Change of Plans for Potent Rodent

[Shawn]

FINALLY!!! I was able to get some funds to start building the supercharged 400sbc for Rodent. The only thing is when you start adding up the costs for a nice SBC (forged crank, rods, pistons, machine work, heads, EFI, throttle body, etc) it easily gets to be over $6k not including the supercharger.

Before I threw down all this cash, I took a quick look on craigslist and what do you know... a 496 with the following specs:

complete engine
454 4-bolt mains
bored and stroked to 496ci
bored/squared/line hone/balanced
JE Forged Pistons .060
Speed Pro rings
Forged Rods
Forged Cola Crank 4340 4.25
Federal bearings/main/rod
ATI Lunati Harmonic Balance
HD Flex Plate (Lunati)
Street & Performance TPI ($2750 new)
Computer
Distributer
Harness
049 Heads w larger 2.19 valves, ported
roller rockers
roller cam
Nitrous-Top Gun with 8 jets
Nitrous Bottle
Over $10k invested, less than 100 miles

He was selling it for $3700 and I got him down to $3000! Went and picked it up tonight and got it my garage. Its been sitting on a stand for awhile. He was going to put it in another truck but lost interest and it just sat in the garage.

Here's a few pictures after I brought it home:

Here's what the TPI setup comes with:

I'm going to take it apart and inspect everything. Clean off all the dust, maybe strip the black paint from the TPI setup. I'll need fix a few nitrous lines that got bent when pulling the engine. Needs a bigger throttle body like BBK's 1000cfm unit.

Maybe I'll make it to Blazer Bash this year...

 

[MNorby]

did you used to have a nasty BBC in that years ago from the ORC days?I think I do remember reading about you taking it out though

 

[Copasetic]

Holy crap, good score! Man you're truck has inspired me to do a lot of what I have done to mine. I first saw yours about a year and a half ago. I've had my K5 for almost 2 years and I just finally got enough parts to dive into it. Keep up the great work!

 

[Shawn]

did you used to have a nasty BBC in that years ago from the ORC days?I think I do remember reading about you taking it out though

Yeah, this will be 2nd 496 going into it. The last 496 spun some bearings coming back from Moab. Engine shop here in Denver didn't build it correctly and wouldn't stand behind it. I've had bad luck with engines:
stock 350- sucks for power
383- lost oil pressure and destroyed it
mild 454- spun main bearings
stock 454- no power with peanut heads, took it out to build the 496
496- engine builder ****ed it up, ended up parting it out
2nd 496- hopefully this one lasts!

Here's a pic of my K5:

Holy crap, good score! Man you're truck has inspired me to do a lot of what I have done to mine. I first saw yours about a year and a half ago. I've had my K5 for almost 2 years and I just finally got enough parts to dive into it. Keep up the great work!

Thanks! I know how it is since takes me awhile to save enough $$$ to build something nice. I've been having to share my car budget with my other cars so the K5 has been neglected in the last 4 years. I never meant to take this long but thats the way things go sometimes. Looks like yours is coming along very nice!

 

[JEBSR]

One word for ya,

















THIEF

Good score, hope you have better luck with this one. If not, at least you could part this one out for at least what you have in at.

 

[83ZZ502_Jimmy]

Looks like a great score! Hope is works out for ya!

John

 

[YZEATER]

estimated horsepower?

 

[miniwally]

Yeah, this will be 2nd 496 going into it. The last 496 spun some bearings coming back from Moab. Engine shop here in Denver didn't build it correctly and wouldn't stand behind it. I've had bad luck with engines:
stock 350- sucks for power
383- lost oil pressure and destroyed it
mild 454- spun main bearings
stock 454- no power with peanut heads, took it out to build the 496
496- engine builder ****ed it up, ended up parting it out
2nd 496- hopefully this one lasts!

Here's a pic of my K5:

Thanks! I know how it is since takes me awhile to save enough $$$ to build something nice. I've been having to share my car budget with my other cars so the K5 has been neglected in the last 4 years. I never meant to take this long but thats the way things go sometimes. Looks like yours is coming along very nice!

