I'm swapping a 350 into my 305 T/A, but I hear the 87 and up cams are much better. Should I bother with an 84 Corvette 350 block or should I spend a few extra bucks and get a newer one? Any other problems with older blocks since the 70s 350s are a dime a dozen.

 

The 87+ cams are roller cams. You can put a retro-fit roller cam into an older block using retro-fit lifters.

 

The engine will be out of a car so it should be much easier to work on, but do you think its worth the extra effort to convert it rather than just buying a 350 with a roller cam?

 

it might be worth it, didn't the bolting pattern change for the transmission as well, i'm pretty sure that if i want to mount a newer tranny onto my block which is the same age as what you have i need to modify the bellhousing. Either way though change the camshaft no matter what motor you get, tpi cars only made 230-250hp stock. What transmission are you running in your t/a, and do u plan on changing it soon?




Edit: Didn't the Corvette Have Crossfire Injection that year?

 

I have a 700R4 and I don't plan on changing it. I'm not looking for a powerhouse, just more than 190hp. I mean if I have to rebuild/swap a tranny thats fine, but I don't plan on killing mine. I plan on getting a new camshaft, but if I don't have to retro fit it for a roller cam that would be great. Does crossfire injection matter? I'm just using the block.

 

If a 350 comes with a roller cam, it will be a stock grind anyway. You could get everything you want from the right aftermarket flat tappet cam for a lot less than a roller set up.

The bolt patterns on the transmissions didn't change. The 1984 Corvette had CFI, but it makes no difference to the block.

 

Roller cams have more aggressive ramp up rates. I'd run a roller cam anyday over a flat tappet. Cam companies are slowly trying to get rid of the flat tappet cam altogether, but that's still a ways off. A better way of looking at your dilema is this. If flat tappet cams are comparable and cheaper than a roller cam set up, why did G.M. change in the first place? Retro-fit roller cams do work, but it's more costly to upgrade than to start with a roller cam block. My advice is to spend the extra greenbacks and get the roller cam block.