Thread: Rebuild Help and advice !

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I have an 89 ttop camaro rs. I have already pulled out the 305 and I have a 350 small block. I had the 350 bored 60 over due to wear (yes i know this is the limit). I plan on building it to pretty much be a weekend warrior maybe to drive back and forth to work only a 10min drive. I dont plan on running the car really hard but i want it built right. Im wanting it to put out as much as much HP as possible while still being able to drive it on the highway for short distances. right now i just have a bare block and a stock camaro rs (as far as suspension, transmission, rear end etc..) I know ebay has alot of pretty cheap or fair priced parts but are they any good? what are your reccomendations as far as what to do next?

Begin with a 454.


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If you're wanting to stay with a small block, you're going to be hard pressed to build a reliable engine yourself cheaper than you can buy a crate engine, IMO. Edit - Forgot to say "Welcome"!!, but Glenn reminded me... Sorry, that should have come first!

Welcome to CHR:

My first thought is to agree with Roger - that you can get a lot of engine for your dollar right now. If you’re new to this hobby it can be very expensive to build an engine from scratch. At this point, you’ve probably not got a ton of money in the block and you could e-bay it for a few bucks.

A few questions – what’s your budget? You say weekend warrior, does that mean you want to go to a local track and run some quarter miles? Do you have a five speed stick or a 700-R4 automatic? Do you know what rear end you have? If you have a manual you probably have a 3.08:1 (Code 6HB) and the automatic is probably a 2.73:1 (Code 6HP) – look on the door sticker to see if the code is listed.

Driving ten miles in stop-and-go traffic can be hard on a built engine but ten miles on the freeway at 55-65MPH is cake.

I understand that you want to build it right but when you say “I don’t plan on running the car really hard…” and then say, “I’m wanting it to put out as much as much HP as possible while still being able to drive it on the highway for short distances.” It sends a bit of a mixed message as only you know how much punch you’re looking for. Your Camaro weighs about 3300 pounds – if you add a driver and fluids you’re probably looking at 3500 pounds. A respectable street driven car runs a 14 second quarter mile which would require about 260 horsepower – very easily done (even with a 305) To get that same car to 12 seconds requires 400 horsepower! We can help you do either but realize 260 is certainly less expensive to build than 400 – especially if this is your first build.

Options you may want to consider would be the various stages of crate engines from short block to long block to dressed-out to a complete turn-key.

Give us a bit more info on what you’re wanting to spend and want to really do and we can point you in the right direction.

Regards,
Glenn

I don't have the money to flat out buy a crate engine. Yea I could save but I want the pleasure of knowing I built it from scratch. No real budget because I don't have a real time frame on when I want it done. I'll probably just get parts here and there when I have the money. Tho I would like to definately have it done by spring. From home to work is mostly highway miles not much traffic. I do already have an aluminum racing radiator. And by weekend warrior I mean driving to the beach in a car that turns heads but actually have some real power and not just the sound. I only plan on taking it to the track once ( brother is a tuner fan he has a Nissan 240 he's building and turbo'ing and all. I just wanna blow the doors off his hot wheel)

Is the 350 a roller block?

I don't think so. I bought it about 4 years back from a guy I think he had it in his 80's model Chevy truck I had it in my 86 impala for a few years then got rid of that and now I'm building this camaro. I'm not sure what the motor originally came out of but I'm pretty sure it's some type of 70-80's model Chevy

you could get the numbers off the front pad just ahead of the passenger side head. That should tell you what it came in.

For me, I wouldn't put a nickel into a flat tappet cam block, unless there's a cheap & easy conversion to roller hydraulics.

Originally Posted by rspears

For me, I wouldn't put a nickel into a flat tappet cam block, unless there's a cheap & easy conversion to roller hydraulics.

Understand where you're coming from Roger, but some folks are on a pretty tight budget and there's enough knowledge and experience on this forum to help the guy do it right the first time and hopefully with limited problems. FWIW, when I rebuild the 400sbc in the garage the old 30-30 is going back in.

Originally Posted by NTFDAY

Understand where you're coming from Roger, but some folks are on a pretty tight budget and there's enough knowledge and experience on this forum to help the guy do it right the first time and hopefully with limited problems. FWIW, when I rebuild the 400sbc in the garage the old 30-30 is going back in.

Nothing wrong with going to a flat tappet cam if you know the issues, and understand the importance of breaking in the cam/lifters and keeping enough zinc rich oil in there at all times. Problem is you can round off a lobe in a couple of thousand miles if a lifter stops turning, and then by the time you know about it you've been circulating all of that ground off lobe throughout the engine, doing all kinds of nastiness. Simply not worth it if a guy's starting from scratch, but that's just my opinion, and those are like belly buttons, right?

just picked the block up from the shop today. so from the quick reading that i just did i think i definately wanna go with a hyraulic roller cam less maintenance, longer durabilty, more power all a plus. dont care about the rpm limitation it has vs a flat tappet because i dont plan on racing...

Originally Posted by White047

just picked the block up from the shop today. so from the quick reading that i just did i think i definately wanna go with a hyraulic roller cam less maintenance, longer durabilty, more power all a plus. dont care about the rpm limitation it has vs a flat tappet because i dont plan on racing...

a 350 may move it but a 89 rs with T tops is a boat anchor for weight .i would go lower dolllar with a hyper piston and cast steel crank kit and get it past 383 cid for street and mild strip use . as for a hyraulic roller cam you can get a short valving roller lifter that will let you just about go as far in RPM as a solid roller. if planed out rigth you will never see the rpm anyways

Ok hyper pistons sounds good.

Okay – let’s get to work and build a 388 (bore x bore x stroke x number of cylinders x .7854)

You told us that the block is .060 over so you’ll need 4.060” pistons. White Performance Machine has an ebay special for a balanced assembly including crank, pistons, rings, connecting rods, flex plate, damper, and big bearings for $769. This assumes a 3.75” stroke so you need to make sure that your block has been machined for such. SBC Chevy 383 Forged Rotating Assembly 4 060 Bore 12 CC Dish 2pc RMS | eBay

Get a new oil pump and pickup that already welded to the pump – another $70 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/se...make/chevrolet

Summit sells their aluminum heads for $995 - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-162109/overview/ I’d buy new bolts for another $80 and a good gasket set will add another $75 or so.

Cam and lifters are all over the place – however, as mentioned above a roller retrofit is a good idea. Summit sells a COMP Cams retrofit kit with the cam, lifters, pushrods, springs, timing set and all the accoutrements for $900 - http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cc...make/chevrolet

So now we have the major long-block pieces and we’re at $2,900, plus additional machine shop charges to relieve for a 3.75 stroke, deck the surfaces, and install cam bearings – probably +/- $350 so we’re at $3,250.

Intake – Edelbrock 7104 Performer RPM is a great choice with a 750 Q-Jet (electric choke). This combo will be about $525.

HEI distributor - $100

All the “other little things” i.e, fasteners, spark plugs and wires, water pump, etc. will be +/- $500 and that assumes that you have all sheet metal, (pan, valve covers, front cover) the tools you’ll need as well an engine stand and a nice, warm, well lit place to build this engine.

Soooo. We’re looking at about $4,400 smackers – still want to build it yourself? If so, you may want to search this site for small block build threads as there have been a lot of them and you’ll find all kinds of gems concerning cleaning the block, painting the block, assembly lubes, keeping it clean, etc., etc., etc…

Let us know what you decide!

Best,
Glenn