well i dont know which to get, a 350, 400 or a 455?

I can get all for almost the same price but i dont know if the later 2 will be too big and complicated to start with. I need a project and i get bored easily lol

 

ok looks like im gonna get a 350 from a 73 camaro. I want to build a decent motor for the street, i dont race but maybe sometime ill give it a try. I will get most of my parts from jegs or summit. Are used parts like cams a good idea?

I want to build a motor that i still street drivable yet packs some punch that wont coste me an arm and a leg, any suggestions for cam size, crank, heads etc?

 

basically i want to build a decent motor on a budget, anyone?

 

What are your goals? If it's all out power, nothing beats cubes. Since you are getting a 350 already though, you'd have to be more specific with your goals for any help.

 

We are all "on a budget" for building a motor. Some budgets are bigger than others. Some are unrealistically small, in terms of what it takes in the real world to get from whatever you have to whatever you want.

More specific info on goals and budget would really help.

It doesn't really matter what shape of sheet metal (or even fiberglass) a used motor was last wrapped in. No magic rubs off. What kind of condition is this motor in? What pistons are in it? What heads are on it? That kind of info is a whole lot more useful than the year and model of car it was allegedly last (or originally) installed in.

 

its just the block, nothing else. I will need to get pistons and everything else for it. I could put as much money as I want into it, just takes some time and im not in a rush to get it going. Just a project to keep me busy. I will probaby only put say $2000 into it if that will build a decent motor.

 

Well, a block is just a block; doesn't matter what it came out of. It's a block.

$2000 to buy heads, a crank, rods, pistons, an intake, a cam, ..... and all the machine work that goes with all that, is not realistic. If you had alot of good buddies with stuff socked away that they could sell you real cheap, or you could wait a long time for stuff to kind of show up now and then, you might be able to build something decent.

Figure on closer to $3000 by the time you get it running. There will be lots of things that you don't foresee now, but will come up as you go along; and you'll discover all sorts of things that fall into the "might as well while you're there" class like exhaust ($600), gears, torque converter, tires, water pump, alternator, etc. etc. etc. that will eat up $2000 in the blink of an eye.

For best results as far as power in a typical street motor (300-350 HP), spend your money on the heads. That's where it will pay off. Get the best heads you can afford. Don't waste a bunch of precious $$$$ on romantic-sounding racing stuff for the bottom end, it's mostly a waste to put it there.

 

hows this cam?

ISKENDERIAN MEGA 350 chev

Grind No./Type: 280-MEGA, HYDRAULIC High performance use/bracket racing. Lopey idle. 2500 Stall. 9.5-10.5:1 compr. 3.90-4.11 axle ratio. Up to 780 CFM Carb. RPM-Range: 2500-6800 Valve Lift - INT: .485 EXT: .485 Valve Lash Hot - INT: .000 EXT: .000 ADV Duration - INT: 280° EXT: 280° .050 Duration - INT: 232° EXT: 232° Lobe Center: 108° USED BUT IN PERFECT CONDITION FITS CHEVY SMALLBLOCK

Also I wanna do a 383 stroker so i need a 383 crank, but what size heads will work the best?

 

But don't get crap either. good crank, some reconditioned rods, and some hyper or forged pistons will do quite nicely for under 400hp. In contrast, slurge on heads and cam, for that is where you get power. And port and polish anything you can.

 

I plan on keeping my 700 r4 tranny, is that a good choice? Its auto

 

That's not the best possible choice of cam. It will be terrible in a car with auto trans, especially with a stock converter.

And besides that, it's used; so in order to re-use it, you need all the original lifters it was broken in with, carefully labelled as to their original location. Without that, the cam might not live long enough to even back down the driveway.

Look elsewhere.

 

Actually, if it oult of a '73 Z28, it should have some good stuff in it... 2.02/1.60 heads, forged crank, 4 bolt mains, a pretty healthy cam too.

Good engine to start with.

 

:shrug:

Got a budget together yet? How much of the work are you planning on doing yourself? Obviously you won't be boring the block or working the valves (well maybe you will, I don't know); how about assembly, measuring, head porting, things like that?