Wow, 392's are insanely cheap to build!!

SmockDoiley · Apr 18, 2004

So after seeing a 351 in a yard for only $100 I looked into building one up and they are cheap. Heres the price breakdown if anyone is looking into this:
351 long b-$100
392 stroker crank-$280
351 reconditioned rods(PAW)-$120
302 hyper. pistons(PAW)-$112
351 rebuild kit(PAW)-$132
351 block cleaning,machining,boring-$300 approx.
assembly yourself-no labor
---------------------------------
total-$1044 approx.

So a grand gets you a brand spankin new 392 stroker thatll withstand 500 horses easily since even factory windsor parts are strong. You cant beat that price. The cheapness comes from the fact that the 392's use factory 351 rods, and factory 302 pistons.

axeman · Apr 18, 2004

you got it! that's what i'm hoping to do when i can afford to build a motor.

btw, you might need some good heads in order for that motor to operate the way it should.

90mustangGT · Apr 18, 2004

Wow, some inexpensive parts list. How is the quality of these parts. It's encouraging though because people are on a budget, like me.

horseplay91 · Apr 18, 2004

very true..........BUT, figure in the costs of the other parts to support and actually make 500 horses and its not so cheap anymore. i guess what im saying is if your gonna do it....do it right. you know as well as i do that for the typical enthusiast, after he gets that engine making the power, sooner or later that same individual will wish he had used some better pistions to throw some nitrous at it. i know, i know, thats not your point. its just that after reading your post, i can see how some poor uninformed troll is gonna be telling his friends that for $1000 bucks he can have a 392 stroker making 500 horses.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Apr 18, 2004

I wouldnt opt for hyper pistons, but the rest looks pretty interesting! At the very least it's going to make more power than a typical stock 351W even with stock heads, so it's a win win situation if you're rebuilding a 351W, just go ahead and stroke off! lol

SmockDoiley · Apr 18, 2004

Obviously hypers are not too great when it comes to boosting but that isnt the point, and what I mean by 500 horses is that that short block can handle 500. As for quality, PAW doesnt sell junk. Stock 351 rods are forged and rather strong, and so are any 351 based cranks cause they are so large. I know it takes heads and cam and stuff, but this post is just the short block which is usually the most expensive thing. You gotta figure people are out there paying like $4000+ just for a short block. So to have an all new reliable pump gas 392 cubes for $1000 is pretty good. Theres no reason this combo wouldnt last 100k miles since it uses stock components including rods so the side loading or oil burning issues shouldnt play a part. If you want to continue the cheap theory then incorporate a flat tappet cam since almost all these blocks are just that. Then use a set of high ports which run like $1100 and have 64cc chambers, 192cc intake runners, and 2.02 valves. You could have a long block 392 stroker for $2800-3000 easily if not cheaper if you shop around.

SmockDoiley · Apr 18, 2004

Also, for the guys with parts already on their cars, its even cheaper. See, I already have an extra set of roller rockers laying around and the engine I'm getting is from a EFI 4X4 truck so I can use the EFI 351 dizzy in it, along with the oil pan. That saves so much more money and trouble. The dizzy should be plug-n-play since it has the same connection block sticking out of it but I'll have to look at it. So the fact that it comes with those parts and I have rockers already, I can do it for $2650 and all it needs is headers, intake and necessary fuel mods to feed it. So injectors, pump and headers push me out to $3000 and another $700 for intake,CAI and throttle body. Up and running for $3700 plus stupid little things here and there.

IndyBlk5.0 · Apr 18, 2004

Say i supercharge a 392 stroker, with good heads, it would make way over 500 hp easily. You say the block cant handle over 500 horses? So for the supercharged crowd, would it be easier just to build a 331 with a s trim and get the same results? Would there be much higher tq numbers with the 392 stroker regardless?

mike keirstead · Apr 18, 2004

SmockDoiley said:
Also, for the guys with parts already on their cars, its even cheaper. See, I already have an extra set of roller rockers laying around and the engine I'm getting is from a EFI 4X4 truck so I can use the EFI 351 dizzy in it, along with the oil pan. That saves so much more money and trouble. The dizzy should be plug-n-play since it has the same connection block sticking out of it but I'll have to look at it. So the fact that it comes with those parts and I have rockers already, I can do it for $2650 and all it needs is headers, intake and necessary fuel mods to feed it. So injectors, pump and headers push me out to $3000 and another $700 for intake,CAI and throttle body. Up and running for $3700 plus stupid little things here and there.

Are you forgetting that you will have to have it tuned. A nice CARB would be nasty.

331 cobra · Apr 18, 2004

There is a reason people spend $4,000 on a short block. You get a forged crank, better, longer rods, forged pistons, better rings, better bearings, and more displacement.

The $4,000 shortblock will allow you to rev the engine higher because of it's better rod to stroke ratio, spray it without melting pistons, and make a bit more power per cubic inch.

If those things don't matter to you, it is a bargain.

