your basic hotter street 350 build up for 400 flywheel hp

[grumpyvette]

heres a combo I build several times that will easily reach your goal
, but if you don,t use all the components its not likely to work nearly as well, start with a decent 350, flat top piston version with decent compressiom thats not burning oil.
matched to a 3.36-3.73 rear gear ratio
converter
3000rpm stall converter
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

carb
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku
cam
http://www.crower.com/misc/cam_spec/cam ... &x=26&y=10


heads
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

intake

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetai ... toview=sku

look thru these combo and especially notice the heads, cam, compression ratio,intake , carbs,and displacement


http://www.ryanscarpage.50megs.com/

http://www.rustpuppy.org/chp/

http://www.chevymania.com/dyno/

before you start slapping parts together you need to understand why and how things work, buy these books it will be the best money yopu spend


http://www.themotorbookstore.com/resmchstvi.html

http://www.amazon.com/Build-Perform...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237418162&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Smokey-Yunick...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237418221&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/John-Lingenfe...r_1_33?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237418309&sr=1-33

 

[grumpyvette]

alot of your choices will be based on your skills, tools, and budget, but you better do your research carefully, many choices will depend on how durable the parts selected are and if youll use a carb. or efi and limitations like if its got a stock stall converter and an auto trans or a manual trans and the rear gear ratio.
I can easily give you a proven list of parts that will get you 400 plus hp from a 383 sbc but you might not find the combo as street friendly or compatible, with your driving style, or with your current drive train gearing.
keep in mind 400 flywheel hp is different than 400 hp at the pavement and that the heads, cam and compression ratio you select need to be matched to the rpm range and drive train gearing for a combo to function correctly

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=1598&p=3766#p3766

http://forum.grumpysperformance.com/viewtopic.php?f=87&t=1162&p=2379&hilit=+spare#p2379

http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/engine/ccrp-1209-eight-budget-sbc-head-shootout/

now alot of guys instantly start pushing VORTEC heads as a cheap option, and in some cases thats a valid choice, but without thinking thru the total package and its intended power range that might be a BAD choice, limiting your potential.
THE smart option is to build a SECOND performance engine , on an engine stand in your garage or Ive even seen it done in a utility room,slowly and carefully built, using decent cost effective components while you drive your current car, and once the second engines complete, and had a test run, you take some weekend and swap engines, thus the original engine is your spare so if you screw up you've got a fall back position and in a single weekend you can be driving a basically stock , dependable transportation option should your dream engine fail or need work, and youll have a great deal less down time waiting on machine shops and parts deliveries