408 Stroker with Ported T/A heads (cast iron)

Has anyone tried this setup? I'm considering my '72 360 as a 408~ stroker, along with my old self-ported T/A heads. Cam is yet undecided... flat hyd or hyd roller. I use the car for mid-hi-rpm (3500-6500 pylon autocross (1st and 2nd gears, 727, 3.23... 45-60 second times), as well as for road course HSAX/HPDE lapping sessions... running in 2nd-3rd gears ~3500-5500-6000 rpms for long stretches (2-minute to 15-20-25 minute lap times). Looking at ~mid-compression ~10:1 premium pump gas.

T/Anks ahead for your comments. Hoping to decide soon for this new engine and race season 2018.

I also have mild ported standard j-heads (273 rockers).

I've considered going Eddy aluminum, but that will bump me up a class, for the time being, and I'd rather decide later on aluminum heads, pending class rules changes, success, etc. I've raced the car for past ~40+ years in AX and more recently HSAX.

Again, T/Anks ahead.

Will your chassis be traction limited with the increase in torque and HP? If so stroke it for more power, make sure on the compression ratio is correct for what you want it to be with the pistons you decide to use
You might find out that it will not need rev the new parts up as far as you have in the past to post the same lap times

I'd put a solid cam in it.

I intend to add SFCs within a year.. this next ~12 months is just to get a new engine (k-frame now welded and engine bay re-done!... re-did front end suspension, etc). Handling/suspension works great (1.24 TBs, Flex-a-Form 225# leafs, Koni shocks, 1.25" front sway bar, 1.0" rear sway bar, overall body weight ~3150-3200 max, balanced side-to-side, 52f/48r %... been doing this a long time).

Solid cam tempting, but leaning towards hyd (its still streetable/highway driven... may buy stroker kit from Hughes, but also considering K1 Wiseco for the crank, rods, pistons.

With the pylon AX events, the rpms go up/down very quickly as the course driven varies alot. With the longer road course events, the rpms stay longer in gear... lots of 2nd gear and some 3rd gear.

My thoughts have been that since I need a new engine now (last one lasted 30+ years of hard racing, TA 340 being set aside), I may as well go with a stroker for the more overall horsepower and torque. On the longer road course events, there are some fairly powerful cars in my class -- bigger engines, etc -- and I don't want to give up anything in the power range... my car handles great through the turns/curves... but the long stretches is where I want/need to gain.

Mitch!!!

Stroking that thing is a great idea, lot's of upsides:

1. Cubic inches eat up porting. I'd just leave your heads as is and see how they respond.
2. More torque means you will have more forgiveness in the powerband which will be a huge plus in your "point and shoot" Autocross.
3. You won't have to rev it as high, you can probably go with 3.08's or 2.94. 1,000 to 5,000 rpm range sound ok to you?
4. Lot's of low-end grunt coming out of a corner is intoxicating.

There are other kits to look at: the Hughes 426, and Rod Bloomer on here can get you into a 4.25" that will get you close to 440".

Thanks Grizzly! I have a 2.9 ring/pinion that I was going to try (after getting setup in one of my 742 8.75 units). The rpms would then likely be held longer all in 1st gear for a pylon course; longer in 2nd gear for a road course event and allowing higher mph in 3rd gear at the longer tracks such as Road America (Elkhart Lake, WIS).