Thread: budget build 350

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Hey all,
New to Club Hot Rod. My 98 S10 2.2 died after a good long life and off to the great junk yard. I pounder around for awhile and decided to build another ride. I have a 79 I think 350 sitting around and wound like to build drop in my S10.

I'm building this on a very tight budget so I know I'm very limited. Decent cam that hits good but doesn't require a large torque converter. Any suggestions or tips you my have to Improve its power with out getting way over the top due to budget limits.

I basically for the time being to build a some what daily driver but sounds like a weekend worrier. My plan is to one day pull it back out and build a street/strip setup

so any thoughts, tips, suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Eddie P.

Do you want to build the motor to have the experience? Or, are you thinking you'll save some money by doing it yourself?
And since I'm full of questions!! What's the budget size?

In many cases you can get a rebuilt long block ( or short) already completed and even get a guarantee with it. Another thought I have with a 79 block, it's probably a smog motor and not really a performance platform.

In any event, glad you're here and many SBC kinda guys will be along to offer you mucho info to help guide you.

Keep the lift under .5 and you shouldn't have any issues.

Thanks for the replys,
Well budget is 1500.00 or so, Long block Crate Motor is out at the moment. maybe for the future build for the truck. But the budget does not include the rebuild of the 350 so that's a plus.

Just hope all is good with the block. I do have 64cc heads with big valves hidden away if someone hasn't lifted them when I was not looking so if I understand things right that is a improvement over the stock heads that's on it.

I have rebuilt a couple of sbc and they ran great. but really don't know much on performance side of things. What works with what you that kinda thing.

So again any thoughts, suggestion, tips is greatly appreciated.

welcome to chr. I would hunt around your local craigslist and see what is out there. you might come across something that is exactly what you are looking for and go from there.

Find a 4.8 or 5.3 LS takeout package

Our local AutoZone had a few rebuilt units sitting on the floor for 1800 clearance price. Maybe an option?

I'll check out criaglist and continue to look around. I did score a Holley intake form a friend today that he had lying around. I guess I should have stated in my post that I'm going to take it to carb, and HEI. so the computer is coming out along with a lot of other stuff.

Thanks for the welcome. I'm looking at take outs to so that option is possible to if I come across the right one.

keep the ideas coming LOL

For 1500$ you could buy a wrecked car and swap the whole guts, then scrap the car.

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

For 1500$ you could buy a wrecked car and swap the whole guts, then scrap the car.

I have consider that and have my eyes open. I'm not hell bent on building the engine I have. My uncle has a 86 Camaro with a 350 in it with carb setup. I am considering that, at lease there's the tranny, engine, pully's, radiator so a lot can be used from this car for 1200.00.

how about this cam
COMP Cams Thumpr Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cam and Lifter Kits K12-600-4 At Summit Racing.

sorry Try to add a link but wouldn't work.

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

For 1500$ you could buy a wrecked car and swap the whole guts, then scrap the car.

DING, DING, DING, DING.....(LIGHTS FLASHING)......There's the winner. I've done this many times over the years. You can defray the cost of the donor car by selling off the glass, suspension, tires and wheels, brakes, sheet metal, interior, etc., etc. and just use the running gear for your project car. As Jerry mentioned, an LS package would be all that little S10 would need. You wouldn't need any speed parts for it. Just use all the electrical from the donor.

.

Yep think I'll go with the Camaro, Now that I have really set and thought about it I may hold off on the rebuild too if the 350 is in good shape. Like I said in a year or sooner it will come back out and built so really what would be the point of rebuilding it twice.

think I'll go back to my original plan, drop the motor in get the bugs and fitting modifications done then when its ready build the power house.

Now the fun begins,
Thanks to all that posted responses:
Sure I'll have some other questions along the way.
EddieP

Update

Got the 350 in her. But the little rear end crapped out but was a blast until then. Got a rear end out a 4.3 S10 on the way according to what I have read it will hold up under the V8 we'll see LOL. On another note my plans to build a mild motor is still the same. I was thinking on building a 377ci according to the on line ci calculator a stock bore 350 with a 3.75 stroke crank comes up to a 376ci if this is correct what size rods should I use?

So you need to re fiqure the budjet---------stroker is going to be way over $1500