Wait a minute. I thought you only owned parts that when correctly assembled made a blazer?

Nice find on the motor.

 

[Drey]

Did ya at least give the guy a jar of vasline when ya gave him the 3000 too?

Nice motor, nice K5 too havent seen it in quite awhile

 

[CK5]

Wait a minute. I thought you only owned parts that when correctly assembled made a blazer?

Yes, at the time of this writing, that is still correct, yes.

 

[Shawn]

estimated horsepower?

My last one made 425 at the rear wheels. Add 20% for drivetrain loss and it was close to 510 at the crank. This engine should make similar power plus a 200hp shot on top of that.

Wait a minute. I thought you only owned parts that when correctly assembled made a blazer?
Nice find on the motor.

You must of seen my garage! I've had most of the parts sitting around the K5 for years! Just got the 4L80 done not long ago and I was just waiting to get the 400sbc built until now.

Did ya at least give the guy a jar of vasline when ya gave him the 3000 too?
Nice motor, nice K5 too havent seen it in quite awhile

He wasn't sure he wanted to sell it until I told him it will need to taken apart since its been sitting so long. I'm thinking I'm going to have install new rings, valve springs and gaskets. Thanks!

 

[HarryH3]

Over $10k invested, less than 100 miles

One quarter-mile pass at a time...

If this one makes anywhere near the power that the last one did, the Rodent will indeed be Potent once again! I don't think I'll ever forget when we pulled out to pass Toby coming off the trail in Moab and you hammered down on that 496. Yeehaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

 

[mrk5]

Sweet score! I can't wait to run some trails with you. Are you really going to try and get it ready for Blazer Bash? Guess you just need to finish the motor, right?

 

[Shawn]

Yes, at the time of this writing, that is still correct, yes.

One quarter-mile pass at a time...

If this one makes anywhere near the power that the last one did, the Rodent will indeed be Potent once again! I don't think I'll ever forget when we pulled out to pass Toby coming off the trail in Moab and you hammered down on that 496. Yeehaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

It will be similar except for a "small" 200hp shot of n2o on top of it...

Sweet score! I can't wait to run some trails with you. Are you really going to try and get it ready for Blazer Bash? Guess you just need to finish the motor, right?

I'm going to try. Still have lots of work left. Tuning, new rear springs, shifter, tranny/tcase install, driveshafts shortened/lengthened, and all the other small sh1t you run into when doing this...

 

[TC4x4]

Nice bumper, where did you get that?

 

[mrk5]

Nice bumper, where did you get that?

He got it from 4x4 Armor. They aren't in business anymore.

 

[Big91RustyBucket]

Been awile since I saw anything of you Shawn.

 

[TC4x4]

IC that stinks because that would be a nic bumper to have...

 

[WRENCH-HEAD]

congrats

Mines Prettier . Congrats on the motor. So what are you going to do with the 400 SB?? If you need any help with the work let me know.

 

[Shawn]

Nice bumper, where did you get that?

Its actually from SEC. 4x4 Armor built my rear, SEC built my front. Its too bad they don't make it anymore. Here's another pic of it on another K5:

Few more pics here:
http://rubicon.off-road.com/chevy/reviews/sec

Been awile since I saw anything of you Shawn.

I've been around, just waiting to get all my parts lined up.

Mines Prettier . Congrats on the motor. So what are you going to do with the 400 SB?? If you need any help with the work let me know.

Nice! Where did you get your pulleys and how did you mount your alternator there? I'm actually thinking of going with some Edelbrock heads and putting these ported iron heads on my K30. Motor should end up similar looking to my first 496 except with the TPI setup instead:

I took off the valve covers yesterday. OMG! The inside looks as if its never been ran.

The 400sbc is going to.... <drum roll>.....
Steve Fox
It only has 20k on it so he's going to slap some Vortec heads and call it good. Should make awesome power for his buggy.

Here's a sweet article they did on a 400sbc with Vortecs:
http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/techarticles/148_0306_chevrolet_406_big_block_torque/