sure, 346 for FI

But forced induction=not cheap at all

plus seems like all the cool new **** coming out does not fit with the small bore blocks

Last edited by SELLSZ06; May 2, 2009 at 04:31 AM.
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Old May 2, 2009 | 04:04 AM
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torque = f-t-w. cubes = torque.
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Old May 2, 2009 | 04:33 AM
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hey kmracer Im in Huntington too
what you driving?

sorry hijack
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Old May 5, 2009 | 10:18 PM
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bump it
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