Yesterday as I was driving through town in my L I saw this guy waving his arms towards me and motioning me to come over there. So I turned around and went back to talk to him. As it turned out he wanted to race me, "he says...I hear this thing is supposed to be fast" I was like...yeah its pretty quick. Well let me get to the story, He had a 197_ Old Model Monte Carlo. I asked him what it had in it...he said a 400. Well, I am just a young guy (23) and I dont know much about old motors. I was not even born when this car was made. Does any of you know about this 400 engine. I know its a big motor. But, can he run with me? He was trying to race for cash so I know it must be pretty quick. Has any of you seen a motor in any car at the track? Thanks for any help you might could give me on this.

P.S.- My mods include JDM Stage 1- Flip chip, line mod valve, cold air kit, oil breather cap, deep tranny pan, boost bypass. I also have a borla cat-back exhaust and I just installed a 4lb pulley. I have never been to the track to get times but I figure low 13's, possibly high 12's from what I have seen others run on the board.
Again, thanks for the help!

 

First things first. Be sure of what YOU have. Get to the track and see what kind of times you can run. Figure out the best way to launch your truck so you can run your best. Now as far as what your challenger has....who knows. It could be a 14 second machine but it has the potential of being an 11 second machine EASY and if he's on the bottle look out. I have seen to much hustling to accept a race for money when I don't know anything about my opponent...and more important when I don't know the capability of my own machine. Remember that excuses are for losers so eliminate the unknown before you accept that challenge. Keep us posted.

 

There are so many variations of the small block (400) that I would need a week to explain it. Plus, who knows what he as done to it.
I have several friends that run mid 11.00's with small blocks that are very streetable. Hell, it could be a 402 big block.
Have the guy go to the local track with you any put some numbers on your windows. Thats what bracket racing is all about.
A very wise old man once said " a fool and his money are easily
parted".

Marc

 

First of all, I told the guy that I would not race for cash. I just would do it for fun. I really do not know if the guy has done anything to his motor. I know that he does not have NOS. And if I had to guess he has not too much if anything to the motor. DO you know what a stock one would run or close to stock. Thanks!

 

if his motor is stock, or even mildly built you will smoke him. It hard to say otherwise. A chevy 400 can be built into a serious motor,especially the small blocks, they make their power high up in the RPM band. Take a closer look at the Monte Carlo, does it have fat tires in the rear and skinnes up front? A roll cage? Dual carbs or an aluminum intake or headers? Any obvious signs that it has some work done to it? Many of the old motors were barley making over 300hp stock with some exceptions, especially after '72 when they started implementing all the emissions crap, though no gaurntee that the motor in the car is originall with it. I admit that Chevy isn't my area of expertice, I'm a Pontiac guy, but I would be willing to place money on you for that race. Sounds to me you could hit high 12's on a good day.

To give you some kind of idea, a 1969 Pontiac Ram Air III with a 400ci / 370hp motor completley stock woud do about 13.7 in the 1/4.

But remember, it doesn't take much to drop those times significantly.

 

Well a pre-G body Monte Carlo would prolly be running low 15's stock. I'll bet you dime to a donut it ain't stock.

 

if he starts it up and it sounds really "lumpy" at idle like it is about to stall ... be very scared

 

Thanks for all the replys so far. Any more will be appreciated. I honestly dont think that too much as been done to this car. I'm sure something has, but I would not guess alot. He has skinny tires all the way around it. It claims he can still make them hook up though. If I see him again I will probably give him a run.

 

Does he sport a mullet? Sounds like the type.

 

the words Mullet, NOS, 400, and Monte Carlo just seem to fit, or something.

 

one thing i do know about cars is chevy blocks. i know that sb 400 are harder too mod because its too expensive, plus the bore is too thin, they like to overheat. for the price of souping up that motor you mite as well buy a bigblock. and in the midsized cars the 400 sb only came "stock in older midsized cars" with 179 hp...what a shame, a horrible lack of compression. but if you had the money you could really make one run.

 

LOL .... "LUMPY" ... That's what I want my truck to sound like!!!