Thread: Best Junkyard SBC

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Hi, new to the forum, just got a quick question, which junkyard SBC(carbed) has the highest hp/torque? Thanks for any help.

Originally posted by steven_esworthy
Hi, new to the forum, just got a quick question, which junkyard SBC(carbed) has the highest hp/torque? Thanks for any help.

Get one out of a 1969 - <1970 >, . After that the government regulations restricted H.P. & torque.


1968: Chevy II Nova. The same 295hp L-48 that motivated SS350 Camaros the prior year is installed in Nova SS350 models for ’68. Ironically, it isn’t quite enough for some buyers, so the 325hp L-79 327 is added to the option list midyear along with 396 big-blocks. The first four-bolt 350 blocks are cast this year.

1969: Chevrolet opens the floodgates and makes the 350 available in virtually every model from Corvette to 3/4-ton pickups. Power output ranges from 250 to 350, and while early-’69 Corvette literature hints at a special 370hp version, it gets shelved until the following year. The oil-fill-tube provision is eliminated from the front of the intake manifold. Oil fill and crankcase ventilation is now handled via the valve covers, and the long water pump is introduced (except in Corvettes, which keep the short water pump through ’82, and most trucks, which have shorties through ’72). Engine-accessory-bracket mounting holes are added to the ends of cylinder heads installed on long-pump 350s.

1970: The discontinuation of the 327 and arrival of the 370hp, 380-lb-ft LT-1 is clear proof that Chevrolet has fully embraced the 350 as its flagship small-block performance motor. Available in Corvette and the redesigned ’701/2 Camaro Z28 (with 360 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque) the LT-1 packs a solid cam and 11.0:1 compression and is an instant legend.

1971: Chevrolet modifies all powerplants to run on low-lead regular-grade fuel through the use of reduced static compression, hardened valve seats, and less aggressive ignition timing. The LT-1’s compression drops to 9.0:1 and output falls to 330 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque. The base L65 350 two-barrel drops to 8.5:1, and 245hp and is installed in hundreds of thousands of passenger cars and light trucks, sowing the seeds for countless hot rod projects for decades to come. Small, 5/8-inch-hex spark plugs replace earlier 13/16-inch hex plugs.


1972: More realistic SAE “net” ratings replace the previous “gross” rating system; advertised power levels drop drastically, and Detroit enters a very dark period. The LT-1 is removed from the Camaro order book, and the hottest Z28 falls to 255hp and 280-lb-ft. More depressing is the output of the base Corvette’s ZQ3 350, a measly 200hp and 300-lb-ft. Smog-friendly (and otherwise) aftermarket hop-up parts come on strong.

According to my book in 1969 and 1970 they made a 350 4 barrel engine that made 370 hp. They also made 3 other 350 4 barrel engines that year that had 255, 300 and 350 hp. They also had a 302 4 barrel engine that made 290 hp.
The bad news is they all look the same till you find the engine numbers and decipher them. Most 69 and 70 Chevys were crushed and recycled years ago. After 1970 the emission controls lowered the hp considerably. If you want horsepower from a sbc you're going to have to build your own engine or have it built for you.

It looks like pro70 beat me to it with more info than I have.

And I think the '69 Z-28 302 underrated it's H.P. to run against those peskie Mustangs. Or was that just an urban legend???? HE HE