408w pushrods

Roller block or flat-tappet?

If you're doing a street build with hydro lifters, the dog bones will work just fine. You don't require the style with the built-in link bars.


Pick and choose your poison(s):

Crank: 4.000" stroke, 4340 forged (Scat/Callies/Eagle).
Rods: 6.200" H-beam 4340 with ARP2000 bolts (keeps piston compression height reasonable, good rod ratio).
Pistons: Forged 2618 or 4032, dish sized for target compression; 1.0/1.2/2.8mm ring pack, .200" wall pins.
Compression: 10.5–11.0:1 with aluminum heads for 91–93 octane.
Quench: .038–.045" (deck square, MLS gasket).
Balance: Internal if budget allows; otherwise 28 oz external. Match damper/flywheel.
Oil system: Melling standard-volume pump, pickup matched to pan; 7–8 qt baffled pan + windage tray.



Heads (pick one “sweet spot”):

AFR 205 Renegade (2.08/1.60), or
Trick Flow 11R-205 (or High Port 205 with appropriate headers), or
TEA-prepped 205–220cc windsor heads.
Flow in the 290–310 cfm @ .600" range, good chambers.

Valve train: 1.6 rockers (or 1.7 if cam allows), quality springs matched to the cam, 7/16" studs, hardened pushrods, good lifters.


Cam (hydraulic roller, street manners, broad curve):
230/238° @ .050", .600"/.600", 112 LSA (Comp, Howards, Bullet, Jones—spec to your heads/gear).
For a choppier idle & more peak: 236/244° @ .050", .610"+, 110 LSA.

Carb: Edelbrock RPM Air-Gap for max street torque; Victor Jr if you want more top end.

EFI: Trick Flow R-Series, Edelbrock Victor EFI, or Holley Hi-Ram (long-runner EFI if you want low-mid grunt).

Throttle body/MAF (EFI): 90–102 mm TB; 95–123 mm MAF (matched).

Carb: 750–850 cfm HP-style, annular boosters for street driveability.


Manual: 3.55–3.73, decent overdrive.


Good street manners that hovers around 500+/550+

Personally, I would choose the low/mid pieces over the peak HP pieces.

AeroCoupe said:

I think his short block is already built?

Click to expand...

It's there for comparison.