Camaro or corvette or what does it go to?

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

On back driver side of block it has 3970010. Passenger side has c259 passenger side front (pad) j1814 f3260
And the crank is 3815822. So far I have found out come back to a corvette 283 how ever it has a 4" bore and the crank comes back to a 67 camaro 302 forged crank. So is it a 283 or 302? Piston does not have anything showing it have been bored over... 4" bore x 3" stoke is a 302 but is it a 302 originally or was it an original 283 from a corvette that some one has turned into a 302?

 

[ChevyHiPro]

Hello James & Elizabeth!
Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting!

From the numbers you've posted, we can tell several things about your engine.
So, let's see what you got;

3970010 - Block Casting Number - 1969, 302 cid, 290 HP, 4 bolt main, 1969 - 1979, 350 cid, 145, 165, 175, 200,
245, 250, 255, 270, 295, 300, 330, 360, 370 HP, 2 & 4 bolt main (4 bolt main most common).
This is a very common Block Casting Number, cast from 1969 through 1979, it was primarily used for 350 cid
engines of many HP outputs (see above), far and away the majority of these engines were 4 bolt mains.
It was made into a 302 in 1969 only.

On that passenger side front pad, the stamped numbers you listed, J1814 F3260, don't look like complete numbers, but partial numbers.
Normally these are hand stamped numbers and are the Engine Assembly Code, it would look like this; V0112CLJ, normally above.
The other number would be the Engine Partial VIN Code and would look like this; 13N132794, normally stamped below.
Could you possibly double check the numbers to be sure all characters are read?
Sometimes these numbers are lightly stamped and require a lot of wiping with solvent and sometimes wire brushing to clean enough to get a good read.
If you discover additional numbers or letters, or a different sequence for the numbers and letters you have, please post the results.
:?

The Crankshaft Casting Number 3815822 turns out to be; 265/283 CID, 1955 - 1967, 2.3" Main Journal, 2.0" Rod Journal, 3" Stroke, Forged.


FYI;
The 302 CID engine; 1967 = 4.001" bore x 3.000" stroke, Main Journal = 2.300", x 2.000" rod journal, 2 bolt mains,
1968 - 1969, same bore & stroke, 2.45" main journal x 2.100" rod journal, 4 bolt mains.

The 350 CID engine; 1967 - 1999 = 4.001" bore x 3.48" stroke, 2.45" main journal, 2.100" rod journal, 2 & 4 bolt mains.

It would be an easy matter to put the 302 crankshaft in a 350 block by simply using + 0.015 main bearing and + 0.010" rod bearings, no machine work required.
Interestingly, the 302 crank would de-stroke the 350 by 0.480" for a total cubic inch loss of 48!
Effectively making a 350, a 302!


If you find additional numbers/letters or sequence of the numbers/letters please post them!
I hope some of this information helps!

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

I accidentally post the numbers on my 4 bolt main three fifty. The motor I was meaning to ask about was 3756519 on back driver side c259 on passenger side &(pad) j1814 f3260. I had all the right numbers in my previous post except the one on back drive side. I put the wrong numbers on here. That was my bad!

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

Appreciate the help on other numbers as well though. I took motor apart yesterday and checked the bore it was 4.030 and the 4 bolt mains on bottom end confirmed it was a 350. I pretty sure that only 350's had four bolt mains.

 

[ChevyHiPro]

Hey James!
Pulling the ole engine apart helps to remove all doubt!


But, we do have something of a quandary!
The Block Casting Number - 3756519 is listed as; 3756519 = 1958 - 1962, 283 cid, 2 bolt main.
I've checked two very reliable sources and got exactly the same info!


I'm not really too concerned about it (see below).
There is a very affordable SBC 2 bolt main to 4 bolt main conversion kit available, that a guy can convert any 2 bolt main SBC to 4 bolt main with a hand drill and tap handle.
It comes with the 4 bolt main caps, those are used to guide the included drill bit, once the drilling is done, remove all the main caps, tap the newly drilled holes (tap included), clean everything up and drop in your bearings, crankshaft, main caps and torque down your new 4 bolt mains!
Check it out;

http://www.superchevy.com/technical/eng ... main_caps/



So, that can explain the 283 block, which were all manufactured with 2 bolt mains, now being a 4 bolt main.