I obviously have problems settling for good enough.

So, a forged crank is $250 more than cast, that's worth it. I can't put cheap rods on my forged crank, so I'll go get some billet cnc profiled lunati's. What's the best 5.0 intake? I hear good things about the roush...

It's a sickness, but I continue to treat the symptom.

speed1972 · Apr 18, 2004

interesting. I think it would be worth it. How much power can a 392 handle with all stock parts? I didn't realize it used the same 351 rods and 302 pistons.... Does it have the same longevity issues as the 347 when considering stroke ratio?

SmockDoiley · Apr 18, 2004

Your comparing apples to oranges man. This build isnt for the crazy. Hardly anybody on here needs a $4000 short block. If your keeping the revs under 6k and your not using more than 6 lbs of boost then this combo will work fine. Its not that it wont handle 500 horses, a well prepped 351 block can handle 650-750 horses and even more if you use one of the older blocks. To make that kind of power I recommend H-beam rods, forged pistons and a main support. You could even keep the cast crank since they are so strong. Besides, a 392 doesnt need boost if you have the right heads and cam. Obviously adding mad power requires better parts, but again those parts arent needed if your not pushing the envelope. Go call DSS and nag at them for offering the Base Bullet with a stock crank. There are obvious reasons why engines are offered in stages. No crap this engine wont handle 800 horses, thats why its only $1000, but it will handle 500. Thats like complaining to Ford for not building the stock 5.0 to handle 20 lbs of boost. No crap it doesnt support that. If you want that go pay for it, but in the meantime, dont belittle a sweet deal. This post is to give another setup example for someone out there shopping for a good priced stroker. If someone out there doesnt want to spend alot and they dont plan on running boost then this engine is perfect. Itll run all day long with no problems and roast the tires in any gear, and make power across the board so its very streetable.

331 cobra · Apr 18, 2004

Like I said, it's a sickness.

I'm feeling a flare up:

If I had a few more cars, I think I could start to appretiate the budget combo's more. If I had one car with a crazy engine that won't idle but goes like hell, and another with a budget engine that idles, has plenty of torque and works better 90% of the time, it might change my mind.

Great now I need another project car, and a two car garage, lifts are nice...

IndyBlk5.0 · Apr 18, 2004

would there be an advantage of using a cleveland block with 4 bolt mains? would this handle more than the winsor?

horseplay91 · Apr 18, 2004

331 cobra said:
Like I said, it's a sickness.

Great now I need another project car, and a two car garage, lifts are nice...

yes it is a sickness........2 car?........well while your at it go for the 4!!!!

jrichker · Apr 18, 2004

Interesting...

For you carb guys, adding a set of Cleveland 2V (street/strip) or 4V (mostly strip) heads from the junkyard would be a real budget screamer.

Sir Hacksalot · Apr 18, 2004

SmockDoiley said:
So a grand gets you a brand spankin new 392 stroker thatll withstand 500 horses easily since even factory windsor parts are strong. You cant beat that price. The cheapness comes from the fact that
the 392's use factory 351 rods, and factory 302 pistons.

Man alive, that is actually very very encouraging to see.

The reality, most of us live below 6000 rpms, and if you could put a stump pulling stroker like that into a lightweight 65-66 Mustang at about 2500 lbs, a nice 4.10-4.56:1 gear, and a toploader, and you've got a recipe for one fun street car, on the cheap.

Sir Hacksalot

331 cobra · Apr 18, 2004

horseplay91 said:
yes it is a sickness........2 car?........well while your at it go for the 4!!!!

I was just beeing practical, I drool when I pass unused wherehouses and other industrial buildings. Have you ever seen Harra's auto museum, that should do it.

SmockDoiley · Apr 18, 2004

Carb or EFI this would be great. Im always running carbs but I was thinking about using this in my 95 with EFI. Windsor will take any power a cleveland can take, but the clevelands are expensive and parts are hard to find. As for the cleveland heads they are good but also expensive if you get the good ones and then get them rebuilt to use. You are talking about doing a Clevor. But by the time you get the good heads and have them rebuilt its only a few hundred bucks from aluminum heads. IF you want to get really funky, be the first guy to have an EFI Clevor and then put it in your 5.0. The carb intakes for a Clevor can still be had, but you can also get spacers to install pretty much any intake to any engine combo. Buy the spacer that puts a 302 or 351 intake on a Cleveland headed windsor and those spacers will also work with an EFI intake. Easy as that. That would be a sick and weird combo that would turn heads at any show. A stroked EFI Clevor in a 5.0. I'm all about the weird stuff. Thats why I have a blowthrough 342, and am currently setting up a 460/C6 for another car, and am now planning this 392 since its so cheap.

dastang2 · Apr 18, 2004

a 392 or 393 is better than a 302 based stroker and the reason is because there is no replacement for deplacement. that means more torque, a lost of the ford truck people have 351 based stokers.

Wow, 392's are insanely cheap to build!!

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