72 400 block street performance how would you build it and where to get the parts? A friend bought the car we have the engine apart it spun 4 bearings and needs bored of course it has 348 open chambered heads and he wants to do it just a modest powered engine. But while its out and has to be bored anyway I just thought I'd ask the pros'

For about $500, you can fit it with an RB (3.75") crank. May sound like a lot of money for a mild build, but the torque gains will be substantial. Pistons are available off the shelf by many manufacturers, and KB's offerings are as affordable as just about any piston you'll buy for a stock stroke 400. Going this route will turn a mild build into quite a performer. Also, you'll be moving to a forged crank, instead of the cast iron crank you have now, which adds substantial strength and durability.

If going this route is of interest, start doing searches on the Mopar 451.

Here you go. Read this.

http://www.arengineering.com/articles/451.html

Anyone in the dallas ft worth area that can offset grind the crank?

Someone here will chime in with a Dallas area machine shop worth checking out. Or, just start calling around to all machine shops, and ask if they do their own crank grinding. Anyone who answers yes to that: ask them if they have experience grinding a Chrysler RB crank to fit into a B block. If they don't know what you're talking about.... move on. You'll find someone that's done it before. It's not hard, you just want someone that understands what youre trying to accomplish.

The 470 version (offset ground rod journals) offers that much more cubes, at a little more money, as it will cost extra to offset grind to a specific radius.

Basically, you're grinding the main journals down and 1/8", and the counterweights down to a 7-1/4" radius.

Call Wayne Calvert, Denton, Texas, 940-382-6815, and say Oldtimer said call.

Thanks oldtimer, we do not have an extra 440 crank and rods anywhere yet for the build. And this guy is hard to get to spend money wheres the best place to get a reasonably priced stroker kit?

For a reasonably priced stroker kit, check out Mancini or 440 source.

If you go the stroker route 3.75" (451") or 3.9 (470") would be street friendly performance combos.

Get ahold of an Indy dealer here. They have the 470 stroker kit for $1495, get it balanced and you'll be good to go!

How fast does he want to go ? I mean everyone strokes a 400 but we did not stroke my sons 400. Its a .030 over 400 with Eddy RPM heads and the MP.557 cam. It has run 11.40's in his 3550 lb street Dart. Ron

For a performance build, going with a stroker crank works great and is very cost effective. The issue is that there is not much "off-the-shelf" selection of pistons for the stock stroke 400, so if you want good compression and forged pistons you would need to custom order pistons at $100+ each. Dropping in a 3.75" 440 crank and rods allows you to select from a large selection of affordable off-the-shelf pistons, plus you get the extra 50+ cid.
For a bit more money you could even do a 4.15" or 4.25" crank and get 500+ cid, but you will need better than stock rods, but there are some affordable pistons for these combinations too.
The KB/ICON forged pistons for any of the 3.75", 3.90",4.15" or 4.25" strokes are $472/set (avaliable flat top or dished) from Hughes or Summit, but they are 0.990" pin, so you would need aftermarket rods.
4.15" Stroker crank (Hughes 21841) $575
Rods (Hughes 10101A) $369
KB/ICON pistons $472
Total $1416.
You need to add the cost of rings and bearings plus ballancing, so I guess that is about the same as the $1997 for the 440 source stroker kits?

O.K. were just going with stock stroke 400 the cost of a stroker for this car is not in the owners best intrest. I did talk him into a set of ported 906s (no flow numbers) with bigger than stock valves, so maybe that will help. The engine is being bored as we speak. So the next step will be what pistons for compression and cam choice would you guys use? He has a 383 rpm intake and hp manifolds for now on the car, This is his first mopar muscle car and I just want it to run good for first impressions sake.