Anyone made a 377?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Anyone made a 377?
I had soem extra parts laying around, and was tempted to build a unique motor for my '77 once. I decided against using it in my Vette, but I still kinda want to build the motor for fun's sake.
From my understanding, using a 400 block, and a 350 crank and bearing kit, would make a 377 CI motor. Unique to say the least, and I'll bet it'd be a good high RPM motor. Maybe for a race car?
I think it'd be cool to have a 377 in my garage.
From my understanding, using a 400 block, and a 350 crank and bearing kit, would make a 377 CI motor. Unique to say the least, and I'll bet it'd be a good high RPM motor. Maybe for a race car?
I think it'd be cool to have a 377 in my garage.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 299
Likes: 1
From: San Antonio TX
The 400 blocks were notorious for thin cylinder walls. That is why you rarely see a 400 built to anything. Might be a short lived project, but any rebuild can be fun. Learning experience if nothing else. 
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Originally Posted by TexSon
The 400 blocks were notorious for thin cylinder walls. That is why you rarely see a 400 built to anything. Might be a short lived project, but any rebuild can be fun. Learning experience if nothing else.
Why would you go smaller? I have driven a 421 that would rip your socks off. I should have bought the motor. If I had a 400 block I would not go smaller than 415. Cubes = HP and torque.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by Gordonm
If I had a 400 block I would not go smaller than 415. Cubes = HP and torque.
I know, but I already have a 400 that I'm building up for my Vette. This is a spare, 2 bolt block I picked up as a spare with a lot of parts. I just liked the look of 377. Unique. Performance aside.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
Originally Posted by TexSon
The 400 blocks were notorious for thin cylinder walls. That is why you rarely see a 400 built to anything. Might be a short lived project, but any rebuild can be fun. Learning experience if nothing else.
377ci is
but you can't beat cubic inches, build a 406ci
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,502
Likes: 1,509
From: Little Rock AR
Build a 406
...or build a destroker using a 327 crank, .030 over 400 block and thick bearing shells. That would be fun. Big unshrouded bore, short stroke and revs to the moon.
-Mark.
...or build a destroker using a 327 crank, .030 over 400 block and thick bearing shells. That would be fun. Big unshrouded bore, short stroke and revs to the moon.
-Mark.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 914
Likes: 14
From: Aberdeen, Scotland
377 cool!
I happen to agree. I think a 377 would be really neat. Great bore to stroke raito. OK, you'll give up some torque and have to rev the b*lls out of it, but that's neat itself. I think the Cheetahs used such a combo. I screwed up and never bought a junker when I had a chance. What about the GranSports? Did they use a 377? Its been done quite a bit for racing, i.e. HP is dependant on RPM as we all know. Let us know how it comes out.
carbster
carbster
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
If you are looking for something different then go ahead and build one. If you are looking for HP and torque go with more cubes. Yes it will rev quite good but that does not always make good HP. The 421 I drove would pull real hard to 7600 rpm. No need to rev it higher.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
I had soem extra parts laying around, and was tempted to build a unique motor for my '77 once. I decided against using it in my Vette, but I still kinda want to build the motor for fun's sake.
From my understanding, using a 400 block, and a 350 crank and bearing kit, would make a 377 CI motor. Unique to say the least, and I'll bet it'd be a good high RPM motor. Maybe for a race car?
I think it'd be cool to have a 377 in my garage.
From my understanding, using a 400 block, and a 350 crank and bearing kit, would make a 377 CI motor. Unique to say the least, and I'll bet it'd be a good high RPM motor. Maybe for a race car?
I think it'd be cool to have a 377 in my garage.
*edit* Yes the "special" bearings remain readily available from Clevite ... as are the spacers that permit use of any 350 bearings.
Last edited by jackson; Aug 18, 2006 at 11:24 AM.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 511
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis MO
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...ion/index.html
I can't find it, but way back when hot rod mag did a 377 vs 383 comparison. All things the same they were very close to the same power output. And I mean the same. They used the same intake, carb, heads, headers. I think the only thing different was the bumpstick which they matched to work with the two different size engines or did they leave that the same. The article above builds a 377 using the lunati kit, so it shouldn't be hard to find the parts to build a 377. 377's are very popular in the dirt track areana, due to the high reving nature amongst other things. If you look into a winston cup motor, you'll see that they are based bascially on the same prinicpal. shortest storke, largest bore possible to get 358 cubes.
