[jim_howard_pdx]

Like Eric, I am a big proponent for the 514 stroker engine. With ported Aluminum Super Cobra Jet Heads, 13 to 1 compression and a nice solid roller, it cooked up 817 hp on gasoline alone. This is really superb power. It is what you will need if you go up against the Merlin engines now adays.

Brodix is a great manufacturer for race quality heads. I know that trick flow has a head now for this application, but I am not sure who might be using it.

You want to maintain the cantalevered valve style so the intake runs down the center of the cylinder. This is why the 429 wedge did so well in Nascar racing.

Check into using the highest pin location piston you can find, and run the longest rod you can at whatever displacement you decide to run.

If nothing else, just run a 460 crank, light long rods, and light pistons. There is no reason to run a 429 displacement when there are so many 500-600 cubic inch strokers out there prowling the streets.

Personally I would build a 351 stroker engine, run race heads, and NOS. You can easily hit low 10's with the right blend of parts. I prefer the 377 and a long rod, but I know eric is up there at 426 and is going to run 6's. YOU GO! ERIC THE ROCKET MAN!!!

Check out Competitioncams.com. Click on catalog, and you will find about 25-50 grinds for solid roller 385 series cams. These will run around 200-250 dollars, and they are RACE PROVEN pieces. Their tech line guys are some of the best advice guys I have talked to, and their world record engines total in the 1,000's now....

If I can find an email address for Kaase, I will pass it along. He is the guy who designed the Aluminum Cobra Jet Head. It is very inexpensive and with that little bit of port work can get you monster power.

Check Summit racing to see if they have a 514 stroker kit. This might be as cheap as going with a stock rebuild using quality parts. They manufacture about 250 engines per month now, and they have got some good tech people too.

Hope this helps. Read my speed secrets 1-5 for some ideas to share with the shop you choose to help you. Or read up, buy some tools and put the engine together yourself. It really is a fun process if all the machining work and balance is done by a top rate professional.

Good luck.