So i finally found a 350 for my 90 camaro it came from a 1988 k2500 im just wondering what upgrades (upper intake, heads, cam, headers) yall would recommend i was thinking about some vortec heads. And im pretty sure im goin with long tube headers not sure what brand.

But as far as intake and carb im not too sure what i want most lilely a 4 barrel carb.

Also not sure about what cam.

Any suggesteation would be helpful

 

Being a truck engine from the 80's it will not be a roller cam engine, but it may have the provisions for a roller cam. If it does then I think I would convert it over to a roller using factory roller cam parts like the lifters, spider, etc. Then use something like the LT4 hot cam. If you keep it with a flat tappet cam, look for one with around the same specs as the hot cam.

Vortec heads modded for the extra lift.
Weiand Street Warrior, or summit stage III intake
edelbrock or holley 600-670 cfm carb
fel pro 1094 head gaskets
Fel pro MS98000 intake gaskets
Hedman 1-5/8" tube long tube headers
Mandrel bent Y pipe and cat back system

 

While were talkin about my motor im searchin for a transmission i was thinking about a th 350 or 700r4 i heard the 350 wasnt straight bolt on do you know how hard it would be to do that? Or would it be best to just do the 700

 

I thought after 86 all engines were a roller block? If you didn't pay much and you want to go carb it might be the same amount of money for 300 rear wheel horsepower if you bought a 5.3 truck engine and trans bought a LS carb intake and ignition.

 

Might be a dumb question but what exactly is a roller block? Ive heard it before but what does that mean

 

What else is in the car and what has been done to it at this point? What transmission does it have now? What rear end? What are your goals with the car? Do you want a friday nght street cruiser or a weekend warrior? Or all out drag or autocross?

Why are you doing a carb? EFI not work? No motor currently? EFI is better, stronger, faster than a carb...in every case. But you need to learn how to work on it.

1. If you have a motor that runs, look at suspension, rear end and chassis first, build the motor on the side for when you are "ready" for it. Make sure all the connecting parts are strong enough or you'll find out in a hurry where you cheaped out when tires hook the first time!
2. build the trans first to handle the motor you want. Unless you're manual, you have a 700r4. These can be built to handle 500 + hp.
3. Finish the motor with your plan in your brain...



for the motor. all 86 and up blocks are roller blocks. It means the cam is a roller tappet instead of flat tappet. Google it.

1. Heads. This is where 90% of the power is made. Get good heads. AFR, Brodix, Trick Flow, all very expensive but very good. Vortec heads are the best non-LS heads chevy made. Not quite as good as those mentioned above but much cheaper.
2. Intake...what RPM range do you want? EFI or Carb? If carb, Edelbrock Performer is one of the best.
3. Carb. Can't be a Qjet...best of both worlds. Good mph/drivability and excellent power. Holley makes as much power but less mpg, same with Edelbrock.
4. Cam and bottom end. Do you want a 383 or just 350? Get a cam to match and build the bottom end to what you want.

All of these things, at a minimum, need to be considered before you start throwing money at parts. Hope this helps!

 

Right now the cars just a roller it originally had a 305(but who wants that) im assuming the read end is stock. Im pretty sure ill get a 700r4 and probably rebuild it i dont want a crazy amount of hp probably keep it under 400 (for now) i like carb because theyre so simple

 

Fair enough. You can get to 300whp easily with the right combo. Just make sure you build the rest of the car...drive train and suspension and chassis to handle it or you'll end up with a twisted chassis and broken suspension/drive train parts.

 

Im most likely gonna get the vortec heads to go cheap but still pretty good since this is really my first build. Ive helped my friends install their stuff but as far as what exactlly i need to get thats where i get a little confused. I dont want to buy a whole bunch of expensive stuff ill save that for when i get me a 71 elcamino

 

Seeing as you don't have a running engine or a transmission, you can get a 5.3 engine and trans from a yard for the cost of new or factory upgraded vortex heads. For the same amount or less of a rotating assembly you can get a carb LS intake and ignition only controller. You'll end up with 300 hp either way but the LS 5.3 will make it with barely any help.

 

Sorry man, but I disagree with you on those points.

A well tuned carb (Not tuned as in screwing the air idle screws in/out, but jetted right, right step up springs and metering rods or power valve, pump shot, etc) will do everything that EFI can do and do it easier and cheaper.

All 86 up blocks may have the means to convert to a factory style roller, but by no means are all '86 up engines roller engines. NO truck engine under '96 got a roller cam from the factory. Some did come with the bosses machined and retainer holes drilled and tapped but a good number will only have the bosses... They will not be drilled and tapped for the hardware to bolt in the spider or cam plate. You will have to drill the holes out and tapped them yourself for the hardware. Then of course buy the spider (lifter retainer plate), cam thrust plate, and dog bones (lifter retainers)

The performer intake is pretty much just a good looking stock intake. Most of the factory 80's alum GM intakes flows about the same as the performer. You really don't see a gain from the intake until you go up a notch or two, to an intake like the performer EPS, performer RPM, etc

 

Points well taken. The performer will fit under the stock hood. Performer RPM and Airgap RPM are the next step up.

On the block, yes, roller blocks, again I stand corrected. In 86 they moved to the roller style one piece rear main seal block.Not all had roller cams in them.

 

If you just want a cheap mild budget build...
Vortec heads $200-400 used for the pair

Elgin 214/224 cam & lifter set for $103 http://www.competitionproducts.com/E.../#.VrLo09IrLDc

Howards valve springs $30 http://www.competitionproducts.com/H.../#.VrLok9IrLDc

PowerProducts vortec intake $103
http://www.competitionproducts.com/P...-7107/#reviews

Used edelbrock or holley 600-670 cfm carb for $75-150

Fel pro 1094 head gaskets $46
Fel pro MS98000 intake gaskets $55

Skip white HEI dist. $40

Under $900 for the complete top end... It aint great parts, but they are good and usable. It will make pretty good power for a street car

 

Thanks guys. Im stickin with the 350 i have im not gonna get the 5.3 for one i heard you have to do some fab work and 2..... i already have the 350 it did run when pulled i just want go fast parts

 

If the 350 runs and has good compression keeping and using it will be fine. I was thinking that it was a bare used block. But a 5.3 doesn't require any fab work.