UPDATE 7/1/2017 Because of changes at photobucket, many pictures will be broken. If you want to see a specific picture please PM me with the post number, and I will try to add the picture back in.

UPDATE: Here is a link to my cost break down, with part numbers, prices, where purchased, ect.

EXCEL SPREAD SHEET COST BREAK DOWN:
https://1drv.ms/x/s!Av6ar62qQ22oa4XZqwMoMAnE4aA
Hope this helps people.


So, I delivered a clean 360 block to a good machine shop shortly after Thanksgiving, 2015. After 2 weeks they called and told me it was ready to go. I was able to pick it up the week of Christmas.

After dropping the block off, I had ordered a Hughes stroker kit and had it delivered directly to the shop. The shop owner was impressed with the quality and price of the kit (~$1800 with balancing and shipping), which made me feel a little better after some of the horror stories I've heard.

Now, I'm just ordering parts for it. I'll post pics as I can, and as I think about it. Since the block is currently covered up, and the bottom end stuff is buried under cleaned top end parts, I'll start with a picture of the gasket set I got today.



Full gasket set





Sealed power = Fel-pro?

And I'll leave that as an opening to a wallet eating nightma.... I mean toy😉.

Any questions or comment? Let's hear them.
There will be a total break down of my cost on parts at the end of this, with part numbers and where I got them from.

 

Looking forward to watching this build progress!

 

What heads are you going to be using?

 

Can you post the link to the kit? #128552 doesn't come up on Hughes engines.

Yes, Owned by Federal-Mogul.

 

Hey You, I'm planing on EQ heads from Odessa, stock valve sizes to keep all the torque down low. This motor will rarely, if ever, see more than 4500 rpm. Am I wrong in my thinking?

Moparite, this is the link to the bottom end kit from hughes: 408 STROKER KIT
If you mean the gasket kit, the number on the box should come up in searches (260-1864). I got that from my local napa store. It was a special order, and took about 4 business days to show up.

 

I am really torn on valve size for a 408....... Sure, the smaller valves *should* give you better bottom end torque, however..... given that you are compensating with more cubes...... I am really tempted to go with the larger valves, to help feed it better in the mid-range as well. (which is probably where it will spend most of it's time....) Would be nice if we had dyno charts to consult, and see EXACTLY what changing valve size will do..... But, we just ain't that lucky.

 

I know what you mean. Part of the reason I was going with the smaller valve was price. I had found a set that was $285 each($570/ pair), with my core returned. After asking about valve spring compatibility I found they wouldn't work (stock springs), and Odessa wouldn't change the springs before shipping.

So with that, my options moved to iron rams (~$1000/pair) or EQ series(just EQ or Monster EQ). Since both EQs are the same price(~$1300/ pair), Im just going with the bigger valves. Like you said, most of my driving is going to be between 2000 and 3000 rpm. That should move the torque into the right range with the mid length headers I'll get from HiPoTec (I hope...lol).

When this engine is done, it should look stock when you open the hood, except for the headers when i get them. I'm using the stock kegger with a 50 mm throttle body, and stock exhaust until i get the money up for headers.

 

Just Thought I'd add a list of parts ordered so far.

CAM
DOUBLE ROLLER TIMING SET
52MM THROTTLE BODY
HIGH VOLUME OIL PUMP
PICK UP TUBE Yes, these make a difference... if you're wondering.
408 STROKER KIT
FULL GASKET SET

If I find anything I've missed so far, I'll add it in later.

 

Make sure you are getting NEW heads, and NOT Remans..... The new castings have thicker decks, and are far less prone to cracking.

At one time, Odessa/Clearwater cylinder heads had new 2.02 heads for the magnum engines for under a grand for the pair..... May wanna give 'em a call, and see what they have to say for themselves.

 

The $285 a piece heads were new castings. All other info came directly from their ebay page and talking on the phone with them.
Friendly people, but not real patient with some one like me that knows nothing about heads. They definitely tried to help me though, no matter how vague I was. Think it was Doug I spoke with, but I could be wrong. I'm terrible with names.