Now the displacement and some concern;
The 283 was; 1957 - 1967, bore = 3.850" x stroke 3.000", main journal = 2.300", rod journal = 2.000", 2 bolt main.
The 350 was; 1967 - 1999, bore = 4.001" x stroke 3.480", main journal = 2.450", rod journal = 2.100", 2 & 4 bolt mains.
:idea:
So, some measuring on the crankshaft may help pin down what the total displacement is.
Be sure to measure the stroke before you remove all the pistons and the crankshaft!
For these kinds of measurements, I use a digital dial caliper, if a measurement is repeated 3x's, then the results averaged, it's pretty accurate. But the difference between a 2.300" and 2.450" measurement is pretty repeatable with a one time measurement.
The one I use for these 'checking' measurements is from Harbor Freight Tools, retail about $25, but on sale regularly for $10 - $16.


Final results; if the block is truly a 283 block (which all research says it is) it has been bore 0.180"!
Cause for concern!
That would leave a fairly thin water jacket.
I'd really have to consider it before I sunk $$'s into boring again.

Hopefully the bores are in good shape, a little ridge reaming and honing will clean it right up!
Be sure to 'file fit' your rings!
Lot of information all around on doing that.

If you'll post the casting number from your crankshaft, we can decode it and see what it really is!
That's be helpful to know as well!
:lol:

Good luck with your build and don't be a stranger around the forum!
Stop by from time to time and check in, post where you are with your build!

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

I have checked and re-checked all numbers again and so far It looks as is the numbers on back driver side are 3756519 and passenger back are c259 and on front of passenger side these are the numbers I am concerned mostly about and I am not sure if its case sensitive but I just looked once more J1814 (possibly a space between these numbers because the next set are 1/16 inch down and 1/4 inch space) F326D or F32bD kinda looks like a six or a lower case b. I can post picks of this in a few also have pics of casting numbers as well. We did measure the bore with calipers and it shows 4 inch and this motor is very clean scratch free and was running. We disassembled the motor over the weekend and crank numbers on the crank were 3815822 and from what I have found it was produced in 1969 In the 302 sbc z28 camaros and is forged? The casting number on block from what I have gathered is a 2 bolt main from a 1958-62 corvette? So what I am assuming someone has done is put a 302 rotating assembly from a 302 into the 283 and bored the 283 to a 4 inch bore to accommodate the larger pistons making the 283 into a 302 sbc? My intentions are not really to rebuild but to sell and would like to know what I have my hands on. I bought the 1982 c10 for 300.00 running and got a little curious so after driving from Oklahoma to north east Arkansas I Decided to pull motor because I assumed it was a 305 because of the markings on the heads. Pulled the heads off and found out it was a 4 inch bore, I rotated piston from top to bottom and measured and it was a 3 inch stroke. With a little help from google I figured out it was 302 ci but I ran numbers from all parts so far. And I am no professional by no means but block showed online to be a 283 from 1958-62 Corvette (not sure on exact date but I hope to find out) and crank from 302ci 1969 camaro... I also looked into the 4 inch bore on the 283 and what I've read was some older blocks can be bored out to four inches but most 283's cannot.

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjS-kzXKevg

Here is a video of motors numbers

 

[ChevyHiPro]

OK!
Thanks for checking!

Here's the info I got from the crankshaft casting number, I've checked this in two references;
3815822 - 265/283 cid, 1955 - 1967, 2.300" main journal, 2.000" rod journal, 3.000" stroke, Forged.

And the info I've come up with on the Block Casting Number, I've checked this in two references;
3756519 - 1958 - 1962, 283 cid, 220, 230, 250, 270, 275, 290, 315 HP, 2 bolt.

Front, passenger side pad stamped numbers, these are case senstive and are always stamped in upper case, capitol letters and numbers.
So what you have is;
J1814
F326D

I'm gonna take a stab at this, I can't make sense of the J1814 number.

The F326D, I'm going to treat as an Engine Assembly Code; F = Flint (assembly plant), 326, date code = March 26, D, Engine Suffix Code = 1958, 283 cid, Powerglide, 185 HP, 2 bolt, cars & truck, or
1960, 283 cid, Powerglide, 170 HP, 2 bolt, truck & cars.
Engine Suffix Codes were reused.
:shock:
Man, this is all starting to gel!
Those earlier engines had some pretty creative stampings on them.
That was all standardized in 1972.

