By the time you bore the mains on the 400 block to 440 size, you will have spent the better part of $1000. As long as you're doing it, you need aftermarket caps. Then there's the issue of finding a shop to do the work. They have to have the right machinery. Then consider that in what is probably the weakest part of the block you have removed material.

When E-berg built his stroker years ago he bored the mains and everyone jumped on him about it.

Chuck Senatore says in his book to build the biggest shortblock you can afford. He knows a lot, I'd say take his advice.

R.

PS: I was a fierce proponent of long rods until Enginemasters winners seemed to be using some pretty short rods. Big inch LS and Hemi engines are using R/S ratios of around 1.53:1 meaning a 6.125 on a 4" stroke, and getting nearly 2hp/cubic inch. Kaase built a modular engine that won and it had a 4.625" stroke with a rod that couldn't have been longer than 6.5" for a R/S of 1.40. The mountain motors are all running R/S ratios around 1.38.