Sorry bout the sudden shift, but things have kinda changed so the motor I could get realistacally had to change. I thought I could find a job, that hasnt worked out, so i have to wiat till i'm back home so i can get my old one back. There have been some more expenses then I planned for too so my bank account has taken a severe beating. And to top it all off I have to do brakes, tranny flush, diff flush and coolant flush casue it's time. And bein as I am in college I cant do it myself cause i only have some tools,not all, plus no space. So sorry bout the sudden change, but my sitiution has changed.

Matt

 

That's completely understandable. I think everyone has been in a financial pinch at least once when the car thing is involved. Damn cars are such expensive toys, aren't they...

 

Being in college in a money pinch you can still build a strong street car.

It doesn't have to be an exotic 10,000 RPM engine (please on a small block chevy?!? w/o spending 5 digits on the valvetrain/block/bottom end you'll shoot the pistons right through the hood and then you'll have body work to do :-P

Build up a 383, go to a swap meet and pick up a 400 crank. Go get a set of hypereutectic pistons relatively cheap, bore it out 0.030" Spend a little money on the fuel delivery (via carb or FI). Put some steeper gears in the back (3.42 is standard I believe in 80's V6 camaro's, you can get those cheap and throw it in) Couple mods to your 700R4 (Vette servo (cheap), Shift Kit etc).

Get a flowmaster cat back. Headman headers/Ypipe (I went w/ summit on my last project and they're cheap but had to have an exhaust shop build a Ypipe and they did a ****ty job. SPend the xtra for the Headman/ypipe combo.

Do this and You'll have a 12-13 second car that will smoke most of your college buddies (that are on the same budget as you)

I have been exactly in your shoes

Then as you get money improve the parts. Believe me, you'll start seeing results and you'll get somewhere. My friends that 10 years ago were going to wait until they had the money to build an all aluminum, supercharged, 4xx CI, 1000HP Chevy engine are still talking about building that 1000HP engine and their car still runs 17s when mine (granted no 1000HP exotic) will run high 12's .

Just my 0.02c

 

Thanks Chrome!

That is basically what i am thinking, 383 or 350. I leaning towards a 383 cause of the extra power possible, but the 350 would be cheaper for me.

Would you have any rough estimate as far as cost for the build up you described?

Thanks a lot.

Matt

 

what do you think about usein a j-yard truck block? there abundont. 4-bolt main, you can nab them for under 100$ at my pick and pull. clean it up, youd have to make sure its in good shape first though.

 

Many engine builders consider "seasoned" blocks to be the best way to go. Not only are you saving money on the used block, but you get the benefit of heating and cooling cycles to help the block build up some degree of molecular stability...

As long as the walls are good ( no core shift), no cracks anywhere, and plenty of material to bore, hone, deck, etc. You should be good to go.

FWIW, some guys prefer the 2 bolt blocks. Then they have the machine shop drill and tap for 4 bolt splayed caps. Kinda depends on application. If you are going for huge, high RPM power and or endurance, then I would say go for the splayed. Standard 4 bolts are great for strength too. Thats what I run, just the regular 4 bolt...

 

Alright I want to have a 480 built. Wth a block, rotating assembly and all the machine work what would you come out with on price. Sorry to reply to a old thread but I'm serious about having one built and I want to know if its worth it.

 

I spent less then $500 on my motor when I did my swap. Just intake, cam, ported the heads myself, all gaskets, dressup kit, and all the misc stuff. Now of course headers and 3 inch exhaust and a dropbase air cleaner and all that uses up money as well. But now I have a carb'd 350 with 316hp, 385 ft/lb torque. Not too shabby. Now since I have my car I am spending a little money here and there bulding a stealthrammed 350 with flattops 10:5:1 bored .30 over and everything else for the Iroc I just bought.

 

How's about 4-bolt (splayed) block with the new SB2.2 heads and intake. The 58cc chambers produce a 12.1-1 compression ratio. It's a pump-gas, 9,000 RPM capable screamer!!!
:rockon: :hail:

 

12:1 on pump gas isn't very easy... I have friends running 11:1 and needing octane boost or race gas

 

Then again, Timing is everything.

 

Indeed, timing is everything, but a streetable 12:1 motor isnt really the best decision, If you stick to the 10-11:1 range you can run at the best timing possible, still stay very streetable and dependable and make loads of power. Wow someone can brag about 12:1 but who knows what price they have to pay to have that compression, Not worth it in my book.

 

You can make 300+ hp with a 350 easily.

Get a 350 block and rebuild it with around 9:1 compression. XE262-XE270 camshaft, vortec heads, RPM air-gap and a 650 DP. With a decent exhaust you would have more than your 300 hp and all relatively cheap to.

More used parts you find the cheaper it will be to.

 

Gaskets, machining the heads... Um, octane booster, maybe blower pistons? Let's just say that there's always another way or idea

 

Well Gaskets and blower pistons will lower the compression, So I dont see what your point is,Cause then it would be around the compression I said before? And Octane Booster isnt pump gas.... And there is really no need arguing since the guy said he was on a low budget and all this stuff is just money, Since your on a budget I would recomend an older 350 block with maybe some Sportsman II heads, I know many people selling them for $500 or less.

