I have some Stage VI high port heads that need a home. I thought about a 406 big block with these heads. It will need a 440 intake.
I'll use long rods and lightweight pistons.
With an 850 carb of some sort and 1 7/8 headers it should be good for 7000~~7200 RPM. Should be around 10.2 or so compression.
I know this is not a common combination to build. It's just a big small block.

So what intake would you think, a single plane for this or maybe a 440 Performer RPM ?
What is the tallest single plane with standard sized ports, the Trick Flow ?

Just as with any other combo, best to have the cam/intake/headers/desired peak rpm all on the same page.

B engines have very tight piston-to-head distance near TDC and limits lift during overlap and static CR due to the large chamber area. A longer rod makes this somewhat worse.

Yes what you guys say is true, so I'm asking about the intake. I think the rest of the parameters
are somewhat aligned. I don't have a cam design picked out yet either, I know how important
and unique that will be too. I'm wondering about the intake at the moment.

What's the rest of the combination going to be? I have no feel for why a dual plane like a Performer RPM would be better or worse based on your description so far.

Yes, the Trick Flow RB intake is tall, 6+", plus it'll be raised even higher w/ the Stage VI heads. That's definitely a "top end" intake, especially for 400-ish cubes. I run one on my RB 452 which makes peak HP at 6800.

Edelbrock says 6500 RPM on a 440 for the Performer RPM, so I figured 10% more RPM for a 10% smaller engine.

Any 440 intake would not sit any higher on a 400 block / Stage VI motor than it would on a standard port head / 440 block.

Does the Trick Flow single plane have bigger runners than the Edelbrock Victor ?

Runner sizes are similar; Trick Flow is better out of the box, but Victor is comparable w/ more work (IMO). I've run both, FWIW.

Any reason why?

I can see it if you were building something for 8500+rpm?

I don't think the heads are big enough for 8500, even with the smaller cubic inches.
Now B1 heads on a 406..................

This will run good if the heads are right. Hutch had a similar combo. But as has been said it's all the parts pairing. Definitly a single plane intake. I have a good used set of pistons from AndyF I never used and think it was a 6.86 rod with the 3.38 crank in a 400 block if you're interested.

Sorry for the delay replying to your PM.