I found a complete 1972 chevy 400cu.engine. :thumbsup: Has a quadrajet,, It came out of a 1987 suburban truck.. the guy thinks it's an original out of the truck, I checked the block cast numbers and its a 1972.. out of an impala... Probly low compression engine?... would this be a good engine to buy at $450.???????.. Is it kinda rare,?????????????????... I will have to assume at this point it will need rebuilding.. Would it be worth the cost of a rebuild,???... You know, to hop it up, ( new heads), etc.compared to a 327-350-or 383, ????????????... I can't hear it run.. It may have been rebuilt some years ago??????... He says it runs great... Wadda ya think guys.????????? :confused:

How much of the original 400 engine are you planning on retaining on the rebuild?

That I don't know,, I was hoping to buy an engine I could just put in the car and drive it... but if it needs rebuilt I would probly go all the way.. you know, beef it up.. I figure I'd have to buy different heads if these are low compression heads.. or would I have to, or should I just keep it that way for todays gas??????? Any suggestions?????? The motor has had some miles put on it because there is a bit of oil grime on the engine.. Like I said It may have been rebuilt some years ago, and maybe not... He says it only has 68000 miles on it... Hard to believe...... Maybe the suburban only had that many miles, but I find it hard to concieve that old of a motor would have that milage......

$450 for a 'running' pan-to-carb 400 is a pretty good deal if you plan to run it like it is. I would be very skeptical of the mileage claim.

I think the Impala actually did come with a 400 but it didn't make much horsepower.

Buy it, run it, and start buying parts to rebuild it. Only danger is if it has been rebuilt, and bored 30, you may not be able to take it further. Going to 40 or 60 over w/ a 400 is block-depedent.

I just paid $250.00 for a standard bore shortblock.

The 1972 400 was a 2 blot main block and put out 170HP stock, so it's not that much of a screamer. It CAN be hopped up, but if you want to use different heads other than 400 heads, they must be drilled for the steam holes. The area between the cylinders is only .274" and solid, therefore there's no water passages between the bores like the "normal" small block. This means machine work and that can get expensive.

Also, the crank is different than other small blocks in that it has a main bearing diameter of 2.65" instead of the "normal" 2.45".

Piston rods are also 400 only.

Finally, its externally balanced, so you have to take that into consideration also.

Don't let me bum you out though. You CAN build a 400 screamer, but it takes special parts and more money than building say, a 350. Places like PAW sell kits, but they're in the $1000.00 range, and that doesn't include heads.

If it runs, and you can use it "as is", go for it. If it needs to be rebuilt, it's probably not worth it.

Ed

If it is running you could double the stock Impala horse power of the motor with a hot cam and Vortec heads and Vortec intake for the Q-jet carb. It will depend upon your sellers definition of running. The long stroke and big bore of the SBC 400 gives you BBC power at SBC prices if you do not get carried away (Vortec heads are off of a stock GM truck nothing radical, with a mild 212° to 220° duration cam it will wake it right up).


Larger Dave

Don't go to much by factory hp rating. In 72 all the engine hp
ratings went way down. It will have more tq than a 350, and
with a little biger cam, nice intake, and headers, it will run
great. What gears do you have, and what kind of driving?
Hyway driving, and gears, a 400 will be great.