Quote: I would consider a 413 (cheap to build in the long run, more torque where you need it low midrange)
How is a 413 cheap to build in the long run if the only way to get half decent piston is to go custom? Other than that every other aspect of the rebuild would cost the same as on a 440.
Quote: I agree with some of of your thread, but a 600 anything I'd run a STEEL CRANK. As far as the small bore/small valves they are on the right path to produce TORQUE. Plus the flame travel across the piston is less meaning less chance of DETONATION. More torque in some way offsets horsepower at the lower and midrange of the rpm scale.
I challenge you to build a 413 that would beat an identically built 440 can on the strip or on the street. All this tech jargon is good stuff, in theory, but the real world has proven all that to not really make enough difference to affect your timeslip at the track. Detonation control isn't a big issue on a 440 if you know how to setup your engine and I don't think that 413 is going to make more torq in the bottom end, at least nothing that would show up on the butt dyno or the drag strip. The fact is the 413 isn't a bad engine, there's just no reason to run it over a 440. There are a couple 413 devotees on here who just don't want to hear the truth.
make that 3 Devotees (i think you and AndyF should try building one FIRST before you guys throw out blanket statements). can't build a 413 to go eh? lol. a pontiac 455 has a bore and stroke of 4.15" × 4.21". nobody can deney that in the day it was a wickedly strong engine. 413 has a 4.18" x 3.75" bore and stroke .030" larger bore then the pontiac 455. valve sizes are roughly the same too. I wager that cube for cube.. ie: stroke a 413 to a 4" stroke making 439cid (yes i know custom pistons blah, blah, blah). the way smaller bore 413 will make more horsepower & torque then the larger bore 440. thats a guarantee.
