My brother wants to build up my old 350. It is from my '73 pickup and I think it's the original engine, which means it is a high-nickel-content block, right? It does have four-bolt mains.

He wants to keep the overall cost down, so he will not want any unobtanium parts. Actually I would guess that he is trying to build it for about $1500, parts and machine work included.

He wants it to be a good street motor, doesn't care about highway rpm or mileage.
He will probably run a set of Vortecs.
No nitrous.

What combinations do you think are good?

Whats it going in? gears/trans/converter?
Whats it being used for?

'80s Monte SS
TH-350
3.73
Converter to be determined afterward.

He is going to want the car to handle well and use it for back-road driving. (That's what most of the roads here are. They are paved, but lots of twists and turns, ups and downs.) His main criteria right now are that it has to be able to spin the tires from a stop. With 3.73 gears that shouldn't be a problem.
He may spend the extra money on a hydraulic roller cam.

He is looking for good power from low rpm. He doesn't want to have to wait for the engine to rev to start pushing-he wants the power to be there whenever he hits the gas, especially coming out of corners.

He has been looking at some dyno numbers (Edelbrock E-tec 350) and is wowed by the power some motors put out, but he will be happy making an honest 300 hp. (I think we can do better, but I have been fooled by magazine articles before.)

sounds like this car will be used to run moonshine

Cattmann... I was thinking the same thing lol

GetMore...He can build what he wants easy. I built mine for about $2600 total from air cleaner to oil pan. Mine has alittle more than he wants right now though. I'm gonna list alot of the same parts I used (pistons, cam, etc).

If he just wants to burn rubber then that will be no prob at all. I have so bad of traction probs it's unreal. I have 3.42 gears, 2800 stall, a locker (like posi), 255/60-15 rear tires and I can lay down over 300' of twin black stripes. At the track in my 1988 camaro I run 12.80's at 118 mph (see how bad the traction is. 118 mph should be 11.40's with good traction)

Here's a pic of my rubber marks... http://community.webshots.com/photo/292239995/385398986PFTgXm

Here's my engine build pic album.... http://community.webshots.com/album/125404458TcPBig

For the parts I recommend....
Head over to http://www.northernautoparts.com/ProductModelDetail.cfm?ProductModelId=380 and look at that rebuild kit.. You will want to add a few things to the kit. The base kit starts at $170

Add these to the kit...

Frost Plugs: Brass + $6.32

Cloyes Double Roller 3 Key-way C3023XSP + $10.78

High Volume: Oil pump + $8.94

Oil Pump Shaft: High Volume Oil pump shaft + $6.99

Hypereutectic Pistons: (flattop) # H345NP + $18.92

Crane Powermax Cam & Lifters 2000-5000 RPM #113942 272/284 adv duration .454/.484 lift + $107.56

Moly Rings: moly + $11.50

Now kit total is $342

Add $250-350 for machine work. (bore and hone, hot tank clean, pin fit pistons, install cam bearings and freeze plugs)

Top off with good heads like the vortecs,

performer or performer rpm intake ($165-$176 for use with vortecs)

600 cfm carb (edelbrock is my pick $235)

headers, good exhaust and he will have a killer street engine.

Total for engine with out heads $997-$1097

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by night rider:
Cattmann...


Add $250-350 for machine work. (bore and hone, hot tank clean, pin fit pistons, install cam bearings and freeze plugs)

</font>
Machine work for my new 406 was $1,300 Ballance included

sinner4... That sounds kinda high, what all did you have done??

He's wanting a basic engine so just the common work is all he needs. Around here the prices are...

Bore and hone $85-100
Hot tank and check for cracks $40-50
Pin fit pistons $30-40
Install cam bearings & freeze plugs $30-45
Turn crank $70-90

Thats all he would need for a basic street engine, he might not even need the crank turned if it's in good shape

So thats $185-$235 if crank dont need turning, or if it does then $255-$325

I second exactly what night rider says!

I used the NorthernAuto Parts rebuild kit upgraded with all the good stuff. I believe it was $260.00. I also bought a Comp Cams 268H for $96.00

I had about 380.00 in machine work which included:
Vat Cleaning
Bore and Hone
Install cam bearings
install freeze plugs
check rods
install rods on pistons
turn crank
surface flywheel
Also, $220.00 to rebuild the heads and upgrade the springs.

I paid a family mechanic friend $100.00 to assmble the short block and then I put the top end together and hung all the accessories, and re-installed myself.

So, I have just over $1000.00 in a complete rebuild, and with the Speed Pro Hyper pistons that came in the rebuild kit and the cam, it makes more power than most of the budget crate engines.


The crate motors are definately easier to stab and go, but, for what the least expensive "complete" crate engine cost, I could build 2 very fun street engines like mine.

Or use the savings for a Vortec swap (which is what I eventually did) and really up the fun factor a bit!



[This message has been edited by D Stroud (edited July 05, 2005).]

DUE!THATS SOME SERIOUS RUBBER. CONGRATS ON THAT ONE!

I sent him the link to this page and he really liked the moonshine comment.
He just got the car today, after spending part of the weekend stripping the block. (priorities?)

What would be a good roller cam for this?

Thanks for the advice!

Can't you just use one of those Briggs & Stratton rebuild kits on it ? I got one (350) in the basement and it looks TINY next to my 454 http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif

You have a 60 gallon compressor in your house?
Or at least those pics appeared as if it was in your house.

AllGo... Yep that's a 60 gal. IR compressor in the living room of my house (no shop outside) As you can tell I'm a gearhead for sure. (I love being single, no woman would let you have a compressor in the house lmao)

Heck I build engines in my home (as you seen in those pics)


thefed.... Thanks. I really wish I couldnt lay rubber down like that. It really hurts my track times. BTW that mark was done by not even trying, just stopped, then hammered the throttle. If I come up on the converter (brake stand) I can add about another 75-100 feet or so to the lenght