Noobie here, Cheapest most performance motor for dollar?

[bwhitejr]

Hi I am new to this forum. I am about to start on my 1970 Barracuda project car that doesn't have an engine and I was wondering which block has the greatest bang for the buck?  It will be a fairly radical street machine.

any opinions out there?

bwhitejr

[JimCuda]

Did you have a price point that you were trying to stay under for just the motor alone?

Were you thinking stock performance?

Were you thinking more power? If so, do you have a horse power number in your head?

 
Jim'Cuda

[bwhitejr]

12 Second car.

[Chryco Psycho]

basically more CI = less $ spent to get the same performance so 440 or 440 stroker

[gomangoRT/SE]

    When in doubt......... go big.    440 or more cubic inches to obtain the higher dollar for dollar horsepower.   Small blocks are wonderful though.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

It would be easier to get a big block into the 12 second range, but you still have to spend some $$$ on upgrades. 

  Mike

[kudakidd]

to build from scratch, a small block would be cheaper. Ma made a ton more (still are) small blocks hence cheaper part prices

[Follicly Challenged]

Better question for this might be " whats the most power can be had for this amount $$$$$$$", or something along those lines.
Remember, save some budget for the whole drivetrain combo, not just an engine, works better that way. TOTAL budget, then "engine alone" budget, usually then "some more too" unfortuneately !

[JimCuda]

12 second car is do-able just keep in mind that having a ton of horse power can make your car slower without the correct traction.

You could pick up a 402 motor minus the carb built and ready to drop in with 435HP for about 6k. That should get you into the 12 range I would imagine. Just work on the traction.

If your looking for a small block you can do a 360 minus the carb built and ready to drop in with 390HP for a little less than 5k. That should get you rockn as well.

[bwhitejr]

I kinda always fancied the 340.  But I noticed the prices for parts are quite a bit more than the 360 and the 440.  Is there a reason for this?  PAW has entire 440 stroker engine kits for a reasonable price.  Does anyone have any experience with their kits?

bwhitejr

[EVIL72]

 Check these out. http://www.440source.com/strokerkits.htm

[71383bee]

As stated it all depends on what your willing to spend, but I would go a step further and ask what does the car have now. 

I know it does not have a motor, but what about the rest of the drivetrain?  My reasoning for this is that if the car was originally a 318 or a /6 powered car then it will be a bit more work to make the car perform as well as a 340 or big block car.  Even the 2 BBl 383 cars had larger torsion bars, heavier duty brakes, bigger radiator, larger rear ends, etc.  If this is a /6 or 318 car with the 18" radiator, 904 tranny, and the 7 1/4 rear end (grenade!) then there is alot more to it then sliding a BB, Hemi, or even a 340. 

[71fish]

cheapest way to a 12 sec car is a 360 stroker. Single plane manifold. Ported Heads "J" heads will do the trick and a Demon 750 DP mechanical.