Here's general information on the stock engines dimensions;
283 - 1957 -1967, bore = 3.850" x stroke 3.000", main journal = 2.300", rod journal = 2.000", 2 bolt main.
302 - 1967, bore = 4.001"" x stroke 3.000", main journal = 2.300", rod journal = 2.000", 2 bolt main.

So, from all the info we have here, looks like you've got a dyed in the wool 283, block and crank, that has been bored to 4.000".
Yep, that'd make it now, a 302!

So, I'd say, hone the cylinders to break the glaze, take a good close micrometer measurement at the top of the bore, the middle of the bore and the bottom of the bore (check for taper), make sure it's 4.001", 4.010" or whatever.
Get the appropiate size rings and bearings, clean it up, lube it up, torque it up and find it a new home!
It'll be a good engine.
But not one I'd like to put much $$'s into to make power.
Keep it as is, put it in a daily driver and it'll run a long time.
:lol:
Hope some of this helps.

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

Exactly what I was looking for! Thanks a lot for all of your help!!!! I was debating on using for a build in a camaro just because it is short strokes and wraps quick and can turn more rpm's than a 5.7 may be a decently quick camaro

 

[ChevyHiPro]

As for a making power, I've learned over time, there's no replacement for displacement!
Cubic inches make power!
SBC's are the cheapest engines to make tons of HP and Torque with.


For a Camaro, I'd use any 350 I could find.
50 more cubic inches (well, 48!) are more potential for more power!
Simple!

If it's going to be a street car, pick your internal components for TORQUE!!
Torque = acceleration!
HP = top end!

A later model hydraulic roller cam 350 block would be my choice.
Edelbrock makes a range of hydraulic roller cam kits, that come complete with roller cam, hydraulic roller lifters, lifter guides, hardened push rods, the whole lot.
Then on the top of the heads, put a set of stamped roller tip, 1.6 ratio rockers.
OH YEAH!!

Coupled with a set of GM heads, with 66cc chambers, 1.96" 0r 2.02" intake valves, 1.6" exhaust valves and your on your way.
Smoking those rear tires all the way!
And you got it on the road for about $1000 $1200!

Now, at the same time, you got a pretty good condition 302 (sic, 283) there right now.
Choose a wide, long hydraulic cam, use those same 1.6 roller tip, stamped rockers and create a fast wind up engine, with substantial torque.
Put a set of block hugger headers on it, in that Camaro with the exhaust X'd underneath, maybe a set of turbo mufflers at the rear, keep the Camaro light and you be tough to beat to the next traffic light!
Now your on the road for like $500 - $600!

But shop around as you ride for a later model roller cam 350 block or used engine!

When you get ready to build it, pull the 302, find it a new home, use the $$'s to build the 350!

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

That's what I am looking at doing is selling the 302 I already got a 350 four bolt main. The 302/283 what ever you wanna call it. Well it had a edelbrock torquer aluminum intake on it and a buddy of mine has a 327 in his truck so I swapped the intake for a 4 bolt main 350 strait across for. He was happy and I was very happy! I tore down the 350 and well It was 4.030 bore so I'm thinking 355 or possibly 383 stroker. It's going into a swb 1982 c10. My wife's truck. Lol. She is wanting 400hp at the wheels. Any ideas on a good build. I've looked at all different combinations. I am wanting to run on pump gas. A street and strip truck. Truck has 12 bolt rear end all ready with 373's as well. It was a heck of a deal. Guy had no idea what he had when he sold the truck to me. It runs and drives. It even had a half tank of gas in it. I only gave 300.00 for the truck. My budget is 3500.00 for build. But if I can achieve 400 hp at the wheels for a lot less. Well I'd be really happy!!

 

[ChevyHiPro]

What a deal!!
If we ever get face to face, I'll be watching you!! (quote from Full Metal Jacket)


OK, building the 350;
Heads and cams are where the power comes from, after you have displacement.
Heads. Check the heads on your 350 to see what they are.
You can run the head casting numbers.
Or, if their off the block, measure the valves, 1.92", or 2.02" diameter on the intake are good, 1.5" or 1.6" on the exhaust are good.
Heads are expensive! Edelbrock aluminum heads start about $600, each, but make great power coupled with a cam.
There are other heads available, pretty much in the same range, starting at $600 and going up to what can you afford.

