cant decide between a 502 or 350 for my 87 if anyone knows anything that might help me please let me know

 

383 stroker... unless you'll be solely drag racing... at least that's what I think.... I don't know how a 502 will handle on the street...

 

It kind of depends on what type of tranny and rearend your using im gonna guess its a stock 7.5 rearend or 9 bolt and 700-r4 tranny.........if thats the case then I would say a medium built 350ci would be good. I believe the rearend would pop under the stress of a 502ci....NOT saying the 350 wouldnt do it....Question is what are you building it for?

 

Give me the specs on your ride and amount of money you've got to play with.

 

100% agreed
putting a big block in a third gen?
probley alot of fabricating there...
ive seen it done before though
also bbs are better off in full body cars
i would stick with 350

 

These 2 members threads chronicle Bigblock swaps:

booboosean & The Devastator. Search the names & you'll find some great reading with tips & tricks!! They each used different headers & exhaust.

There are 2 members who have Bigblocks, 1 I know is a drag car, IDK the other. Alky IROC has a Bigblock used for drags. I BELIEVE but not sure, Atilla The Fun has a Bigblock..??..

Bigblock in our future also!!...

 

it has the stock rear and 700r4 in it but i will be upgrading probly m22 and whatever axle i can get.

 

i can get both motors really cheap and ill have about 3000 on top of that to spend

 

Street or drag? Federally, it'll NEVER legally pass any states inspection. Not saying you can't get around the law, but......

 

i would want it sreet legal

 

SBC then. 350/383.....Unless you have a friend that will pass a BBC or someone who will for some extra $ under the table, your limited to a SBC.

 

i just found out that wisconsin doent have inspection by one of the top police officers in the city

 

 

he said that in wisconsin they dont inspect the cars when you go to register them

 

No yearly/bi-yearly inspections? Just pay your registration fees & your done every year?

That is weird.

Although it does look like you could do a BBC (if i understand you right) that doesn't exactly make it legal to do. But it also sounds like WI has nobody to enforce Federal Law.

But why put a heavy BBC in? Just stroke a 350 to a 383.

 

Some of yall need to come down to a free state like Florida. If it has a VIN, you can register it. There are no inspection, no emissions, no nothing. I could put a semi truck engine in a VW bug if I want to.

Me personally though, I would run a good small block. The big block is definetly cool, but the small block weighs less and you can build a small block that will be plenty fast for the street. If it was a dedicated track car then thats different. But if your also building a car for the wow factor, then a big block would be cool to see under the hood.

 

yep no inspections. and i just like bbs more than sbs plus i can get one really cheap

 

yea we dont have inspection in wisconsin either. and i want to do something that not many people have

 

I'd much rather have a mild 502ci/500hp in my street car than a high-stung and finiky 383ci/500hp. Just my 2 cents.

 

thats what im leaning towards i just want to make sure it will fit before i buy one

 

is the 502 long block?
how much did you say again?

 

It will fit except for few details that must be changed- must have a smaller style distributer,smaller starter, custom headers, big block radiator, and frame connectors are a must.

 

yes its a long block. im not completly sure how much i can get it for i know someone whos had it in his garage for a few years and wants it gone

 

I personally dont think 3000 bucks would build your motor, upgrade to a stronger rearend and convert your car to a standard...The rearend alone would cost half or more if you aftermarket....But to build a small block that would be a different story....But hey Its your car do what you want to do.

Big Power = mo money

 

i knew about most of the stuff that i would need to change except the starter. im doing frame connecters either way. im gunna get most of the parts used

 

a 12 bolt Moser rear end will cost about 2800 dollars...

 

i just found a ford 9 for 200 on craigslist

 

Putting in a 502 is no different than a 396 or a 454. Externally they are the same.

 

This is a good deal im actually putting a ford 9 inch in a 68 camaro... but you will need to get it cut down and have your brackets and etc welded on to the 9 inch and will need to buy axels for a thirdgen to fit it, or you might get lucky and get the axels that came with some of the rearends that can be resplind when you have them cut down............. but your still looking to spend close to 1500 or more for parts and labor.

 

Plus you dont know the condition of the axle. It may need to be rebuilt. When I put the 9" in my car I thought I was going to save money by buying a Moser housing and axle package, then getting the center chunk from a junkyard. After having new bearings put in and having a Detroit Locker put in, it would have cost about the same to just buy a complete rear end.

 

would i be able to just upgrade the stock axle to handle the extra power

 

From previous posts, it would be a temp fix...

 

do you know how long it would last

 

There is no way to know. Some people have gotten extremely lucky and gone into the 10's on a stock axle and some people brake them with stock motors. I personally wouldn't even think about putting a big block, or anything with over 400 horse, in front of a stock axle.

 

It'll easily pass here

 

Yes. There are ways to "pass" anything. I even said that in later posts. Just not LEGALLY.

 

Everything passes here. Big block, small block, whatever block. I didn't have cats on my '92 Bonneville

 

What exactly does it for you.... the added weight?

 

406

 

it would probably blow up on your first pass

 

thats what i was affaid of. would it work for normal driving at all

 

I think it would, but come on ... the temptation will squash the common sense we have when we're behind the wheel of our 3rd gens.. ..

 

Lol, I think this line sums it up perfectly

 

yea that wouldnt last long just to move the car untill i could get a good axle

 

I've been looking at this thread for days, trying to put my finger on what it was that bothered me. I've got it now, even if it is too late. But if you can afford a 502, then you can afford a 416-cube LS3 stroker with good heads, and boost. Way more hp than a 502, plus clean emissions for when the lawws change, plus at least triple the MPG, plus better handling and braking due to the 300+ pound weight savings.

 

What has bothered me about this thread is the 502 and 350 are so vastly different, that you can't possibly have an intended use in mind, or an understanding of the task ahead, if you are considering them both.

 

I lol'ed at that... only a few F-Bodys are gonna be on the road when this comes into effect... I keep telling everyone in every post where they're asking about swapping engines... you have got to be ready for the future, because these laws will take effect sooner rather than later... I mean you don't lose tremendous amounts of HP if your car is running clean... I thought well as long as your A/F mixture is set appropriately and I'm not being fumigated by your car's exhaust at a stoplight it be good, but now that I've been catching up on reading about pollutants that are produced as a by product of combustion, well I guess I am all for improving emission laws, I would just expect them to lower their expectations of a 20+ year old car... DAMN POLITICIANS...

 

I disagree with the first half of what kid just posted. Because either one would be more fun on the street than a 305. But in this scenario, the 502 isn't that much more fun unless you invest in stronger trans and rear, plus everything necessary to make it hook. The chassis and suspension stuff, not just tires.

 

i can only afford the 502 because someone i know wants it out of his garage

 

the reason im considering these motors is because i can get them both pretty cheap