Ok guys, Im new here with a few questions... I have a 99 Ram on 42" TSLs and 1 tons and now im wanting to build an engine for it. It has a 318 in it now, but I have a 360 block I'm wanting to build for it. Im thinking about going with the hughes 408 stroker kit and their top end kit.. Approx. how much HP will I be looking at with this? This truck is rarely ever driven on the street. What all will need to be done to swap the built motor with my 318 other than tuning? It has the nv3500 tranny.. Im looking for somewhere around 5-550 HP and I dont want to use anykind of supercharger or anything like that. And this will be a project that is stretched out over a year or two as I get the money.. Thanks for all the help and any input is welcome

 

a 360 block will def. need new heads, new intake.

im not sure to much on the builds. theres a user on here who has a sick 408 stroker, and he heavily modified it....he should chime in soon.

 

Look at spending money on replacing the trans as well. A 408 will blow up the 3500 pretty quickly, especially on 42" tires.

 

i would look for a nv4500 out of a 3/4 ton or 1 ton truck if u going to try to make that much power

 

Welcome to the forum

You will have to dig deep on this
Upgraded NV4500
That hughes cam is pretty weak & without ported heads dont expect getting even close to you goal.
With 408 & top end kit, maybe 310-315rwhp, thats about 420crank.

500-550 will need
Forged 408, if body lifted 14x4" K&N ontop of a 55mm tb, FI or M1/2BBL, KRC 236 cam or bigger, at least stgII ported EQ or Eddy heads(2.02in valve min) w/arp studs, 10-11:1cr, Hughes main girdle for bit more rigidity of the bottom end. Decent headers either mid or long tubes 1 3/4"primaries & 3" collectors, dual exh preferably with h or x pipe, 36lb inj, SCT custom tune.
Hope you have at least 4.56grs as well.
Should net around 375-410rwhp, which will be about 500-550hp crank

 

Thanks everybody! I forgot to mention in my original post that I do have an NV4500 sitting in the shop waiting to go in, and I also have 5.38 gears in the truck.
Indy, So pretty much your saying to just forget the top end kit front hughes and just piece a "kit" together with the parts you mentioned? The reason I was wanting to go everything from hughes was because this will be my first build like this and I wanted to get everything that "works" good together if that makes sense. Thanks for all the help so far!

 

Contact Dave at Hughes & tell him your power goals.
Im sure he could put the right kit together for you that will make the hp you want & give you a bit of a deal on it.
Buddy built one 408 combo with everything I listed(14x3 K&N) RT202 stgII (from Hughes) & put down 401/456 at the wheels na.

 

Thanks a whole lot indy.. If your buddy dont mind about how much did he spend on parts to get 400+ to the wheels? And one more thing I forgot to mention I also plan on spraying it a little, not much and not all the time, just for fun.

 

Good thing you've got the NV4500, the NV3500 will die pretty quick behind 500+HP, they've been known to live well with 400HP though.

That's a lot of power for a N/A 408, I imagine it'll be pretty high strung, this a mud truck or a trail/crawling rig?

 

Where his power band is going to be to get those horsepower numbers, if its gonna be a crawler, he better have some DEEP gears. Marianas Trench type deep.