Cam.There are a number of good cam company out there, Comp cams are great for the street, Edelbrock makes a wide selection of great street cams.
Lunati make great cams, they are expensive and more angled toward the track.
Summit has their own brand of cams, good quality, competitive price, worth looking at.
If your 350 has a hydraulic cam, get a hydraulic cam.
It's a lot of machining (read a lot of $$$) to modify the block for a hydraulic roller cam, better to build what you got and angle for a hydraulic roller cam 350 short block or used engine later. Their STRONG!
I suggest a cam with at least 0.465" lift 0.480" would be good and at least 270 degrees of duration, more like 280 or so, these are intake values.
Get a new set of hydraulic lifters to go with the cam.
I have used Rhoades Variable Duration Hydraulic Lifters with good success.
What's cool about Rhoades lifters, you can move the torque curve up or down, by changing the viscosity of the engine oil!
How cool is that!?
Run 10W40 have the torque range at like 2500 - 5200, change to 10W30, torque moves down to like 1800 to 4800 and so forth.
May not be for everybody, but something not many know about and if you live in a northern climate, definitely lower the viscosity during winter (0W20 or lower).
Be sure and degree your cam in!
Lotta places out there to get how to's on doing it, if you don't know how.
A good degree wheel is $35 - $40 at Summit Racing, remember, larger is better, especially when buying a degree wheel!

Don't forget the 1.6 ratio roller tip rockers, $75 - $125 a set, make sure they have the long or extra long slots, and come with the grooved, ball pivot and locking nut.
Here's what happens, the 1.6 ratio adds to the cam 's lift and duration!
Stock rockers are 1.52 ratio, so doing the math; i.e., your new cam has an intake valve lift of 0.442" with the stock 1.52 rocker ratio, with the 1.6 rocker ratio, the same cam will have 0.465" lift. Free power,forever, after you've paid for the roller tip rockers!
A cam with 0.465" lift with stock rockers will have 0.489" lift with 1.6 ratio rockers and the duration stretches out as well.
With most SBC setups, your safe up to 0.555" lift.
But that needs to be checked, easy to do with modeling clay or play-dough. Need help, let me know
Summit Racing has a sale now on cams and cam/lifter sets, check it out;

http://www.summitracing.com/search/Bran ... PAodJG8Anw

Intake, I suggest the Edelbrock Airgap, great for torque, great RPM range and not real expensive.
Weiand Stealth, or Speed Maker are great for torque, about the same power as the Edelbrock, maybe a little better, but a little less expensive new.
Check Craigslist and eBay (be careful there!) for a used but good shape intake, save some $$'s.
Be sure to check the carb stud holes and the mounting flanges of used intakes for damage.
A lot of'em have broken studs in them or stripped carb mount holes and the flanges that mate to the heads are bent or the bolt holes are messed up, all from over torquing the hold down bolts!

Carburetor. Lots of folks prefer Holley, or Demon (Holly clone), they work great, but to me, seem to be temperamental to tune, not to mention expensive.
I prefer Edelbrock.
Cheaper, lots, parts are cheaper, to me, their easier to work on, if you buy a new one, typically the only thing you have to set is the idle, right outta the box.
Edelbrock has an optional electric choke that can be ordered on all their carbs, or bought separately and is easy to add on.
Cheaper to buy the new carb with the choke, than add it on.
For the engine your building, I suggest 750 cfm.
AND, usually the stock linkage connects right up to the Edelbrock.

Don't forget the fuel pump!
A competition type mechanical fuel pump is about $100, several manufactures make them.

Distributor. Go with a new HEI distributor.
I know, you got one in your engine!
But check these out;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-BBC-CHEVY-3 ... 3692339%26

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SBC-BBC-350-383 ... 3692339%26

Can't beat it!
New set of spark plug wires and your set!

400 HP is easy to get from a 350, but since you've got it apart, why not put a stroker crank in, make it a 383!?
Check these out;

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eagle-Standard- ... 7770501%26

Cast is good up to 500 HP!

Lastly, gaskets, rings bearings stuff like that, check these guys out;

http://www.rockauto.com/

Great prices, good quality stuff and cheap!

Good luck with your build and keep us posted on how it goes!

