Upcoming FE build: plan coming together

[767Jockey]

Alan,
There doesn't seem to me to be a big gain for the money going from a 390 block to a 428 block. Many guys are willing to pay big bucks for a 428 block because they're doing a correct resto on a car that needs one. They go for much more money usually than a 390 block, and while they are certainly different they aren't THAT different. While scrounging in the wrecking yards beware of unknowingly buying a FT block. The FT engine is sort of a heavy duty FE that came in trucks, and they are almost identical, the biggest difference being the distributor hole is bigger. There are bushings available to use a regular FE distributor in a FT block, I think Dennis used to have them out at DSC, perhaps others can chime in here about other FE/FT block differences and where to buy the distributor bushings.

As Rick said, throw a stroker kit into a low buck 390 block and you'll do great. The only real big gain from that 390 setup is to go all the way up to a 427 type block, then you have very big gains in both cross bolted bottom end and in available cubes from a stroker kit due to the big bore on a 427 vs. the significantly smaller 428 bore. As you probably know, a 428 gets it's cubic size from a smaller bore but larger stroke. A 427 is a short stroke big bore engine. Throw a stroker kit into a 390 and it's more of a low buck 428 style engine.

If you're stuck on Webers, make sure you optimize the cam choice to the carbs - I have read many times that Webers are VERY cam sensitive. Go with someone VERY good with Webers to help pick the cam. Don't trust the cam mfg's cam tech line - they usually don't know jack about Webers. Talk to Barry R., Keith Craft and some of the better engine builders, maybe double check with a place like Inglese who specialize in Webers.

Make sure you spend good money on the valvetrain - use good aftermarket rockers, and end stands are a must. I'm told that the assembled Edelbrock heads leave something to be desired as far as the components used, you're much better off buying them bare and have someone who knows what they're doing put in good valves, springs to match your cam, good keepers and retainers, and most of all a top notch valve job. It ends up being a bit more money but usually not too much to do it this way. Keith Craft and Barry can sell you the whole setup. Good luck with the build, sounds like a lot of fun.