I cant find a shop that is reasonable on machine work and assembly here is houston. the mild work i want done on my 327 is around 2600, i can buy a crated 327/350hp for 1995 on ebay with a warranty. my question is, if i get the block cleaned and honed, cam bearings in, and heads cleaned, seats grinded and angle job, would the rest be easy to assemble at home? i understand the basics, have two books on it, but have never done the bottom end. since i am getting new pistons do i have to number my rods? i want to get it all done in a month or two but don't want to blow it up. i just want a nice little toy, around 325-350hp. if anyone is interested i can run down my shopping list.

WHOA! Stay out of my garage! Just kidding thats about what I am building. Engine kit and machine work cost my under $800 but I bought some aftermarket heads. It can be done in 1965 they rated the fuelie 327 at 375 horse.

The heads on it aren't the fuelies, they are 993's which aren't neccessarily bad, their heavier and less prone to cracking, i will just have to go with a dome piston to up compression. i bought the car because i like the second gen, but specifically cause it had a 327 that runs like a champ as is. I just want to take it apart and know what it has done, what i need to do, and have a zero starting point on wear. plus the tranny neads overhauling anyways, as well as the entire front suspension, yank one thing, might as well yank it all. i have some detailed books that seem to make it so a moron can do it, so I should be ok. it just seems as if machine shops have gotten ridiculus on prices these days, I had a 73 in 1994, 327 310 Turbo fire. I had it bored, upgraded cam, mild port, new valves, etc,. all machined and assembled for 525

$525!!! dang that was cheap even for back in 94.

I port heads and rebuild engines on the side for people, and I charge any where from $400-750 to port heads, and $500-1500 to build an engine. Those are labor only prices. No machine work, no parts.

The shop I use to have parts machined, for a gen. street engine the block/rods/crank work is $275-375.

But you are right. It's pretty straight foward on rebuilding a SBC engine.

If you have a book or 2 you'll be fine. Plus if you get stuck on anything, you always have the people here to help you out.

Just remember... Don't just bolt it together. Anybody can do that. If you want it to last, and make good power be sure to blueprint it as good as you can.

Check all your clearances, and make sure they are with in spec for a performance build.

Make sure you have a good true reading torque wrench and torque all bottom end bolts to spec.

Make sure you wash all parts thats been machined.

Check all parts that was machined and re check them.. Just cause a machine shop done it, don't mean they will be right every time...

Oh yeah to answer your question... Yes mark all rods and the rod caps.

on #1 rod mark side of rod, and it's cap with a #1 or one dot, do the same for the other 7 with the # for that cyl.

Also mark the main caps. Start in front and mark the 1st 4 in a row front to rear, 1, 2, 3, 4. The 5th cap you don't need to mark cause it looks so much diff than the others, plus won't fit in the other spots lol.

I appreciate your help and advice. yeah i got a great deal, there was a guy who had equipment at his house, and you "had to know someone who knew him", and he did't charge alot because it was his hobby and second job. he was awesome though, that car ran in the 13.4 area with not much in the rear end. it was a great base to begin with but this man loved chevy sbc. i can't find him, and someone said he passed on, so that sucks, all the machine shops here give me crap that they charge alot on 327 because good blocks are how to come by if they screw it up. all my compression tests are fine, so barring any major discoveries they shouldn't screw it up if they are good at what they do. my dad use to race them and rebuild them so we should be ok, i just kinda wanted that luxury i had back then to at least knock out the lower end. here in houston though these shops are getting ridiculus

Sounds like you met some rapists http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif $2600 is way overboard man. Here is what my shop charges per operation.

Bore cylinders $80
Clean block $30
Install cam bearings $32
Install pistons on rods $32
Align bore mains (if needed) $135
Resize rods (again,if needed) $8 each
Deck block $125
Turn crank $65

I think that is most of the "big" stuff.

Like Night Rider said, we are here for you during assembly! Just remember: Clean, clean, clean. Everything needs to be spotless before assembly. Oh, and buy a stick of green plastigage to check bearing clearances. It's only about a buck.

I assemble engines/do valve jobs and porting on the side, but you're 1500 miles away so it won't do you any good.

Good luck, and feel free to email me anytime you want. I've been rebuilding engines for 16 years now, and NEVER had one fail. In fact, the last one I built is running 122 mph in the 1/4 http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/eek.gif

We CNC machine a lot of blocks for local engine assemblers and some machine shops as well.

Clean block (bake & blast)

Sonic test cylinders

Mag for cracks

Line hone with ARP blot kit

Square and deck to zero

Correction cut the top of the block for intake clearance

Stroker clearance bottom of cylinders

Drill required holes in deck if needed for Felpro head gaskets

Machine the extra starter bolt hole for straight across bolt pattern

Bore and torque plate hone.

Jet wash

Total price is 595.00

All machine is done in a 4-axis CNC machine and takes less then 50 minutees to do the work described above.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y276/CNCBLOCKS/MACHINING002.jpg

Torque plate honing takes about 2 hours
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y276/CNCBLOCKS/LITTLE-MBLOCKANDLIFTERBOREFIXTURE013.jpg

Thanks for the offer 1978LT, i am actually looking forward to it now, just my career is a chef so free time and hours suck. but i think it would be a good project for me and my dad,plus that satisfaction will always be there. i plan on starting week after next, so i'll be sure to ask before i guess and destroy.