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

Well I was planning on doing a 383 stroker how ever if 400 hp can be had with out the extra expense and put the money I saved on the crank by using that cast on I have. Have it turned and balanced. And use it. I don't really like the buying pieces and putting them together. I would almost rather buy a internally balance rotating assembly. I have priced a 383 stroker rotating assembly on eBay for just under 769.00. It comes with your choice of scat or eagle crank, they balance it and damper flywheel king i beam rods, dished -22cc forged pistons, Moly rings, and main bearings. Rods are cut to clear cam. Company is white racing from Kingsport TN and 65.00 shipped. Sounded pretty good but was debating the idea on account of putting more money towards heads cam lifters rockers. What's is your opinion on AFR heads vs dart or even vortec heads for a build such as this? Dart head are around 800 a pair AFR's are around 1400 and I can get vortec heads from a friend right now from a friend for 100 bucks right now.

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

My apologies I looked at the pistons in my motor and they show 40 over but when I measured with calipers it showed only 30 over. I must have got on the carbon ring. So I guess that 4 bolt 350 is bored 40 over. What would be a good compression ratio to aim for. For a street strip truck. And what octain would be needed?

 

[ChevyHiPro]

Heads - A lot of the Chevy heads are good for making power!
The Vortec heads for $100 would a good match.
Check the valve size on what ever heads you have, any with 1.900" - 2.00" intake valves will make good power for cheap.
There's always the balance between money and power output.
If you have enough money to throw at it, you can get all kinds of power.
Most of us don't have the money to throw!
Me? I get the $100 Vortec's and run them.
After the build, if your not happy with the power output and tuning hasn't helped, if there's $$$'s left, get the AFR's or the Dart.
Both are great for making power and quality stuff.
The AFR's are probably a little more expensive, but their engineering is excellent!
Dart is a quality head as well, they seem to be more angled toward race track and competition heads, but do have street products as well.
Either is good, AFR is probably a little better, but also more expensive.

>"What would be a good compression ratio to aim for. For a street strip truck. And what octain would be needed?"
8.0 - 8.5:1. Much above 9:1 the tuning has to be pretty much spot on, or you'll get ping and/or detonation.
Not good!
The part of the country where i live, we have a choice at the gas pumps of 87, 89, 91 octane.
In the stroker (383) I run 89, i'll put 1/2 a tank of 91 in when it's mostly on empty and I want to 'play' for while!
My pickup (350, Edelbrock Airgap intake, Edelbrock 650 cfm carb, Chevy 'RV' cam (read, 'torque') with 1.6 roller tip rockers) I run 87.
Total ignition advance is important, I run 26° on the pick up, 28° on the stroker, with no ping or detonation with the listed fuels.
I also have a new HEI distributor in the stroker with high power ignition module and 65K volt coil.
The distributor is a point a lot of common street rodders over look.
Don't be common!

If you decide to build the stroker, check out the price to have your crank turned and balanced before you do it, compare that to the price of the rotating assembly you mentioned.
If the assembly is only a couple of $100 more, you may want to buy the rotating assembly.
What I've done on the strokers I've built, I've weighted all of the piston/rods with the rod caps on, with a digital scale.
Then with the lightest one as a 'standard', I've ground a little at a time off the rod of the other 7, until all weigh the same.
Da daa, balanced!

One thing that's a pain building a stroker, you have to put the crank, cam, and at least put the pistons in 3, 4, 5, 6, if not all of them in the block, then slowly rotate it by hand to identify and mark any 'interference' point.
Then, take it all back out and grind the block for clearance.
Then put it all back in and check the clearance.
Just time consuming, but necessary.

I've never had any problem build a stroker with parts from here, there and yonder.
Of course, assuming you get good parts, it should go together with no problem and work well.
But I'm anal about checking everything, rotating clearance (see above), valve clearance (done with modeling clay or play dough), degreeing the cam in and on and on.

Do you have an engine stand?
If not, it'll be the best money you've spent.
I have three and need another one.
Make working on the engine easy.
I sit in a roll around chair and do most of my work on them.
Great!

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

i am leaning more towards the stock crank really just to save some money. and yes about the engine stand! my dad asked me two weeks ago what i wanted for Christmas and i said engine stand or torque wrench one foot per lb and one inch per lb. well next day he comes by and says merry christmas and gives me and my wife a new stand! we were happy as heck! my wife she is so awesome! so is as into building motors as me. but she is still new too it all. i said i tore down them motors well i fibbed she did i supervised. lol well that and broke all the bolts loose for her! poor thing them bolt have almost as much ft/lbs as she weighs all 115lb's of here. so anyways you kind of lost me on the roller lifters not working in the motor i have with out machine work? and that would be fine if i can stay with flat tappit lifters, rollers are expensive anyways.