I say build it, put it in something light like an s10 short bed and have a blast watching the tach climb.
I can't find it, but way back when hot rod mag did a 377 vs 383 comparison. All things the same they were very close to the same power output. And I mean the same. They used the same intake, carb, heads, headers. I think the only thing different was the bumpstick which they matched to work with the two different size engines or did they leave that the same. The article above builds a 377 using the lunati kit, so it shouldn't be hard to find the parts to build a 377. 377's are very popular in the dirt track areana, due to the high reving nature amongst other things. If you look into a winston cup motor, you'll see that they are based bascially on the same prinicpal. shortest storke, largest bore possible to get 358 cubes.
I say build it, put it in something light like an s10 short bed and have a blast watching the tach climb.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by jackson
This 377 SHORT block yours for $1600 ... firm. I'll crate it for $100 ... firm. I'll even throw in its Crower solid flat 230*/.480" cam.
Sounds like a good motor to sell on Ebay my friend. Personally I won't be interested for a price liek that. I cold build one similar for 1/3 that price. I already have the block, and rotating assembly. All I need is bearings, spacers, a cool cam and lifter combo, and WHAM...377.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,831
Likes: 10
From: Springfield MO
St. Jude Donor '07
My 4-bolt 400 block that's bored out .060 over was built as a 377. It was in a race car for a very short time before the guy blew the heads. I never saw the heads, but I'm betting he didn't drill the steam holes. You can get great things at the spring swap meet at the Boone County fairgrounds - this year I found a good set of ARP 4-bolt 400 main cap studs for $20.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 7,502
Likes: 1,509
From: Little Rock AR
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
Sounds like a good motor to sell on Ebay my friend. Personally I won't be interested for a price liek that. I cold build one similar for 1/3 that price. I already have the block, and rotating assembly. All I need is bearings, spacers, a cool cam and lifter combo, and WHAM...377.
FWIW.
-Mark.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by stingr69
You might try to run the thicker bearing shells if at all possible rather than the bearing spacers. I have not run one of these but I guy who has done it many times once told me of his experience with spacers and he was not fond of them. He feels the thicker shells dissipate the heat better due to one less oiled surface interface. Not sure if that is what caused his spacer engine failures but this guy has blown a few 3.48" cranks in his time and he likes the thicker bearings better.
FWIW.
-Mark.
FWIW.
-Mark.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Originally Posted by 442olds
377's are very popular in the dirt track areana, due to the high reving nature amongst other things. If you look into a winston cup motor, you'll see that they are based bascially on the same prinicpal. shortest storke, largest bore possible to get 358 cubes.
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
Sounds like a good motor to sell on Ebay my friend. Personally I won't be interested for a price liek that. I cold build one similar for 1/3 that price. I already have the block, and rotating assembly. All I need is bearings, spacers, a cool cam and lifter combo, and WHAM...377.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
Originally Posted by jackson
I suggest it'd be difficult to duplicate a 377 short block like mine for $500-$600 ... very.
I'll give you that. I will do a minimum of machine work, and use a large lot of extra parts I have around.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,403
Likes: 95
Originally Posted by Durango_boy
I had soem extra parts laying around, and was tempted to build a unique motor for my '77 once. I decided against using it in my Vette, but I still kinda want to build the motor for fun's sake.
From my understanding, using a 400 block, and a 350 crank and bearing kit, would make a 377 CI motor. Unique to say the least, and I'll bet it'd be a good high RPM motor. Maybe for a race car?
I think it'd be cool to have a 377 in my garage.
From my understanding, using a 400 block, and a 350 crank and bearing kit, would make a 377 CI motor. Unique to say the least, and I'll bet it'd be a good high RPM motor. Maybe for a race car?
I think it'd be cool to have a 377 in my garage.
use a cam that makes power to 7500/8000 RPM and use gearing to make up for loss of torque down low then you would be better off using a 3.75 crank and turning the motor slower revs.
