i just got a carbed 350 from a 74 corvette to replace my old lg4. My father's friend who used to be a mechanic is trying to say that the motor won't fit in my car because the dipstick is on the right and it was on the left on the lg4. Anyone know what he's talking about?

 

the engine will fit. I think he means the exhaust manifolds are in the way. Tell him you need headers are just get a flexible dipstick.

 

thanks, i am getting headers, haven't decided which to go with yet though

 

He's right about the dipstick locations. But with the headers it will fit through the primaries. Not a problem.

 

yup,
no problem....in fact I have a 70s vette motor in my garage, it'll go in after my mods are done this spring, and I can drive the car for a little while then I'll build the other motor up.

 

ok im thinkin about the same too.....my mechanic said the same crap about my exhaust manifolds then he said that my accessories wouldnt bolt up....cuz of the serpentine systems on 87s. he said if it was an 86 everything would be fine. is he right?

 

get some heads for that 74 engine

 

The accessories bolt to your cylinder heads and serpetine came out in 1988, so he's a little off. It should work with some post 70 cylinder heads.

 

i'm getting headers, but which do i get, ones that fit an 87 camaro w/ 350, or that fit a 74 corvette?

 

ok im not calling you a liar i just want to make sure before i ask my mechanic again. ive looked at my belts and it looks like it half serpentine and have v belts. is that right? sorry i really dont know much about this kind of stuff. im just tryin to figure out if i can use a early 70s block or not. thanks.

 

Yes you can use it.

If your car is a 86-up, you'll need a different flywheel or flex plate, because the newer block uses the one-piece rear main seal, but the older block has the 2-piece, and the crank flange is different.

Also, the older block will have the oil dipstick on the left; it will absolutely not work with exhaust manifolds, because it will have to go RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE of the left exh man. But it will work with headers just fine.

A 74 motor has the necessary accessory bolt holes in the heads. All of your accessories will bolt right up.

Don't be surprised if it's not much faster, if it's even any faster at all. Those 70s 350s were pigs. The pistons (dished), heads (882s probably), and the cam (the "929" cam, .390"/410") were the main reasons why.

You need headers to fit a 82-92 Camaro/Firebird. Get chassis-specific ones, not some budget thing that's the cheeeepest thing that calls itself a header and claims to fit; you will wind up spending as much or more putting "universal" ones in by the time they actaully work at all, and you'll end up with an inferior job with weird pipe bends, leaks, etc. etc. DO NOT get headers that will accept ANY PART of your LG4 exhaust; get the headers, a cat, and a cat-back exhaust for some other motor, such as a 350 TPI. Buying LG4 stuff will preserve the bottleneck and guarantee that your 350 will not produce any more power than the 305 did, ever.

 

I'm going with Hedman Street Hedders http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=27982 , Dynomax Super Converter http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=15723 , and Dynomax SuperTurbo cat back http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=12031 . Does that sound like a combo that I will benefit nicely from?

 

74 motor = smog = crap. i agree with Shecky. at least get some heads or the thing won't run any better than your lg4, maybe worse.

my experience is that many mechanics in garages don't know squat about swapping stuff. they only work on things that are factory, and they never seem to want to look beyond what they see. no offense to the ones who do know...

of course the guys at parts stores and junkyards are just as bad. you tell them EXACTLY what you want, but they say you are wrong and it won't work, yet you know it will...oh well I am rambling.