If it was me id stroke a small block run 10.5:1 on aluminum heads a 292 mopar cam and fast or accel efi programmable is better but bolt on is easier.  Would be in the 450 to 500 range and idle at 750.  Best of old mixed with new.  After i finish my modest pinto build im finding a mopar too race.  The pinto is too damn fun to drive to want it too radical hotrods break and id rather keep it on the road and race something i dont mind not driving every day.  I want to build an EFI twin charged slant six 500 hp under 5000rpms just because someone once told me it was a dumb idea and he drives a 10 second chevy have to zoop gettin beat by a six banger I hate fwds and i love my pinto would hate to break it just for the sake of going faster when it cruises and corners better than anything else ive had

Done with a phone punctuation goes out the window... sorry

I understand the draw that an understated out of the ordinary high performance vehicle has. 

Throughout the history of the automobile in the USA there have been countless discussions concerning the attributes of one way to achieve ones vehicular desires vs. the guy who has other ideas.

This topic appears to have left the realm of relevence as it pertains to the Ford Pinto.

Might I suggest it be moved to the 'Off Topic' section of the forum?

Seeing it on a computer your right it doesn't make sense.  We were talking mopar here sorry ford guys.  To simplify BB Mopars are good but the stroker Small block is better, its less likely to blow up and the same Cubic inches.  He wanted 400-500HP out of a 383 I'd go with a 408 Small block.  Lighter bigger and faster, with an E-body you have a heavy car tourque is your best friend.  The 383 has a short stroke, same as the 400 but the 400 has a bigger bore than the 440.  Throw a 440 Crank in a 400 and you get 451 Cubic inches.  Beware of 77 and later 400 blocks they are thin wall castings and can't be bored as far, some at all sonic shecking is required.  As far as the rest of it goes, mostly complaining about the lack of decent smaller Mopar cars (no rwd besides rebadged mitsubishi's).  The Pinto is better.  Albeit the right FWD turbo car can run 12's without much modification, mostly wieght reduction.  I don't like running power through CV axles unless its a 4x4, and then I prefer u-joints.  I won't be racing this pinto, because I like driving it.  Race cars blow up...a simple fact of life.  Anyone who disagrees doesn't have a race car, or they should buy a lottery ticket.  I've blown up my fair share mostly showing off, although a few have been freakishly odd mishaps.  The slant six part is true... 500HP under 5000rpms.  Guy runs 10.9's shifting at 5200, try that with 225 cubic inches.  Let alone a 140ci four banger.

Let me just rant a bit on Mopars before this thread gets the toss. While good enough for most people and apparently still quite popular, this is the kind ov thinking that had me straying into Fords (new Fords) in the first place. If i could have made my Charger do 1/2 ov what my stock 96GT could do for the same money i wouldn't have strayed. I'm glad i drove that GT for four years... it really raised the bar for what to expect out ov a performance car (and a 215HP 96GT aint exactly fast...). Now i expect a LOT more outta my Dodges, and from what i've learned over the years, i am not out ov line in my expectations. I just gotta think outside the box.

Thanks for the Mopar 101, but i'm a bit beyond that. You've got me needing a stroker too, not gonna happen. I might end up stroking a 383 to 440 (though i dont like how short the pistons get) or a 400 to 426 (offset grind crank, just to be different), but thats it. I dont see a need for more. Its just waste. There are way too many 500cid Mopars out there running 13's and 12's as proof. The small block idea is a really good one, especially seeing as i'm building a road racer, but i just dont like small blocks. If i did want one in my car i'd pick up a used P7 Nascar engine and detune it a bit. But i dont have $7000 for an engine that still needs a valvetrain and pistons. And seriously, if you think a 383 is less reliable than ANY small block, you are definitely doing something wrong.

I also realize that 99% ov E-bodies are deceivingly heavy, but i just happen to have one ov those 1% cars, and that was no accident. My particular car (optioned as it is) has a lighter factory curb than almost all 6cyl A-bodies built in the 70's, though obviously less than most ov the 60's stuff. I know what i'm doing here. Incidentally, my Challenger is a 6cyl car, and would make a wonderful 6cyl/4spd weirdo project, but i hate those engines more than i dislike small blocks. My brother had a (very) hotrodded 225 in his Valiant and it went about as well as that combo could go... and i'm still not impressed. Thats practically 50's technology, right up there with that famous 509 Purpleshaft cam...

Whew... there, got that outta my system. Now back to Fords. (please dont move the thread)

I find myself very surprised at how much i wanna supertune that lil 2.3 in my Pinto now (no turbo!). I bought the car for a 5.0L EFI, 5spd conversion, which would satisfy my need for mileage and speed in the same car. But now i'm really curious how far i could go with a N/A 2.3, T-5 combo with no big cam or head, just a (really) well-tuned no-compromise exhaust, compression, intake, mild headwork, small carb, etc. Also plan on about 2000lb curb weight and some nice suspension and brakes to stick my 17" tires a bit better. I posted a (still lonely...) thread about that elsewhere though...

Yeah thats a good idea...althoug h i considered putting it in my pinto but its too clean to hack the firewall :-P