i have a few questions that should help me figure out what i want to do to my car in the spring. right now i have a rebuilt LG-4 305, with a .454" crane energizer, an edelbrock performer intake and 600 cfm EGR carb. as far as new motors go, how much more would i get out of going with a bigger small block? would it be worth it? i have been told the edelbrock performer intake is too close to stock, and to get more of a noticable improvement to go with the performer RPM. that out of the way, im pretty much looking for power, and forgive my ignorence, but im only 17, and im not sure how to get it for my budget. if i took a junkyard 350 and rebuilt it with my cam, keeping the heads stock, and the edelbrock intake and carb, would there be anyway of telling what kind of numbers i would bet getting?
okay, next question, how bout going for a real big SBC? there is a 400 available locally that the guy says will most likely be available in the spring, and i was wondering how well this would work? if i rebuilt that to stock with again just a performance cam and intake (and what size carb would be good with the stock 400 heads?), how much power (ballpark) would i be looking at? and another question would be would my 1988 T-5 tranny, 3.73" posi, and my unibody and all that sort of stuff be fine?
im obviously not going out and buying an engine say tomorrow, but i wanna do my homework first so i can be ready for after the holidays when i start getting some money in my pocket.
thanks, Adam

 

Okay, let's try to go through these proposals:

#1: 350 shortblock with your supporting cast. That's basically what I'm doing. However, I don't have stock heads, and you'd be best advised to give yours 1.94" intake valves, all new valve springs if you don't already have them, and at least some clean-up porting work (a full do-it-yourself porting job would be better, and isn't that much more work), along with a going-over to make sure everything's up to snuff. I'll be spending a little over $1000 to get this shortblock in my car. Getting the heads right for you will probably cost you a little more by the time you're done if the shortblock needs rebuilding. You should use dished pistons, or make sure the 305 head chambers are opened up a little to keep compression at a streetable level.

#2: A "real" SBC, 400. That's okay, too, but don't figure on any kind of the power potential that engine has if you stick with factory 400 heads. Stock 400 heads are about the worst things out there for performance - as bad as swirl ports. If you go this route, figure on spending a good bit of money on heads, and you're also going to need a special flywheel for your tranny.

Another option: Get a rebuilt long-block. My brother went with an engine similar to this http://www.rebuilt-auto-engines.com/...38104549846.ca (his was for '87-later applications). He loves it. Figure on adding the core and shipping costs to the price, since most likely you won't recover the core deposit. They may even leave out the cam and the like and reduce the cost even more. Can't hurt to ask.

T-5's aren't known for being able to withstand abuse. Treat it kindly, it'll be fine behind a 350, or even a 400. Try to speedshift it, it'll stop sending you Christmas cards.

3rd gen's should get subframe connectors, even if a V6 is installed.