 

[ChevyHiPro]

>" my dad asked me two weeks ago what i wanted for Christmas and i said engine stand or torque wrench one foot per lb and one inch per lb. well next day he comes by and says merry christmas and gives me and my wife a new stand!"
Great!!
You'll love it!
A word to the wise from my practical experience;
Before you put your engine on the new stand (if it's not too late!), remove the rotary part of the engine stand, grease it with chassis grease, put it back together, wipe off the excess grease.
It's turn a whole lot easier with the engine on it!
My first engine stand, I broke it out of the box, put it together, hosted my engine up, bolted it on, could only turn it a little each way, with a lot of effort!
Took the engine off, pulled the stand apart, greased it, put it back together, put the engine back on it, then I could turn it!
Took about 1/2 a day!
Also, I had to learn, the hard way, to try my best to align the approximate center of the engine with the rotary center of the stand.
Keeps it balanced so you can rotate the engine.

>" my dad asked me two weeks ago what i wanted for Christmas and i said engine stand or torque wrench one foot per lb and one inch per lb."
A great place to get good torque wrenches is Harbor Freight Tools.
I have a set of 1/4" drive, 3/8" drive and 1/2" drive torque wrenches from there and they work great!!
The regular price is like $20 - $25, but with a coupon or on sale you can get them there for like $12 - $15.
I have a friend that works in an instrument lab, took his Harbor Freight torque wrenches in and check them on their equipment, got 2% accuracy!
Good enough for me!
As you guys saw, they make great Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary presents!!

>"i am leaning more towards the stock crank really just to save some money. "
Good thinking!
Hotrodding is expensive!
You set a budget, get half way through the build, your already over budget and got a long way to go to finish!
With the +0.040" bore, you've got 357 cid now.
You can comfortably make 375 HP, close to 400 ft/lb of torque with that!
That will be exciting to drive!
Good hydraulic cam with hydraulic flat tappet lifters will make a lot of power.
That's what I've build a lot of and have in the shop right now.
My stroker and the 355 I have on stands in the shop are hydraulic cam with hydraulic flat tappet lifters.
The stroker is 425 HP and 500 ft/lb torque, with the Edelbrock 750 cfm and intake I have on it now.
Once I get it in the '85 Silverado and on the road, I have plans to add a 100 HP wet NOS Shot under the carb, that'll push the torque up to +600 ft.lb!
The kit cost about $525, but a lot of grunt for the $$'s!
Of course, the nitrous kits only inject at wide open throttle (WOT), but WOW!

>"my wife she is so awesome! so is as into building motors as me. but she is still new too it all. i said i tore down them motors well i fibbed she did i supervised. lol well that and broke all the bolts loose for her! poor thing them bolt have almost as much ft/lbs as she weighs all 115lb's of her"
You are a blessed man!
You two work together on the build, see how interested she is, get her to look at cam specifications with you!
I find it boring too and it gets confusing if read it too long!
Anyway, work together and enjoy it!

>"you kind of lost me on the roller lifters not working in the motor i have with out machine work? "
My bad!
It's possible to modify a hydraulic cam block (like you've got) to use a hydraulic roller cam, with hydraulic roller lifters, but it takes internal machining work, that's not cheap!
Better to start with a later model engine that has a hydraulic roller cam to start with.
But performance roller cams are more expensive that performance hydraulic cams, but they make a lot of power!
Better to run what you got.
Summit has a good selection of cams for your engine for $50 - $100 with a sale they are having now.
BTW, stay with a hydraulic cam.
You don't want to have to be regularly adjusting valve lash!

Exhaust - if you don't have any yet, you'll need a a set oh headers.
For the vehicle you've got, I highly recommend Flowtech Afterburner Headers.
They help make great torque and are affordable.
Get the painted ones, should be less than $200.
Clean off all the paint (paint stripper and garden hose), rinse and dry them real good, lightly sand them all over, clean them again.
Then paint them with Very High Temp BBQ spray paint (it's like 1100 - 1200 degrees, instead of the usual 700 - 800 degrees), about $5 a can at the hardware store.
Put on 2 -3 coats, letting it dry real well between coats.

Clean and paint your engine while you have it out building it!
Don't cost much, looks good and the worst part is cleaning it all up to paint!
I'm partial to Chevy Competition Orange, it's old school, but I am too!

