Best Selling Engine Combos From Top Engine Builders - Proven V-8 Power Trends

Iron-block Gen III engines are becoming increasingly popular for stroker-engine options because the bore can go as big as 4.060 inches, which will create a 415ci small-block.

Small-Block Chevy Gen III 402 CI
Whenever the bench-racing session revolves around Gen III horsepower, someone is bound to mention Lingenfelter Performance Engineering. Tom Cress is the new owner at LPE and we worked with engineer Jason Haines to come up with a stout street-motor combination. In this case, Haines suggested a 402ci stroker-crank package for an iron 6.0L block that creates a square 4.00-inch bore by 4.00-inch stroke. LPE's recommendation includes a steel 4340 crank from Callies along with Manley 4340 steel connecting rods and JE pistons that create around a 10.5:1 compression (depending upon the combustion-chamber volume). For a camshaft, LPE specs out its GT-11 hydraulic-roller grind at a relatively mild 215/231 degrees at 0.050-inch duration and generous 0.631/0.644-inch lift using the factory 1.7:1 rocker ratio. The Lingenfelter guys have also worked with Edelbrock on a CNC-ported cylinder head that offers excellent flow with 2.02/1.57-inch valves. The head will flow 300 cfm, and they are working on an even larger cross-sectional porting program to increase that flow rating. To round out the package, a Holley 850-cfm carburetor will take full advantage of the additional airflow along with a set of 1 3/4- or 1 7/8-inch headers. All this with a pump-gas-friendly compression ratio should make around 525 hp at 6,200 rpm with about 510 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm.

Lingenfelter Performance Engineering
Decatur, IN
260/724-2552
lingenfelter.com

Olds motors are renowned for their torque, and this package is no exception with over 600 lb-ft across a wide rpm band. Perhaps that's why Dick Miller sells as many A-body Olds suspension parts as he does engine pieces. Makes sense, doesn't it?

Big-Block Oldsmobile 455 CI
For a very streetable motor that will run all day on pump gas with no detonation, DMR owner Dick Miller suggested his popular 468ci pump-gas engine package that cranks out 534 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque. See what we mean about the torque? This starts with a set of custom Diamond Racing 10:1-compression forged pistons packaged with a set of Oliver 7.00-inch forged big-block Chevy connecting rods. Miller likes to build these engines to last, so he invests in Oliver big-block Chevy rods for their durability, and grind down the rod throwdown on the crank to get them to fit. If your budget won't absorb this much insurance, Miller says fitting the stock rods with ARP bolts and grinding the casting flash and shot-peening them can work with this engine's limited speed. The Comp Cams flat-tappet hydraulic custom grind specs out with 244/246 degrees of duration at 0.050 with 0.534/0.544 inches of lift with a 113-degree lobe-separation angle installed at 110 degrees. The whole plan revolves around a set of pocket-ported Bulldog heads with 2.15/1.75-inch stainless steel valves. Again, the Olds intake smorgasbord is limited, so Miller prefers the Edelbrock Torker single-plane with an 850-cfm Holley carb. Dial in a set of Kooks 2-inch primary pipe headers with 3 1/2-inch collectors and you've got the makings of a big-block that would make the good Dr. Olds proud.

Dick Miller Racing
Hernando, MS
662/233-2301
dickmillerracing.com

It's incredibly easy to build monster 500-plus cubic inches with a Ford because of the 460's wide bore center and the affordable prices on stroker cranks.

Ford 385 Series Big-Block 545 CI
There's a displacement war going on out there and it's escalating rapidly. When we talked to Barry Rabotnick at Survival Motorsports about a Ford 460 engine, he said simply, "Build a stroker." Rabotnick says that while the 4.300-inch stroke, 0.030-over Ford 460 idea makes 521 inches, he likes stuffing in a monster 4.500-inch stroke. With the exception of one Ford truck block, Rabotnick says the crank will drop right in with no grinding necessary. Survival's stroker kit includes a Scat 4.500-inch cast crank, big-block Chevy 6.700-inch-long H-beam rods, and a set of Diamond Racing forged pistons that are internally balanced (along with rings and bearings). If you go with the dished versions, this will create around 10:1 compression using a combustion-chamber volume of around 76 cc. Rabotnick likes the Blue Thunder Ford 460-style heads with the 2.25/1.88-inch valve combination. He says these will flow 360 cfm with minor bowl work. The heads listed here are bare machined and Rabotnick reports that you can assume it will cost another $1,000 for parts and a good valve job. For cam timing, look for a mechanical flat-tappet cam of at least 260 degrees at 0.050. Comp Cams sells a Magnum 306 solid single pattern that specs at 260 degrees at 0.050 with 0.640 lift and a 110-degree lobe-separation angle. For induction, an engine this massive demands a 1,050-cfm Dominator carburetor and a Victor 460 single-plane intake. A set of 2-inch or 2 1/4-inch primary pipe headers should be close to ideal. It's possible to make more than 630 hp at 6,000 rpm with 650 lb-ft of torque peaking at 5,000 rpm.

Survival Motorsports
West Bloomfield, MI
248/438-6900
survivalmotorsports.com