To Cast, or not to Cast

[AP1995V6]

I'm going to order the short block assembly for my 351 this weekend, and I haven't decided which crank I want to use - cast steel or forged steel.

I'm building a low compression 408 stroker and will eventually add a small amount of boost (6# or so) via supercharger. Would a 393 be better due to compression ratios? This isn't going to be an insane engine so I'm wanting to just run it on pump gas.

Yet more questions concerning heads...

Should I go with something like the AFR 205? It's going to have a fairly mild cam operating in the 1500-6000 rpm range for streetability.

What would you guys recommend?

 

[AP1995V6]

 

[tjm73]

Cast or forged at about 6 psi won't really matter. I like to over build everything, so I would go with forged. It wouldn't cost much more money. it will cost exactly the smae ammoutnof money to do a 393 as a 408. So I vote 408. Actually I vote 418 (4.03" bore/4.10" stroke) as it will also coast the same as a 393 and it's about as big as you can practically go in a factory 351 block without having a small base circle camshaft for crank to cam clearance.

My brother just did a 418W and it is sick.

 

[AP1995V6]

I initially wanted to go with a 408, but I noticed that getting pistons with a deep enough dish was going to be a problem. I wanted to start out with a 8.5- 9.0 c/r so I would have room to spare if I decided to crank up the boost a couple pounds. For example, on CHP's website they only offer dishes in the 9.9 c/r range for a 58cc combustion chamber for a 408, but I could get a dished piston that would put me around 8.7 with a 393.

I definitely want to keep the c/r around 10.5 with the boost.

I will probably end up overbuilding just so I can have that piece of mind. Stroke and dish size are my key issues now

I know there's not much of a price difference between a 393 and a 408, but it is extremely important that this car is able to be driven on the street without traction problems.