corvette killer??

[rollin_on13s]

Years ago, I read an article in High Performance Pontiac magazine- the title was "Corvette Killer". This was before the LS-1, but I have kept some details from that article in the back of my mind, and was wondering if anyone else can remember- or has some info about the subject of the article.

It was written about the build-up of a destroked 455, using a steel 389 crank. The dsiplacement worked out to be something like 425(?), or 428 (more reasonable). The objective was to build a large cubic inch Pontiac V8 with an oversquare bore and forged bottom end (reasonably). The article described the whole build, plus recommendations for camshaft/heads. The motor described was supposed to be on par with a solid-lifter (Vette) 427 motor.

iAnyone else remember this??

[MrPbody]

Actually, using a 389 crank in a 455 block will net you a .030" over 400 (406 CID). The one you're thinking of is using a 421/428 crank (4" stroke). those are getting rare. The forged ones are VERY rare. The vast majority of Pontiacs had cast cranks, but the crank was NOT the weak link. The rods are first, and block, second. A 400 block is physically stronger than a 455 block, as the main tunnel is 1/4" smaller in diameter.
It's no problem to build a 434 (.030 over 428) to make well over 500 horsepower with 93 octane. Whether or not it's a "Corvette Killer" is a matter of debate. 427 is a pretty good engine! I know my Ram Air car would beat a 390 or 400 horse 'vette, but the 435 job would start to pull away in the middle of third gear. Add some bolt-ons to the BBC, and it's a real handfull for ANYTHING!