A lil help? PLease.

Im looking for any help. Ive always had a thing for older cars and trucks. And now i have one of my own. Its a 77 gmc pickup (rustbucket is more like it) but after getting past that its time to do some engine work. I have the generall knowlage needed to work on an engine, and im looking to make a good street engine out of what i got (5.7L 350), but im working on a small budget. I was wondering if anyone has a suggestions on were to start? Im thinking a Distributor kit possibly. i know i need a new cap and rotor any ways. The proform HEI kit is what im considering. Any ideas, help, anything. Thanks

Change the oil, check all fluids, new plugs, wires and Pertronix sells a upgraded HEI kit which comes with 50,000 volt Ignition Coil, cap, etc. Check and make sure the alternator is charging fine, check the battery, check the starter. Clean the carb if needed and run some B-12 or some kind of carb and engine cleaner through the gas. After that you should be fine. Oh and new air filter if needed. www.Chevyduty.com they have every panel you need to fix the rust. Get their free cataloge if you want. They have reproduction parts from overseas or something like doors, tail gates, fenders, etc that are MUCH cheaper than GM manufactured stuff.
Good luck and keep up posted. Get some pics if you can. I just got me a 85 Chevy (basically the same as yours since 73-87 are same). Good trucks, lots of parts for them, etc. Your luck to have the 350 already in yours instead of 305. :D

read everything you can. Look for posts here about what you are planning next. You can learn a LOT for FREE at this site. Get on Amazon.com and find yourself some books on the subject. If ya don't have a shop, then you need one. Might even find someone willing to put you to work part time, in exchange for some temporary floorspace. Where there is a will... you know the rest. good luck.

Thaks a lot. Lots of good info. Now i had already changed all the filters, got a new air cleaner. And the paint i was all over that when i first started. I took apart the distributor in its current state, can we say corosion? I cleaned it real good. then i put in some new spark plugs "finaly".:rolleyes: It runs better already. Now im bent between the petronix hit and the proform kit. The proform kits 20$ cheaper. But im not sure wich is of more quilatiy. And id like to start geting into replacing others things(get some more power), is it possible to put in a new cam & lifters set with out modifying rockers, springs, heads, etc. Oh and yes i replaced the timing chain set already. And im geting ready to install headers. Im going real chep on those, i geting summit racing headers. One of my frinends got me some mufflers a long time ago. So im good on that end of the spectrium. Basicly i just need help with the cam and the HEI upgrade kit questions. Thanks agian.

Oh i almost forgot, there is a Carter carb on top of this thing. It says built for gm on it. The question here is where can i get a rebuild kit for this?

Any NAPA parts store.

If you haven't learned it already, you get what you pay for, so keep that in mind when buying parts.

Not to disagree,but it seems to me that with the petronix kit your just paying more for the name. I was just wanting to no if thats true.

All manufacturers have to be very competitive in producing a product which will go up against another product which serves the same function. If one product in the same line of goods sells for less than another product, it's because it costs that manufacturer less to produce the goods. The cost savings could come from anywhere along the line of manufacture, from less expensive raw materials to more efficient methods of manufacture and even the cost of labor to produce the product. I'm 63 years old, so I've been a consumer for a few more years than most of the contributors on this forum and it has been my experience that if it costs less, it's usually because the manufacturer has used less costly materials. Now, in the case of Proform, I suspect that labor is a big factor because I further suspect that those pieces are being produced in China. I have no actual experience with Proform like I have with Pertronix. I've used their goods with success on several occasions and recommend them highly.

Now you know my mindset and the thinking that goes into everything I purchase. The only thing left is for you to decide which product will work best for you over the long term.

I was going to go with Pertronix but called the local speed shop today and they said go with MSD. The owner (which is who I deal with everytime) said that the MSD unit is 10-20 bucks more than the pertronix and he likes it better. Which to me looked the same and had same functions. Plus the shop has MSD logo on their shirts, etc and they race so I think it's a sponsor that is why. I just went with the MSD instead.

And there is another point of life Shawn. The extra 10 or 20 bucks you spent will go a long way with this guy down the road. He'll be way more likely to give you a good deal or some valuable information down the road because you played ball with him on this purchase. What goes around, comes around.

The guys are right about exchanging some work for a bit of floor space...I've been working at a tranny shop for 3 months, i went into the job with ZERO knowledge of what i was doing...Since my employment started, i've had 2 trannies go out on me (2 different vehicles) both of which i got fixed for just a little extra hard work over the few upcoming weeks...

Another bonus of working for a garage (besides the possiblility of favors and equipment availability) is that often you can get parts for a cheaper price...While a complete master kit for a 350 costs the public about 350-500 dollars...I can buy it for $150, where i choose my pistons, and my cam. I also get a pretty good rod in the kit.

Just some insight from someone that has actually lived the scenario that was mentioned above about working for floorspace.

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Originally posted by techinspector1
And there is another point of life Shawn. The extra 10 or 20 bucks you spent will go a long way with this guy down the road. He'll be way more likely to give you a good deal or some valuable information down the road because you played ball with him on this purchase. What goes around, comes around.

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Heh, tech at first I thought you meant that 10-20 bucks is too much more for the guy who started this thread to pay and that there is more points to life. lol You had me confused. But yeah the guy is real cool. He has me next in line to work for him and everything once this other kid quits or something. He always helps me out, etc and of course knows more than me so I listen to him. He has given me some deals (nothing big but still I can't complain at all). Plus he knows that if he gets me a job there then all my money will just go back to him. I was joking with him and told him that if I get to work there then he doesn't have to worry about paying me because the next day my pay check will get handed back to him and parts handed to me. :LOL:
But anyways, I think the Pertronix is fine. I wouldn't go with the cheap 78 dollar Perform one. There is a reason that all the others are 120-145 bucks and that one is just 80 bucks. I always used to buy cheap parts for things (not just hot rods, I mean drums, guitar stuff, dirt bikes, etc) and they would just break or not last long and in the end you spend more. Now I take longer to save for something better. No more cheap stuff for me anymore, I learned my lessons pretty good a few times already.

Yea, ive also found some stuff on ebay ,mallory and msd, that i can actully afford. So ill give some updates on what i get. im almost done with the extior bodywork im going to end up replacing the front passenger side fender but thats an easy job to do. And ill have to replace the wood in the bed and im going to buy polished rails to go inbetween. And other than that the out side will be done and ready for paint. But befor i get it painted i ve got to compleatly replace the rockers. floor, and floor supports. :( LOts of fun. Haha (not)

Yeah I know how that is. If you get the Mallory kit then let me know how well that does. I haven't ever heard NOTHING about that kit. I only heard about MSD and pertronix.