 

But hey, I'm just offering ideas. Everyone else has their opinons and helpful info, I'm just tossing in my two cents. It all comes down to what you can and are willing to do.

Third-gen forever!

 

I'm fresh meat in here, but I do know a few things. Not trying to prove myself, just to toss my pennies around.

Matt - What type of budget are looking at?

You can build some serious torque motors ( 400-450 ft lbs below 3500 RPM) for under $2000 (including heads)

Are you going to run a Carb? TPI? TBI?
Will these be a street/strip car or a daily driver?
Are mechanically inclined? (Can you fix stuff right?)

There's 2 that stick out right now.

Engine 1 - 335 HP / 415 Ft Lbs
355 (pre 86 2-PRM Flat Tapped Cam)
9.3:1 Compression Ratio
World S/R Torquers (2.02/1.60 valves)
1 5/8 Headers (Shorty style)
Summit Cam (P/N SUM-K1103)
{Dur 214*/224* @ .050", .442"/.465" lift w/ 1.5 Rocker}
Step up the rods in the Q-Jet (can't remember that part)

Engine 2 - 410 HP / 430 Ft Lbs
355 (pre-86 2-PRM Flat Tappet)
9.5:1 Compression Ratio
Vortec Heads (1.94/1.60) <-- Replace stock 1.50 with 1.60
1 5/8 Headers (Shorty Style)
Comp Cams Xtreme Energy 268
{Dur 224*/230* @ .050", .477"/.480" lift w/ 1.5 Rocker}
Once again, the Q-Jet heap evades my mind

One note though, with the Vortec heads, check the coil spring bind with this cam. Sometimes a lift at or around .480"is too much. The stock springs were only rated up to .480" lift, I've gotten away with this cam, but others have not. Another great option is a set of the Scoggin-Dickey Vortec heads that are machined for the .510" lift springs. If using these, I'd move up to a Comp Cams Magnum Cam{Dur. 230*/230* @ .050", .501"/.501" lift w/ 1.5 Rocker}.

But those are my couple pennies
Pre-rolled of course.

Good luck

 

As of right now my budget for a new motor is non-existant. I had a car accident a few monthes ago and I just got home from college so I have no money at all. Hopefully I can save some dough up this summer and do the engine this winter.

But when I do the motor it will probably be TPI cause I know more about TPI then TBI and I no nothing about carbs. Though my TPI is starting to annoy me so I may learn about carbs and switch over. The car will definitly be a daily driver, with occasionnal strip use. When I first started this thread I was planning on picking up a old 4th gen for a daily car and then turn this car into a strip car. But that changed once I went to school last fall. Now I basically need to keep this car. So what I want out of the new motor is enough power to not be embarrassed on the street and to pull some decent numbers at the strip. Gas milage is somewhat of a concern as gas prices around here are at $2 a gallon. But its not a major concern.

 

I have had this idea but I wasnt sure about doing it instead of building something else. I think I'm going to build a 434. I bought a 4 bolt main 400 block from my engine builder all ready to go. I found a 434 rotating assemble for $1700 and a friend said he would clearance the block for $1000. Talked to my engine builder and said he will port my heads for $400 and assemble it for $400. That leaves oil pan, flywheel, timing chain, and balancer. My engine builder is going to call Crower cams to get a perfect small base circle cam and retro fit hydraulic roller lifters. What is the highest RPM i would want to rev up something with a TPI. I have a 52mm throttlebody, Ported upper plenum, Large tube runners, and a TPIS big mouth base. Because of the runner length what will it make power up to?

 

whats up Matt?

if you are interested in a new motor, my 357 will be up for sale towards late fall...the motor should hit 12's this year and still get about 20 mpg. i will even help you set it up in your car

just another option for you....

you up for a cruise any time soon?

 

Hey Pat,

I got the car back and running now. Its 3 different colors and has a 91 RS hatch on it, but its drivable. I'm doing the paint and bodywork this summer. I'm not coming back to Western next fall though. I am up for a cruise though, just let me know. I'm in Detroit now but I can make the trip over.

As for the engine, let me know on a price, and i'll try to figure something out.

How's your car doing? Any new numbers?

Matt

 

the price all depends on how complete you want the motor

im not real sure on the price yet, havent really thought about it, but my new engine is getting built from scratch so everything associated with the 357 engine will not be used. im even switching to a automatic tranny so the 5 speed will be for sale lol. i wouldnt suggest using your TPI setup on this engine though, it would start to choke it a lot i think. i will have new numbers on may 15th..

you gonna have your car done for woodward dream cruise this summer? im gonna try to come over for that.

 

Hopefully it will be done by then, either way though I plan on being there.

I honestly dont care about the TPI anymore, its being a PITA for me. I'm gonna start reading up on carbs.

Matt

 

go get a 472 and be done with it

 

434 TPI? Any comments?

 

Did i catch that a friend was willing to clearance the block for 1000? Seems just a little too steep to me. Albeit, Ive never built that particular motor, but its less than a third of that cost to clearance a 350 for 383. I would think about checkimg around on that price, and maybe getting a new friend.

 

too small

 

350 TPI.....(insert above quote here)

 

Will my intake even make any horse like 400hp with a 434?

 

Waste of perfectly good bottom end parts and a block

 

434 TPI sounds nice.

434 Mini-Ram sounds MUCH better. IMHO

 

choked off junk