1972 402 from a truck... is this worth building?

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1972 402 from a truck... is this worth building?

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1972 402 from a truck... is this worth building? - 9/30/2007 7:12:17 PM

powerplant

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Joined: 9/30/2007
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I have a chance to purchase what I think is a 1972 chevy longhorn 3/4 ton truck with an 402 big block and a turbo 400 trans. My concern.... these engines were so detuned by this time that I am afraid I will need to do something to get the power numbers back up such as domed pistons, shaved deck, stroker crank or something along those lines. After doing a bit of looking I see it was rated at only 240hp in the trucks that year. Is this engine worth messing with? I can get the whole truck for $600

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RE: 1972 402 from a truck... is this worth building? - 10/1/2007 6:21:12 PM

BigBoom360ci

Posts: 71
Joined: 8/4/2007
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Yeah go for it. the 402 is only a slightly longer stroke than a 396, I am not sure if anything changed but you could get some high performance heads off of a early 454 or 396, switch cams, intake, carb, bolt some headers n what not. Or you could change head gaskets to raise the compression a lil along with the intake n cam. there are quite a few possiblities the mind can think of with the products out there today, make it a sleeper 3/4ton.

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RE: 1972 402 from a truck... is this worth building? - 12/26/2007 3:45:47 PM

tawd77

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Joined: 12/26/2007
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A 402 is a 396 with a longer stroke? Thats WRONG. A 402 is nothing more than a 396, that was factory overbored .030 to make it a 402. It was a tactic GM used to get around emission regulations put on motors under 400 cubic inches.

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RE: 1972 402 from a truck... is this worth building? - 12/29/2007 4:32:45 PM

BigBoom360ci

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Joined: 8/4/2007
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quote:

ORIGINAL: tawd77

A 402 is a 396 with a longer stroke? Thats WRONG.

Oops lol Good thing you guys are bowtie boys and I am not. But I'll drive a chevy before an import anyday.

< Message edited by BigBoom360ci -- 12/29/2007 4:33:17 PM >

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Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason so few engage in it. - Henry Ford

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