I was going to go the turbo route with the stock block but thats out of the question for now. I am now debating whether to go with a complete top end kit (cam, heads, intake, roller rocker, roller conversion or stay flat tappet, pushrods) or go carbed LS with some porting on the heads and intake.

 

I'm looking into getting (hopefully) hitting the 425 WHP.

 

The cheapest route to 425 rwhp might be just be to get your heads ported a little and run a decent cam

 

By your question I am under the impression you do not have an LS engine in the project car currently. Guessing it's a LT car? We have had several builds with a top end combo make 410-430RWHP on LT cars. Post some more data on goals budget and long term plans and I'm sure you can base your plan off of a correlation of data.

 

My ultimate goal is to have a mid-low 11s mustang that is still capable of being a dailydriver. all NA. no juice. the engine i have right now is a 355 sbc, flat tappet, stock crank, forged flat top pistons with valve reliefs, stock rockers, edelbrock performer intake, edelbrock 1406 manual choke, 305 HO milled heads (no porting), 700r4 w/corvette servo (nothing special). 8.8 trac-loc w/2.73s. stock suspension.

 

If you are looking to go turbo your desired whp should be easy, I'd look for a 5.3 swap the cam and have at it.

Or you could reach those numbers by getting a LQ4 or LQ9 HCI and stay NA.

You can also stay injected by using a stand alone system using stock ECM and cut down harness. It would probably run better than a carb.

Good luck.

 

That's easy in a foxbody. An old school flat tappet grind I used to use was a Magnum 292 cam from Comp and some Trickflow 195 heads on a 355. It ran 11.0's in a 1968 camaro weighing 3085 with driver. It also had a Weiand team G intake and a Gary Williams carb 3800 stall and 3.73 gears.

The only problem with all that is that you can get a cam only LS1 to do the same thing and probably come out cheaper

 

All I will say is I used to run the sbc and loved them, once I went to the alas atform, I will never go back. Simple, sweet and effective. Worth every cent.

 

I would switch over to an LS in a heartbeat if it wasn't so expensive to get one in my area. They run about $800 plus for a long block, no wiring, no ecu, no accessories.

 

Well, sounds like your mind is made up.

 

Get one off ebay then.

 

To me that's not that expensive for an aluminum headed motor capable of 500hp with just a cam swap. If somebody was selling an LQ9 or LS1 for 800 in running condition where I live, it would be mine.

 

Wow, an Ls is less expensive than a 450 hp SBC?
LS engine, $800(?), (mine was $1200), pan for conversion, $200, or the 8" pan dragging on the ground?, cheap cam at $200 min, or great for $400, exhaust to old mufflers or current system and no headers, $200 min, or headers for an LS cost about $300 to $1200+, computer, harness and updated programming, $500, plus dyno time and re-flash for power/ economy, add $250 min., then mounts, adapter plates, any gaskets and such, well it looks like $3000 to me.

How about a turbo? SBC STAINLESS STEEL MANIFOLD GT45 TURBO KIT SMALL BLOCK CHEVY 350 302 280 13 PC, (turbo, exhaust, BOV, inter cooler, clamps, and tubing for it, wastegate and all the gaskets, adapters, oil lies, and heat wrap ) Starting bid: $775.95.

How about a SBC top end kit? 383 Chevy Aluminum Top End Kit SBC DRAG and STREET Performance; Price: US $1,400.00 (500 horse power engine; PAIR OF PBM ERSON STRIKE FORCE SBC ALUMINUM HEADS: PORTMATCHED, Straight plug or Angle plug, 200cc intake, 64cc chambers , Harden valve seats, Bronze valve guides,.400 thick deck, 2.02 1 piece intake, 1.60 1 piece exhaust, ERSON SPRINGS .550 LIFT, CHROME MOLY RETAINERS and KEEPERS, 135#@1.800 1.250 O.D., 3/8 OR 7/16 SCREW IN STUDS AND GUIDEPLATES, VALVE STEM SEALS, PBM HEAD BOLT KIT WITH TEFLON COATED THREADS, 1205 FELPRO INTAKE GASKETS, PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS ALUMINUM CROSS WINDS INTAKE MANIFOLD (AIRGAP), DUAL ROW ERSON ADJUSTABLE TIMING SET, SET OF PBM ERSON PERFORMANCE HYDRALIC LIFTERS
5/16 PUSHRODS +.100 LONG .065 WALL, FELPRO GASKET SET/ ALUMINUM HEADS w/LOWER END GASKETS, CHROME VALVE COVERS, ERSON CAM SHAFT 230/230.480.480 ...MORE CAMS TO CHOOSE FROM FOR SAME PRICE, PBM PERFORMANCE CAM LOCK KIT, 1.5 ERSON ROLLER RACE ROCKER ARMS, etc.

Another choice? A BBC? 454 Big-Block Budget Engine Build - Making Cents
We Build A 700HP 454 For $2,403. Actually over 500 hp at the price of under $2000. w/o the NOS.
Read more: http://www.superchevy.com/technical/...ixzz2uBf9zyow;

or buy one complete at 570+ h.p. on EBay at about $4000 running. http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHEVY-CHEVROLET-BBC-STROKER-496-454-509-ENGINE-576HP-1990-UP-4bolt-MAIN-427-540-/230924067902?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35c425a43e&vxp=mtr
My choice? A twin turbo LQ4, LS3 heads w/ complete intake, w/ all the goodies you need to put them on the LQ4..... sorry; still venting about how much I have spent and I haven't bought the turbo kit w/ the turbos, the machine work, etc... but I got the engine, heads, pan, gaskets, Forged internals, ecu, harness, and twin turbo headers ready! I already spent $4000+, and no machine work yet! But I love the PAIN~!
These are really hard choices, but have the info first; the internet is your friend!
(worse than my wife, can't make up my mind!)