Anyone know if a 326 can be sleeved to a 4.120" bore, and ballpark what that costs?

[gtofreek]

Why would you try to put a 400 crank in a 326? Yes, it will go right in, but they are the same stroke. Nothing to be gained there.

[keith]

Meant a 400 stroker crank Paul. Not sure the main bulkheads are the same strength or other aspects of block strength, block thickness etc. Just pointing out additional cubes are available in 326 block without sleeving it if you can find a way to feed them. A ported small valve head might be an interesting combo with the slightly smaller displacement run na or forced air. Had a buddy in Manchester NH with a 326 HO back in the day in an impressive sleeper 4 door 66 Lemans. He and his brother who had a 57 Chev are still running their front-end shop. If I can ever get my car rolling I will be over there to get front-end done.

[Mb125]

At that point why not just build a 400?
The cost of custom pistons and everything else you can just build a 400 with off the shelf parts and be ahead power wise and money wise.

[tjs44]

Paul,as you know I have done crazy builds like the 301-383 stroker build,I dont think im my wildest dreams I would even think about using a 326 block!The 4in bore build was tough enough having to go to a 2.05 I and a 1.66 E.The big advantage that build had was everything was shorter and lighter,the 326-350 builds dont have that advantage.JMO,Tom

[Zedo]

Originally Posted by sport65

Dying to put a .030" over 389 in my Lemans with 400 pistons/heads. Prices for A body 64 389 or 65-66 389 block seem rather much to me and most of them have been left outside.

I've got 2 known good 326 blocks. For the prices I've seen for a 389 that I don't know if good plus the costs to machine said block, I'm thinking might be better price-wise to sleeve a 326 that I have.

Don't know that much about sleeving just what I read so I don't know if I'd need dry sleeves o wet sleeves. Don't know if it's possible to do sleeves that big on a 326 or if anyone has even attempted it.

Can anyone "ball park" approximately what 8 sleeves would cost? (If plausible)

Please don't ask why LOL. Yes, I'm crazy.

don't do it, it will ruin the block.

on a stock Pontiac, the original cylinders are what holds the deck down. if you press 8 sleeves into it, all the original liners will crack. then when you bolt the heads down, the head gasket will not seal- cuz the head bolts pull the deck up, rather than pulling the head down. my friend has a boat anchor 455 4 bolt main block with 8 sleeves in it, that we ran at the track. it leaked water past the head gaskets after one day at the track.

you can only sleeve every OTHER bore, cuz you need at least 2 unsleeved bores to hold the deck down, on each bank. you can't sleeve 2 bores next to each other, cuz the head gasket will blow there.

even putting ONE sleeve in a Pontiac block, severely distorts the cam registers, then the cam won't go in, and you have to hand hone the cam holes, one at a time, front to back, and install each bearing, until the cam eventually goes all the way in. I had to do it to 2 blocks.

so it's reserved for saving special 4 bolt main blocks, rare castings, etc.

and it costs WAY MORE than just buying a 389

you can take a totally rusted seized Pontiac 389 that has been sitting outside uncovered, and if it's not cracked, have it shot peened, magged, cleaned, and have it rebuilt for less than sleeving a 326.

[Zedo]

Originally Posted by tjs44

Paul,as you know I have done crazy builds like the 301-383 stroker build,I dont think im my wildest dreams I would even think about using a 326 block!The 4in bore build was tough enough having to go to a 2.05 I and a 1.66 E.The big advantage that build had was everything was shorter and lighter,the 326-350 builds dont have that advantage.JMO,Tom

ditto very good advice, unless it's a bone stock restoration or class racing where cubic inches are limited by rules, building a 326 or 350 is a total waste of time and money, and will always make less power than the same exact heads, cam, intake, carb, headers on a 400-428-455.

if somebody just got into Pontiacs and had a tight budget there's only one way to fly, build the 400 with GM IRON Dport heads, and have at it. put forged rods in it and a good cam and headers, and electronic ignition. don't even bother paying a lot for vintage big valve heads, just take the 2 barrel heads and put big valves in them. the last set I did flowed 240 cfm on Jensen's bench years ago, with just port matching to a RA IV gasket and blending back into the port, and a Cleveland Ford 2.19" intake valve. why buy $3000 Ram Air IV heads that flow the same as $50 heads with minimal work ?

the fact is the engine kits and machining are the same cost whether it's for a 326 or 400, so why throw away 74 cubic inches. I got 2 free 400 blocks at Maple Grove, that vendors didn't want to haul home. one was a code YC GTO 1970 block, the other was a code YD 1967 big car block with extra meat in the bores, the one the turbo guys like Palbykin used. How hard can they be to find, if they're on the side of the road with a "free" sign them ? yes these had free signs on them.