Dabesiv

iTrader: (1)

I'll start by saying I have minimal hands on experience with engines but am doing my best to learn. Everyone here has always been of great help with my car questions and I need the advice and guidance from the pros.

I killed my stock 305 back in 2010 and replaced it with a Goodwrench 350, thinking just getting a 350 would give me all the power I would need, not realizing the purpose of the Goodwrench was to just get a vehicle from point A to point B. Now that I am older, wiser, and have some money to spend I want this car to be built up more.

I have read through the GW build up from SuperChey a half dozen times and wish i could get performance like that, but swapping parts will be a hassle as my car is a daily and pulling the engine out every few weeks would become a huge nuisance. I could do it all with the engine still in but that will be a rough project I think.

So I am now toying with a few ideas for the car. Either swap parts like the GW build and do what I can when I can (intake, cam, heads, valve train), buy a better crate motor and drop it in over a weekend, or build my engine from scratch, getting everything I like then put it in the car.

I don't need a track car, more of a moderate street ride with some oomph when my foot gets a little heavy. I was thinking ballpark of 350-400 HP and around the same for torque.

I was hoping to get some guidance on which direction would be good to go, and what would be the cheapest of options for decent performance. Any tips or criticism is welcome.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Start with headers and good exhaust if you don't already have them.

Then do a set of good used GM vortec heads, good valve springs, fel pro 1094 head gaskets, a speed pro/melling/elgin 214/224@.050" cam, summit "stage II" vortec intake.

Cheap budget minded build, but works great. Back it with a 2400-2600 stall converter and 3.23 or 3.42 gears and you will have a street brute.

cosmick

Start with the rear axle gearing. The best option is find a '90-'92 V6/auto and take the entire 3.42:1 28-spline rear axle assembly from that. That will make the most dramatic improvement, and any cam upgrade you might do will hate the 2.73:1 gears you have now. The 929 cam you have now will like the 3.42:1 gears. But the gears require a carrier, and you may as well upgrade from 26-spline at the same time. So just do the whole thing, saves needing a ring and pinion install kit, and a lot of hassle trying to set up the preload and backlash with shims, repeatedly disassembling, reassembling, and checking again. Then once you have a traction problem and the budget to fix it, then add a LockRight.
You can get a good-enough 2400 stall for around $220 delivered from Summit, but that will also drive better with 3.42s than 2.73s, BTDT.
I'd do exhaust second, converter third, then engine last.
The Vortec heads are my choice as well, but not that intake, for a daily driver you'll never miss the 5 HP from a stage 1, and winter driveability will be dramatically better.
Do cam, intake, and timing set all on the same weekend, use a Cloyes double row true roller timing set. That generic 214/224-112 442/465 cam is pretty good for everything. Comp 981-16 valvesprings are overkill, the 980s will work to 6000 RPM and reduce the risk of wiping a lobe or killing a lifter when you first run-in your new cam. The Edelbrock springs are even safer, but no good past 5500 RPM.
The 1094s used to be ruber-coated, but since that changed, I switched back to GM's 0.028" gaskets. You'll never notice any difference in power.
Actually, before you even get to exhaust, get some SFCs, do them while you're doing exhaust.

86LG4Bird

iTrader: (1)

All good advice!
And here's the "bang for the buck" deal on a TC that will flash easily to 2400 behind a 350, and will be mistaken by most people for stock with normal driving:
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/c...ng.com+URL+%2F
(Part No. B29DCNF for a 1996 S-10 pickup)

Dabesiv

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the ideas guys!!

I should have clarified that the 700r4 is a year old replacement. I swapped out the disgusting 200c and put in the 700r4, it should have a 2400 stall if I remember correctly.

As far as the rear end goes, I am not sure of it. Many years ago I had jacked up the rear and spun the wheel and counted the drive shaft to figure the ratio and got 2.73 but when you look at the options for the car, they only offered 3.23. Once I get some garage space I will happily recheck that. I wouldn't mind swapping out the dif and axles for a 28 spline posi or locker though.

The plan is to get all the parts over time and throw this together over a long weekend.

I can do the springs beforehand on the heads, then put on Headers, timing chain, cam, lifters, rods, and intake.
While I have everything off the front end for the cam I am very tempted to swap over to a serpentine system.

would it be worth it to go with a roller over flat tappets?

Dabesiv

iTrader: (1)

I think the SFCs I will hold off on for a little bit, I like to do big projects at once and was wanting to do them as well as a wonder bar and strut tower brace when I get around to some nice Konis all around.

red rock

iTrader: (2)

Maybe get a $1000+ daily driver so you can work on it whenever you want and not be under the gun to get it done. If that works.

Dabesiv

iTrader: (1)

It has definitely crossed my mind. I'm not too worried about time constraints though. One of my roommates was a bumper to bumper ASE cert. mechanic plus I'll have other experienced help on call if needed.
I don't like to jump into a project until I am full and ready with a backup plan if something goes wrong.