Hi, I'm planning a future build right now, I'm shooting for 3-5 years until completion. Details/design: 54 buick 2 door, slammed, caged, gutted, tubbed, 4-5 speed stick, elec fuel injected, small displacement w/two turbos, 600 HP / 11's to mid 12's 1/4 (big range I know but if I plan for 11 seconds then I'll get 12's). I want the motor to stay in the family otherwise I'd be building a 327 chev. I'm not looking for a kit either, I'll be fabbing everything myself. I think a 322 or 364 nailhead would be the coolest but I'm not too pumped about how much it would cost for custom forged pistons, making some solid lifters work, custom cam grind, etc. How about 401 nailhead? might have same parts avail probs? Some people I've asked this question to advise to just get a 455 and go naturally aspirated but that isn't what I want. Unless I go 455 with a very mild/reliable build and boost it up to ~600hp. But what about a 350? There's enough displacement there to easily get 600 hp with some intake charged goodness. So many choices. What do you think would be a good engine for this car? Ease of parts availability, cost, coolness all taken into account. Thanks Mike
Buick 350 options: http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=136931 If you want a Buick engine with 600 hp without turbos or a supercharger you need a 455.
Yah the idea is to get ~400 hp n/a and then use boost for the rest. Thats a great sbb thread. That may be the route to go. The key I think would be to find an early 70's car with a 350 and use the frame. If the wheelbase is off that can be fixed. Mike
It costs about the same to build a Buick 350 with iron heads as it does a Buick 455 with iron heads. There is a lot more performance in the 455. When you go to aftermarket aluminum heads, the 455 really leaps ahead. But you have to add in another $2500 for those al heads. No such parts are currently out there for the Buick 350.
The $2500 for the aluminum heads will buy you the twin turbos for the 350. :3gears: Dare to be different
Thats kinda the idea, do something a little different. I realize there is a lot of merrit in 'using what works' but thats no fun, I kinda want to design my own system using what knowledge I can from what other people have built. The one issue I have with the 350 is that bore/stroke ratio. With turbos I would LIKE to have something oversquare since I don't need as much piston dwell time, lower piston velocity would be nice, and rpm would be nice with the turbos. This is where the 455 and the nailheads have my favor, and the 350 doesn't. Anyone destroked a 455 or a 350 for that matter? Will the pistons in a 364 just explode with boost?
