crazeinc

Hey guys...I'm trying to figure out the easiest and cheapest way to get a really nice motor in my '82. The 350/700r4 combo I have now is nice, but I'm going to put that in my S10 to wake that up.

I picked up a 4 bolt main 350 and TH350 a few months ago...both are untouched and I figured I could build a real nice 383 out of it and shoot a large amount of nitrous in the cylinders to get the cheap and quick effect I was looking for.

But for some reason I can't get the big block idea out of my head. The above small block is still going to be at least 5k-6k to support a 300 shot of nitrous so rather than do that I could get more N/A power of a nice Scoggin Dickey crate 502 motor. That just makes more sense to me. With some motor mounts, Griffin radiator, and Hooker Super Comps for BBC in thirdgens I would be all set. I'd save the TH350 I got from above, do a nice rebuild on it to support the 502 ft/lbs and then sell the 350 block to my buddy who wants it for his Jeep.

Does this sound reasonable or what? I'm still pretty torn. The coolness factor of a BBC in a thirdgen is humongous, but that leaves me a pair of SBC Super Comps and a Mufflex 4" y-pipe available...

Damn, I'm not sure anymore, I must have changed my mind 100 times. What do you guys suggest?

ede

BBC are a lot of work to get in, break a lot of parts. a SBC can do the same things cheaper and easier. you'd need to up grade the rear either way. since i've played with enough SBC i'd look at the BBC.

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-=ICON MOTORSPORTS=-
1st & 3rd

Vader

Craze,

A Mark IV in a ThirdGen would be bigger than Oprah's @ss! The only problem is that even a stout TH350 might have trouble with that kind of torque. You'd better plan on SFCs, heavier front springs, and lots and lots of spare tires. Cool idea, and the price can be fairly attractive compared to a heavily-modded SBC at comparable power levels.

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Later,
Vader
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"No matter how hard you try you can't stop us now"
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AlkyIROC

Reguardless of the cost of the conversion, it's a lot easier to build HP with a big block than it is a small block. A 500 HP small block is expensive and 600 HP starts to become a grenade waiting to go off but it takes very little to get 500 HP out of a big block and 700 is reachable with a bunch of good performance parts.

Since I'm building my big block from scratch, I'm finding it's not costing much more in parts than if I had to buy small block parts. The only thing extra that I have to buy that I could have used on another small block buildup is the heads. I just had some parts priced out today for some BBC heads (valves, springs, keepers etc) and they come to the same price I paid to build my SBC heads

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Stephen's racing page

87 IROC-Z Pro ET Bracket Race Car
383 stroker (carbed) with double hump cast iron heads and pump gas
454 Big Block buildup now in progress for the 2001 racing season

Best results before the 383 blew up
Best ET on a time slip: 11.857 altitude corrected to 11.163
Best MPH on a time slip: 117.87 altitude corrected to 126.10
Best 60 foot: 1.662

Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association

87 IROC bracket car
91 454SS daily driver
95 Homebuilt Harley

crazeinc

Hmm...now I'm no better off. If I could score a 454 out of an old van or something from the yards that would be great, but the places around here are absolute trash.

I wish someone else would confirm or not confirm with what Vader said about the TH350 not holding up to a big block...Stephen, what tranny are you using?

I would like to run an N/A block because first off it's a lot nicer to have all that power without any help, but I imagine I could rack up the miles without too much concern.

ede

there are thousands of BBC in drag cars in front of glides as well as turbos. it all depends on how you set it up and the quality of the parts going into it. as they say going fast cost money how fast can you afford to go.

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-=ICON MOTORSPORTS=-
1st & 3rd

md

Breaking parts if not a matter of whether your running a big block or small block. Hp/trq and how the parts are used and abused is what breaks them. I think you need to do some soul searching and figure out what you want. Be realistic and honest with yourself. What good is 800 hp if you cant use it or find gas for it. The same goes for 400 hp. It’s a lot harder to hook up hp than make it.

Answer these questions and I’ll get back with you.

-what’s your TOTAL budget (including drive train upgrades, exhaust and misc engine externals)?
-what do you want your peak power levels at (be realistic here)?
-want to run pump gas?
-what do you consider streetable and do you want that?
-are you doing the assembly? If yes, are you equipped to do the work?
-are you starting from scratch or buying a crate?

Mike

JP84Z430HP

I'd say that 500 HP is about all that I'd think abou tputting in front of a TH350, if even that much! If you build it up a little with good parts, I'm sure it will hold up. You could also look for a TH400 to throw in there....

I would say BBC it. I want to do one so bad, but I can't even get my SBC monster together.... Maybe after next summer I can think about the BBC!



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Working on:
'84 Z28 LG4 305
Added dual elec fans.
145 MPH IROC Speedo
Building 430 HP 350
using primarily GMPP parts.
Block is in shop!

Awaiting results from all 8 ASE tests.

Starting to look like the Kicker poster child!