Honestly Gary, if your uncle wants big power on the street, you cant go past the TA455 alloy block. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?262748-TA-0291110-Buildup&p=2266830#post2266830 I took some friends of mine for a cruise in the hotrod the other day and we can cruise in top gear at 30mph so smooth no jerking, then just mash the loud pedal and you have 100mph in the blink of an eye. You will probably need E85 too for the street. EBP (Effortless Buick Power) Cheers
Not if he uses the least expensive block choice($5,900) and a factory crank. The other way they were going to have a billet crank made, $3,625 from TA, a $500 block girdle that is $500 to install it then all the rest of the machining a factory block would need would be over $5,000 just for a block and crank and that's on the conservative side. Plus how many blocks would he have to go through to find one that might be strong enough to do a cast iron block build like that? Maybe he could buy the $500 tested to be good core from JW but that adds $500 more + shipping in the mix. The above didn't factor in buying a core because both ways would be a good idea to buy a core for various needed parts for both ways. So I think that $3,000 more is more like within a few hundred. Derek
Derek, The TA block comes in a 4.340, so it needs to be machined to fit the piston. The way the block is made it is tough to just hone out the .010, so the machine shop I used had to bore it as close as possible then hone. You also need to have the block line honed. So, $5900 plus shipping, and additional machining turns into $6900 really quick! Going this route you need to have a crankshaft ground or better yet, offset ground, which could be another $250 to $500. Oh.. and I forgot... A new oil pan. SRE makes a REALLY nice pan but that can get pricey!!!
What? A brand new TA aluminum block needs to be line honed, really? Aluminum block route; line honed $175, Bored and honed $350, crank stroked and mains ground $300, $5,900 for block = $6625 + shipping for an engine that isn't a time bomb every time the go peddle is pressed. Cast iron block route; Clean block $100 each, magna flux block $50 each, sonic test block $125 each, $1,000 for girdle and girdle machining, $250 for oil mods, bore and hone $350, line hone $175, fill block $175, square deck block $150, lifter bore girdle $395 for a grand total of $2770 + $3625(billet crank)= $6395 + how many block cleans and sonic tests for an engine that WILL eventually fail at these power levels. I think I would rather spend the extra $230 + shipping and run the aluminum block, buts that's just me. Prices for machine work will vary from machine shop to machine shop, but this should be a pretty close estimate. Not including the rest of the build like custom aluminum rods to try and keep the iron block alive vs. using BBC H-beam rods and so on..... Derek
I would not have posted if it wasn't true! I am currently doing two TA blocks now! Lifter girdle is not needed for this build! Save $395 and you forgot the $800 to $1500 oil pan. I need your crank grinder! There isn't a quality crank grinder anywhere near my house that will touch a crank for that kind of cash. I agree the aluminum block is the way to go! But it will be more expensive. I kinda like the 4.00 stroke with 4.500 bore combo! Nice street engine.
Didn't know the oil pan is that much! Wow. Yeah the hidden costs will always get cha. Well actually I just had 2 sbb 350 cranks stroked and they were $315 each so add $15 to the al. block build. The crank shop is in Plymouth MI a 1 guy show, he kinda wants to move away from the big block heavy stuff he wants to semi-retire and just do small engine cranks. The guy is sharp though, he use to make billet cranks as well but again he wants to move away from the heavy stuff(can always ask him, RO-DY cranks in Plymouth MI). There are a couple more places up here if you need a crank shop, Moldex is good for billet cranks not sure of their pricing though. I can ask my friend that has a machine shop if he knows another crank shop to bring your cranks, just across the border around 25 to 70 miles north on I-75 are a few crank shops up here. Good luck with your build should be a fun ride when its done, and yes over 800 HP the aluminum block is the way to go. Derek
Ok, guys, Now you got my attention and started to think now. Which. cast iron combo would be best and not too stressful on the cast iron but have semi reliably ? I know we are limited to bore size but stroke? I'm a firm believer in having the right rod length to crank throw! This relieves a bunch of stress off the engine.Weight does too! You guys are for getting that my rendition of street car is at 750hp and above, I'm originally from Flint, Michigan and the cars there are known to push very close to 1000 hp now and able to drive any where and that's through the mufflers! Mainly smc's on nitrous. When I mean 1000 ponies , that's before the happy button is pushed. I just consulted my best friend in making a 421 smc that has a cast iron gm block and 23 degree heads from afr (2350 fully cnc'ed that is at 780 hp without the juice and that will be street driven too. I have no problem getting to my goal its making the thing live what would be my best bet to with? I don't want to spray this thing... Sincerely. Gary M.
Jim, Please elaborate on the 503! I'm curious now... Please explain the good and the ugly on that combo.. My uncle wants a stupid amount of torque! That's why I told him the 528 - 535 was the way to go. I always try to stick with something that is proven its self 528 Kenne-Bell engine.But I'm up to new strokers and better sizes too. I just don't see anyone speak of this stroker sizes Sincerely Gary M.
