Thread: SBC build

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Hi everyone, this is my first post on this site. Which is great by the way. Anyway I just pulled what i think to be a 350 out of my 86 Caballero, casting # is 3970010 so i know its not stock. My dad and i are going to rebuild it and i am hopeing for 350-400hp at the rear wheels, is there anyway i can do this for less than a thousand? i am on a very limited buget. I am not opposed to nitrous and am open to any suggestions.


Thanks in advance

Neil

im in the same boat as you. if u find a way to do it let me know

Well I went through the same reasoning last summer, even taking a part time summer job to pay for the engine, but I think you can do it more easily for $1500 if you rebuild the bottom end. You can count on about $300 to rebuild the heads with a valve job. You can probably get a rebuild kit with 0.030" over pistons with rings, bearings and gaskets for another $250-300. Then you should use new valve springs (might as well get new Z28 springs), lifters and cam chain. It would be silly not to put a new waterpump and oil pump on the block and then there is the need to bore the cylinders, usually 0.030" over and have the crank turned a little under and made round again. In my case I chose to buy new rods and I forget what I paid for them, $140/set??? It looks like parts alone might be over $1000 and then you need to know what you are doing for the assembly. I think you can do it more comfortably for $1500 but then you are in range of a rebuilt Goodwrench engine. Oh I forgot the cam. You can get a regrind from Speedway for about $65 but figure about $100 if you want to choose a new cam. In my case I just got sucked in to enjoying the choice of every component telling myself that I would then "know what is in the engine", but actually maybe a Goodwrench crate engine with a Performer intake and headers would be as good or better with the comfort of a warranty?? Oh yes, what about rocker arms, new stock ones are cheap, but the roller tipped ones from Speedway are about $90/set. When the block is rebuilt don't forget new cam bearings!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

I see in edit mode that Tech1 has answered below and he is right as usual, I was only talking about a rebuild with mild performance up to no more than about 270 H.P. However, in another thread recently Tech1 pointed out a rebuild kit with heads from Summit based on Holly parts including heads for $1500, but that does not include boring and cleaning up the crankshaft and rebuilding the rods. That kit was rated at over 400 H.P. so with that kit and maybe another $1000 you might get over 400 H.P. for only $2500 ???????

If you assume a 25% loss in the powertrain, it would take 500 hp at the flywheel to make 375 hp at the rear wheels. 500 hp is definitely going to require aftermarket aluminum heads and I don't even think you can buy a decent set of complete heads for $1,000 new unless you're holdin' a pistol on the seller, much less everything else it takes to make 500 hp. Time for a reality check.

Oh, and your comment about nitrous.....
If you spend your wad on nitrous without beefing up the reciprocating assembly, you might make 500 hp at the flywheel......ONCE......just before you run over the crank.

Hey the reality check is not that bad, recall the formula:

H.P. = Torque x (rpm/5252)

so high H.P. numbers come from high rpm but low rpm torque is important on the street. The basic 350V8 design is very good for torque and compares favorably with V6, I4 and even 305V8 so take a look at the site at:

http://www.ryanscarpage.50megs.com/combos1.html

for some ideas.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

yeah, i kinda figuredit was unrealistic, my goal was to be able to beet an ls1 in the 1/4 but it dosnt look like thats gonna happen, oh well, i'll just get a job and up the buget, i'm 15 and this is a father son project, thanks for the help.

edit: also, i have seen several vortec equiped trucks at the local junkyard, are these the same as the performance heads and could i use them on my sb?

there are alot of build books out there to help you along on a first time build up-- i would recommend david vizard-- hes pretty basic in explaining theory of internal combustion engines and comes up with some low buck engine build-ups and horsepower tricks that work- one book he has written is "how to build max performance small block chevys on a budget"---hes got a 350sbc build up with 329hp for around $650. some of his ideas work in real world and some dont it depends alot on your skill/knowledge or willingness to learn and try check it out and have fun with it

Posted by 86Diablo:
"edit: also, i have seen several vortec equiped trucks at the local junkyard, are these the same as the performance heads and could i use them on my sb?"

96-up 350 RPO L31 truck.

Here's the skinny on 'em.....
http://www.sallee-chevrolet.com/Cyli...ds/Vortec.html

Thanks for the help, I ordered "How To Rebuild The Small-Block Chevy: Stock and High-Performance Rebuilds" from amazon and will look into the other book. I will definitly be keeping an eye out for the vortecs at the junkayrd to, thanks.