Getting closer to finishing my engine swap project, got some more questions.

First of all, would I be better off buying the different bolts I need individually, or is a kit a pretty good deal? What about stainless steel vs black oxide? Is ARP better than Milodon or other companies?

 

Stainless steel is more for looks/rust protection, black oxide does just fine.

ARP makes VERY good bolts, but stay away from their intake bolts that have the wimpy 3/8 head. I only had a bulky 1/2 torque wrench and with thier small head and the weird angle I was on made it real easy to strip the middle four on my carb intake.

I think I had the wrong tools but 3/8 still is really wimpy for anybolt that holds anything important.

Long story short, ARP has good stuff. Milodon is good still but if ARP is a choice between the two go ARP. I have a milodon oil pan/pump and used their stud for my pump and bolts for my pan, and all is good.

buy the ARP accesory kit to start off, then buy indiviudal sets for what you need.

 

Bolt kits, in general, are FAR FAR cheaper than buying individual bolts; and usually come with bolts more specifically tailored to the application (like washer heads, which you can't easily buy at common sources).

They NEVER will cover "all" the bolts on a street engine, though. Just look at your intake manifold bolts; there's different ones that are studs that hold brackets and stuff on, different length ones where they go through brackets, and so forth. Same for exhaust. Now, a race-only car, with no emissions things or A/C and so forth, they'll come closer; but on a street car with factory accessories, you'll end up having to use a few factory hardwares or buying a few "different ones", no matter what.

Personally I prefer stainless, just because they STAY looking like they look pretty much forever; and they don't rust into the bolt holes. You can easily get em back out even in places like water outlets and intake manifolds where, over time, regular steel bolts with WHATEVER finish, will cause trouble.

As far as strength, there's really not an issue. All of the hardware in our motors is more than adequately sized, such that the factory didn't use any "special" bolts, and there's the better part of a hundred million or so SBCs that have been built and that work just fine with their stuff. Just stay away from shoot-yourself-in-the-foot mistake choices, like head studs for a street car; just because "they use it on race cars", doesn't make something a good idea for YOUR car.

 

the ARP stainless 12pt bolts are the best, thats all i use. they may cost a little more than the black ones, but they dont rust up in a month, and sieze into everything. I agree with the intake bolt issues, the inner 4 are a pain to get, but its not that bad.