I have the opportunity to purchase some corvette aluminum heads for $450. They only have 1000 miles on them and the guy doesn't want them because he bought some AFR 190s. I need a cheap 350 for my car so can anyone recommend a shortblock I can use or a cheap long block where I can just sell the heads off the engine? Thanks.

 

As you inquired about the GM Shortblock at the other club, that is a good idea. Also talk to Don L.

 

Yea I am trying to think whether to get the LM1 long block and just sell the heads off of it or go for the shortblock. I know it's a flat tappet motor but that doesn't bother me. The motor has decent power and is a strong block. Plus it is inexpensive. I wonder how much the heads will improve performance on the engine or will the power stay the same?

 

just bid on this:

perfect engine for Nigel

 

Sweet!!! Just have to hit one bank and that baby will be mine

 

Just bring car, heads and saddle bags full of loot and I will call you when it's ready.

 

lol Don. What do you think of my engine plan Don? Using the LM1 and putting the aluminum heads on it?

 

Well lets see, Mike Perez has an LM1 engine, and he's spent a bit of money to get it to run mid 14's. My dad has a later model roller engine, with similar heads (but more compression) and a stock LT1 cam and he ran 13.70's. If you go with an older block, you'll also need an older flexplate. The dipstick will probably be on the driver's side, which is a dead giveaway that your engine isnt stock and its an older one. Putting the Corvette heads on it will raise the compression, but you'll also need new valve covers as the LM1 has perimeter bolt heads. But you'll still be stuck with a non-roller peanut cam. Its my opinion that a flat-tappet older engine may be cheaper, but you'll spend more money upgrading it to work with your current setup and produce the power you want. But thats just my opinion.

I just looked at Scoggin Dickey's crate engine website, and the difference between an LM1 flat-tappet engine and a roller-cam 350 Caprice TBI engine is $250 more. You can get one of those plus a used roller cam and your Corvette heads. You'll have the "correct" engine for your car and have more power as well. And I'm sure my dad can get you a discount on that engine or find you a roller 350 locally.

Mike, I use your engine as an example because drag racing is the ONLY area my car is better than yours. So dont get upset.

 

Yea I see what you are saying Kevin. I was just throwing around ideas and seeing what others thought. The biggest problem for me is expense. Smog is coming up in May and I really need the car running to pass smog for I won't have to put it as non-op. So that limits the money I can spend. I was really thinking about using the Caprice motor. The only thing that was throwing me off was the shipping. If your dad could get a discount I would take that motor.

 

I have a better idea then. Forget the Corvette heads and the extra stuff you need to make them work. Get the 350 Caprice replacement, change the cam, and have my dad port the heads. We picked up 40 HP to the wheels after porting those same heads and putting in an LT1 cam. You'll come out to the same horsepower but with less expense and hassle. The downside is you'll have iron heads instead of aluminum, but thats not much.

 

Kevin please, why would I get upset? What you are saying is absolutely correct. I told Nigel on the other board if could do it all over again I probably wouldn’t go with the LM1. It’s been a great motor for me and I can’t beat the 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty it came with. But as you all are aware my car isn’t exactly set up for drag racing either. It’s been my experience you don’t need gobs of horsepower to embarrass the majority of clowns on the road today (C5 convertible on PCH). The fact that I am able to pull mid to low 14’s out of this motor quite frankly is just short of amazing (I’m sure you and your dad have a lot to do with that ). The end result is I have an extremely reliable, drivable, and comfortable daily driver. Besides if I am ever going to go light to light on the street I usually have the other guy so shaken up I kill him off the line and he backs out of the throttle anyway (negotiating 101)

 

What would need to be done to get the aluminum heads to work? Don't they just bolt up? The heads I am getting are off of a ZZ4 motor with 1000 miles on it. The guy is only charging $450 for the heads. The cam I can understand. I was thinking of going with a used ZZ4 cam. The biggest expense will be getting the Caprice motor. All the ones I have seen are $1500 or more plus shipping.

 

Do a search for my name in the TPI board, and look for ZZ4 or L98 or Corvette heads. There are three major concerns. First is the intake bolt hole pattern is the 86 and earlier, requiring an aftermarket TPI intake for those with 87 and later setups. Second, there is no EGR passages, so you have to fabricate a custom EGR setup like the L98 Corvettes do. Last, they are missing an accessory bolt hole in the front, that you have to tap and drill so you can mount your alternator or a/c depending on which system you have.

 

Well how much would your Dad charge to port the LO5 heads? Couldn't I also get a used manifold from the junk yard? The drill and tap isn't that bad. That isn't something that will be too difficult. I also heard it wasn't too hard to fab up something to make the EGR work.

 

One thing to keep in mind about ordering a motor from Scoggin-Dickey, Pace, etc. is that if you buy locally, even with a discount, you pay sales tax. In L.A. county it would be 8.5% of the price in O.C. I think it is 7.5%. When you order from out of state from a company that doesn't have a warehouse in Ca., you will pay shipping, but no sales tax. One of the guys at work looked into a Scoggin-Dickey crate motor, and shipping from Texsas would be $50.00. I don't know the price of the engine your looking at, but 8% of $2,000.00 is $160.00.