[Greg Reimer 7376]

The only 400 SBC that I ever saw in 1970 was a 265 hp 2 barrel.It had a 313 intake,a big 2 barrel Rochester,and 81/2:1 compression. It would have been a ball with a set of 041 or 186 heads, a 5577 intake, and a QJ.Unfortunately, it never came that way. The first four barrel 400's were in the later 70's. around 74 or so. It was intended as a replacement for the 402. One of our friends in high school graduated in '73, so his folks got him a brand new orange 73 Z-28 Camaro, four speed and all. From the time they got the car, it had a vibration at certain RPM's. He was changing the oil in it one day, and noticed that the block had three freeze plugs on each side. He asked his friend at the Chevy dealer about that, they looked at it,and the suffix on the block number indicated that it was a 400. It had the big 350 balancer, and a non- counterweighted flywheel.It seems the factory accidently(?) installed a 400 short block in place of the 350. The Z 350 even that late still had a four bolt block, a steel crank, forged pistons, a reasonably good hydraulic camshaft, push rod guide plates, 2.02 /1.600 valves, a high rise and a QJ. This 400 had the Z 28 heads, the finned valve covers, the high rise,the QJ, etc,but it was an accident. Makes me wonder who at the factory stole the correct short block.Sure was fast on the street!!