Engine tear down showed the 440 block was already .060 over had L2266 pistons . Cylinders had some scuffing, dropped it off at machine shop this afternoon to have them check the bore. Hopefully it was originally tight and they can hone it for now.

Still leaning towards a new stroker.

Best otb heads would trick flow 240 be my best option?
Can crane 1.5 rocker arms work on them?

For those of you building these 500-540 cube strokers..... are you guys running main girdles and billet caps? Or can a 600HP stroker street engine last with stock main caps? Thanks

Not a 500+ cube motor but stock caps at 470 ci for 15+ years past 7000 rpm's a LOT......And stock 413 off-set ground crank at 3.900 stroke.........

Molnar 4.25 crank and rods with Mahle pistons.

My 505 practically fell together and has been trouble free for 4,000 + street miles and lots of dragstrip passes.

My combo is very mild and easy to live with and runs on the cheapest pump swill out there.

My 496/400 block dynoed at 592 HP with relativity mild FT cam and ported Edelbrock heads. Steel main caps and studs. I have worked with the 600 HP max on a stock block guideline and beefed the bottom end a bit for insurance. It has held up well with road track beating and street miles.

IMHO It is all about reciprocating weight and rpm combined. I haven't the math skills to figure the difference, but A motor built with very long 7.10 rods, light forged pistons, 2.200 or 2.100 rod bearings, limited to 5500 rpm will easily hit 600 hp and have no problem with stock caps, and most likely puts less stress on the stock caps than a stock shortblock seeing 6,000 rpm. I have pushed a 4.5 stroke stock 6pak rod motor to 6200 and didn't have any problems till I drove over part of the crank; it was cracked when we built the motor five years earlier. Another stock rod 3.75 stroke motor saw continuous 6500 rpm use with those boat anchor forged replacement pistons, which are about half again as heavy as good light weight forgings now days.

And it runs very good. My combo is a 493 and its a basic simple combo. I used the 440 block in case I ever decide to use a crossram. I did not use a girdle as I use ARM main studs and billet steel caps since its a street car thats a driver 99% of the time. I used the 440Source kit with the 4.15 crank. A solid flat tappet custom grind cam from Dwayne Porter and Indy EZ heads also from Dwayne. I run the Indy dual plane intake and a 850 Holley DP. My guess is it makes around 575 to 600 flywheel hp as its pushed my 3725 lb 63 to 10 70's. Its been together since 2011 and still going strong. I love it as I run 92 pump in it all the time as its 10.6 comp and its a nice simple low maintnance combo. I usually even drive it to the track and do not change anything at the track. Same timing and jetting just bleed the tires and have fun. Good luck on yours whichever combo you go with. Ron

On mine, yes we run a girdle and stock caps. We try to limit rpm to 6400ish

7 years running on the 440/512 now, and trouble free...Fastest pass was two weeks ago, 9.70 on pump gas....Just pulled it from the car, and getting ready to put in my 400/512....Hoping for a 9.59 out of it...

What does the car weigh?

I have a 400/511 source kit with standard port s/r's, Solid FT (porter spec'd), 4.10 gear, six pack, & pump gas. Car weighs right at 4g with me in it and has been 10.92 @ 123.5 through the mufflers. 69 runner. Drive it anywhere. It's a great combo. Should be a bit north of 600hp.

Mine is one of the smaller displacement engines here, it is a pump gas 451 low deck that I did most detail work on and assembled myself with rpm heads, .630 roller from Porter Racing Heads, victor intake, 1000 demon 4150 carb, 2" headers through 3.5" X pipe exhaust. LSM in Waterford MI did all the machine work for me. It makes just shy of 500 at the wheels on a dynojet @ 6250 rpm, and runs 123 in the quarter mile in street trim. I've had it mothballed a long time and only recently got it back out again.

My .02 on the OP's current block.

I can't see myself buying a stroker rotating assy to put in a well used .060 over block.

If the crank is fixable with just grinding undersize, that's what I'd do, replace the one rod..... Reassemble and go.
If the crank is junk, get another stock one and have it ground.

You'll be back to where you were for relatively cheap money, and then the pressure will be off to get the stroker done, so you can take your time with it and do it right.

Originally I wanted to grind the crank and put it back together. The hard block was a surprise and the 60 over was a surprise.

Machine shop just called and the piston to wall clearance is loose .007 and still needs honed.

So now the decisions begin.

Try and track down a good 440 block, or start with the 400 sitting in the garage.
400 block requires new intake and distributor.

They offered a competitive price on eagle stroker kit, and said right now they could get a block thru the shop in around a week.

The 400 main webs are a lot stronger than any stock RB block
I've broken and seen a lot of RB blocks with cracks in the main webbing, not so in any 400 block, yet
If your going to shoot for the moon later on the 400 build replace the stock main caps with either ductile iron Milidon or some brand of aluminum main caps and good main studs
Good luck

Just be sure to UT that 400 block before you start. 400 blocks will often have one hole that needs a sleeve, while the rest of the block is fine.
That's worth doing. Build the biggest shortblock you can and on a 400 block I'd be happy with a 4.25" stroke/6.535 Chevy rod/1.32 comp ht. piston. It's a standard combo, many here are running them. The 2.200/0.990 crank journal and pin size save some room, also reduce cost.

R.

The low deck 511 is a very nice combo, just have to look at your goals, and then the head selection/header availability to meet the target.

I would do a low deck if I were to start over from scratch. In fact, I have a 400 and B intake waiting in the wings...

It is amazing to me how different some of our combos are yet a lot of us are in the 121-124mph range...

Just trying to figure out how much I want (or how much I have)to spend.

Anyone want to donate some aluminum heads

Starting to lean on tearing apart the 400 in the garage see what shape its really in. then going with the eagle stroker kit.

Then figure out what intake.

I'm not sure what the current low deck offerings from Eagle are, but they didn't used to sell a 511 low deck rotating assy.

I think the car is 2800ish and I am 240