427 Crate Engine Possibilities

[Coleman Bee]

Gentlemen, I'm in the research phase on this build. Im looking to set a 427ci up in two distinct stages:

-Natural aspiration at first, but build the engine in preparation for dual carburetors and a supercharger. So basically I want to plan everything that goes in this engine to be built to run that supercharger optimally. That means the right cam, valve arrangements, pulleys, pumps, all forged internals, cylinder compression and everything. But I want to run the engine at this phase, without the supercharger installed. For this stage I dont really care what HP it makes I just want to get it going, break it in.

-Then add the supercharger. the whole setup needs to be reliable as possible, but I'm not afraid of wearing it out & tearing it down in a couple years, once I know how it will behave.

The final HP goal is between 800-900HP. I want it to be as quick of a throttle response as possible, and get to 6500rpm, if not higher, comfortably.

Is this a good base engine to do that: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...tYLuX_dIUme5Bb44mlIswDefmjOAVjDRoC30sQAvD_BwE

And if not, why? What are some better options out there? Used? Sleeve some old cylinders on something else?

Dont be afraid to be real with me, I want to learn.

 

[Andrew Robertson]

Hi Coleman, I've got a Shafiroff 434 in my McLaren canam replica. This is a similar configuration to the 427 you linked to. It is very torquey and flexible, and about as much as the chassis and me as driver can handle. Apart from the fact that its enough already and I'd struggle to find a transaxle that would survive if it was boosted, the engine itself is not designed for boost. Big cube SBC engines with 4 inch stroke and 6 inch rod necessarily have a piston with only 1 inch pin height. This puts the ring pack high up and in a position generally unsuited to supercharging. You'd probably be better off using a highly specced 406 as a base. Cheers, Andrew

 

[Chris Kouba]

The final HP goal is between 800-900HP. I want it to be as quick of a throttle response as possible, and get to 6500rpm, if not higher, comfortably.

Something to guide the conversation might be sharing why you picked that range. Are you tracking it? Is it a C&C thing for bragging rights? Flying mile work? What is the mission brief for the car?

 

[Coleman Bee]

Hi Coleman, I've got a Shafiroff 434 in my McLaren canam replica. This is a similar configuration to the 427 you linked to. It is very torquey and flexible, and about as much as the chassis and me as driver can handle. Apart from the fact that its enough already and I'd struggle to find a transaxle that would survive if it was boosted, the engine itself is not designed for boost. Big cube SBC engines with 4 inch stroke and 6 inch rod necessarily have a piston with only 1 inch pin height. This puts the ring pack high up and in a position generally unsuited to supercharging. You'd probably be better off using a highly specced 406 as a base. Cheers, Andrew

thank you Andrew, I will look into that dilemma.

 

[Coleman Bee]

Something to guide the conversation might be sharing why you picked that range. Are you tracking it? Is it a C&C thing for bragging rights? Flying mile work? What is the mission brief for the car?

Very likely all of the above, but yes, specifically I want to eventually take it to Laguna Seca here in CA. There are other smaller tracks in the desert to work out kinks and dial in the handling but Laguna Seca is about as far as I want to take it. There is one other track in Fontana that I'd also be very VERY cautious in approaching, but if everything on the car was dialed in and I was dressed appropriately, I'd go looking for speeds above 150mph. The car has a lot of questions to answer before that happens though.

I'm going to be 40 next year so I dont have too many wild aspirations beyond that, and the C&C visits. My family is all big block (with blowers) boat racers from the 80's and 90's. I'd rather do this instead.

What is flying mile work?

 

[JP Verweij]

What is flying mile work?

Or you might consider doing the Silverstate Classic with that much horsepower..

 

[Coleman Bee]

Or you might consider doing the Silverstate Classic with that much horsepower..

Both look fun—but I’m going into this knowing nothing about the SL-Cs suspension and handling. The tarmac is probably safe but the Last thing I want to do is catch some irregularity in the highway pavement with a car that may not exactly have been built to take that and wind up in the dirt. I am building the car one time so I do want to have the power to do any of these items if I get confident enough behind the wheel.