Hey there is a 1969 sbc 350 for sale just down the road from me. I'm wondering if the 1969 sbc 350 was good, or if it has any major flaws. The motor was just rebuilt at an engine shop and hasnt been fired yet.

He is asking 1800

Is this a good deal and is the 69' a good year?

 

There is nothing special about a '69 350.

If the heads on it are stock '69, they are boat anchors compared to later factory heads, including L98 and especially Vortecs.

$1800 is a lot to pay for a 350, especially if it is topped off by boat anchors.

 

Way too much! I only paid $600 for mine, and that was carb to pan including a Performer RPM intake.

But, nothing wrong with older blocks - mine is a 1969 350 block. Just some cautions:

1) You have to verify block casting numbers as well as crank castings and number of cap bolts to know what you are getting - can't tell the difference on the outside between a 302, 305, 307, 327, 350. In 1969 350's had 2 or 4 bolts, while the 302's had 4 bolts and the 327's had 2 bolts - see, alot of crossing over - impossible to tell 327 from 2 bolt 350, and impossible to tell 302 from 4 bolt 350 without measuring or checking crank numbers.
2) There were large journal 327's made in those years - which means you could have a 327 block, but you can still put in 350 crank and pistons/rods and for all intensive purposes then have a 350.
3) Heads - older heads will not have accessory bolt holes for mounting alternator etc. brackets - 70's heads started getting accessory bolt holes but they were mostly smog heads with large chambers (low compression, low power) - so some earlier 350's with smog heads could actually perform worse than newer 305's maybe (hard to beleive as bad as the 305 is, but my point is smog heads can kill a 350's potential)

use www.mortec.com to look up casting numbers

Hope that helps.