Another thought; you'll need to beef up your transmission for the added HP and torque you'll be putting through it.
If you know someone that works in a transmission shop, maybe they came help save you a few bucks.
Maybe take it in as a bench job, you pull it and bring it in to the shop, that'll save a lot of labor.
Best as I remember, you have a '87 or '89 C1500 Blazer or pickup.
If so, and it's automatic, it probably has an R700 transmission.
There's a number of things that can be done to it, machine the bottom of the clutch basket to remove 0.100" making room for an additional clutch plate, put in heavy duty clutch plates and a bunch of stuff on the valve body.
It should cost about what an overhaul would cost (about $850), but hopefully you can pull it and put it back in, that'll save you some bucks.
Also, you'll need an beefier torque converter, heavy duty with a 2800 - 3000 rpm lockup, about $200 or so.

Hotrodding ain't cheap!

There are a lot of 'how to's' on doing all this stuff to an engine.
If you don't know how to do something, you should be able to find out how, pretty quick do to the magic of Al Gore's internet!
If you think I can help don't hesitate to ask!
You two enjoy your build and then, enjoy driving it!

My pickup ('76 Chevy Cheyenne)350 ('97 200 HP crate engine I modified) is pushing about 340 HP, 375 fl/lb of torque.
It has a pretty beefy TH350 transmission and 2600 rpm lockup torque converter and 3.88 rear gear.
The area where my job is located is a fairly high income area.
The main stream car there is the BMW 325i, usually on a 2 or 3 year lease.
I love smoking these guys on a stop light to stop light drag!
I mean, i beat'em by 1/2 a block!
The 2nd, or 3rd red light, they turn right!
Love it!

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

okay. i found a way to save a few bucks. i did a a motor swap a few months ago free of charge. for a good friend well i was debating on going with retro fit roller cam vs finding a cheap lt block. well not thinking but block i removed from my friend truck was a tbi 5.7 from a 1994 z71.. well called him last night and asked him about that motor. he said "if its what you need you can have it." so just came from over there and sure enough its roller!!! Score another one for me! he had a motor to put in place of the one in truck only thing wrong with one i pulled was it was it had a cracked head. so the retro kit was around 950. well i got roller block with no retro kit needed.

 

[ChevyHiPro]

Dude, you guys are gettin' it done now!!
I love what happened!
Old sayin', "what goes around, comes around!"
Guys that throw all this attitude around all the time, well, that's what they got coming!


Guy does a guy a favor, don't charge him, just helps him out and later on, good things start happening!


Now, you got a roller cam 350!
YEAH!
You should be able to find a matching good head to replaced the cracked one with, in a wrecking yard for an affordable price.
Valve job, new springs and keepers (may come with the cam you get) and the heads are done.
Select a roller cam with a lift close to 0.500" and duration of at least 270°, use the stamped roller tip rockers with 1.6 ratio, the lift will be close to 0.525" (published lift is stated assuming 1.52 ratio rockers) and the duration (the rocker ratio effects both lift and duration) will be about 290°, that combination should rock!
Clean up the bores and replace the rings, run it for a while as a 350, it'll make 325 - 375 HP, 400 ft/lbs with no problem.
Put a dual plane intake on it, a 700 cfm carb and hot sparking ignition (all discussed in previous post), put the Flowtech Afterburner headers on it, after the collectors put a X pipe dual exhaust setup under it with the turbo mufflers mounted at the back, dial it all in and you should be on the road for about $2,000.

You could build the non-roller 350 you have into a stroker short block (about 383) (I think I remember you said you have a 400 crank), no cam, or put a hydraulic cam in it with similar lift as above for a total of about $500 (no heads) and sell it for $1200 - $1500, 383 stroker short block, all fresh, honed cylinders, new rings, main bearing, etc.
Use that $$$ to get the forged stroker kit for your roller cam engine, next winter, pull it, build the stroker, with the roller cam, then have some real fun!!
:shock:

Sorry about the long posts, sometimes i just get carried away!


Keep us posted on your build!

 

[Jamesnelizabeth08]

I defiantly will. Wanna see something crazy. Check this page out. This guy retro fired correct style lifter set up. Thought about this for that 283 build. http://www.nastyz28.com/forum/showthrea ... 46&page=14 that's the link. But yeah he retro fitted the whole vortec set up by just drilling and tapping and using roller lifters from Chevy 2.2 cavalier or berette.