AllC34Me

I have always wanted to build an engine from scratch and with so many options out there today I started with some basics that soon turned out to be less than basic or smart purchases. Here is where I started,

1) 350 CHEVROLET HIGH NICKEL 2 BOLT BLOCK – CASTING #3970010 - DATE: L - 2 – 6 (December 2, 1976). BLOCK WAS JET CLEANED, MAGNIFLUXED, AND BORED .030". CYLINDERS ARE PRECISION DECK PLATE HONED TO 4.030". DECK SURFACES ARE CBN RESURFACED .010". NEW CAM BEARINGS AND SOFT PLUGS WERE INSTALLED - NEW SCREW-IN OIL GALLEY PLUGS, THIS IS A 2 BOLT MAIN, HIGH NICKEL, 010 2 PIECE REAR MAIN SEAL BLOCK.

2) 350 CHEVROLET HEADS – CASTING # 462624
These turned out to be crap, so I am pitching them for new aluminum heads.

3) The crank is part number 3932442, It is a cast crank with 3.48 stroke.

4) Comp Cam Performance Set: Part number SK12-238-2.

5) Digital Diamond Profiled Pistons - Sealed Air H345ACP.

5) Professional Products harmonic balancer.

6) Sealed Power FelPro Gasket Set complete

7) Intake manifold, aluminum – Powder coated black.

8) Water pump

9) Fuel Pump

Because I am scrapping the heads I have $450 in the block and about $450 in the various parts. What I will do is start a build sheet for this engine detailing what parts are used and what we paid for those parts.

So let the build begin...

AllC34Me

Two shots of the block. Sorry I got the orientation wrong but you can see that this will still need some attention and re-honing.





Stay tuned and thanks for watching.

David

twinpack

Nice topic. Thanks for sharing. I will be watching and taking notes. Hope to be doing this by the end of this summer if it ever comes. 2* right now.

AllC34Me

Will you be starting from scratch or rebuilding an existing engine that you own already? Good bones are important when building an engine they tell me. I had a Corvette engine years ago that would have been good for me to play with but I wasn't smart enough to keep it back then. Anyway, good luck with your project.

David

AllC34Me

This is the cam I bought for the engine build. I think we will stick with this one for the build, gives good low end power.


Lifters, again comp cam was my choice for the build.


Comp cams again for the rockers.


Gordon is working on specifying the aluminum heads and intake combination for this build. We are also looking at specifications for the carburetor to be used with this combination of parts to produce between 350 and 400 HP in the final build.

HP on a budget, wish us luck.

David

tokim

So important to select compatible components that work together.
Will you be balancing the rotating assembly?
Thanks for posting your build.

Gordonm

Subscribed! Taking this as a challenge to see what kind of power we can get for little dollars but still have a reliable good motor. Looking for off idle to about 5000 rpm. Just a good grunt motor for a heavy car with crappy gears.

My initial thought last night after throwing around some ideas is a set of 185 Edelbrock heads a Performer intake and a 600 Cfm carb. Get an HEI distributor.
As for the balancing probably not needed but I have always done this on every engine build just for peace of mind.

Mick71

It sounds like you have a great plan for a good-running street engine, thanks for taking the time to share it with us.

briankeery

Really pleased to see guys trying to do this on a reasonable budget, and make reasonable street power. Good lucks gents, all the best.

doorgunner

EXACTLY! You are building something that will also last on the highway for road trips! Just consider the fact that those sharp=looking aluminum heads are twice the cost of iron heads....consider the cost of horsepower per dollars when purchasing them----1:6 quality stamped rocker arms and quality THIN head gaskets (PROVIDED THERE IS SUFFICIENT PISTON-TO-VALVE-CLEARANCE) provide a better ratio dollar/horsepower investment on a budget build------Rookie advice from me

Looking forward to the build

Gordonm

Looked into them. Edelbrock sells a set of 185 heads for right at 700 bucks from Summit. You can run a little more compression with aluminum also which gives a little more power. Certainly not against iron heads at all and we could probably go even less expensive shopping used parts on some of this. Not looking to see how low we can go just build reasonable power/ dollar spent.

doorgunner

True!

That's why I didn't mention "previously owned/abused heads"...it's safer to go with new (unless you are familiar with the engine that the used heads were removed from)

briankeery

With the parts that David has already assembled, do you guys have a comparable engine that we could judge cost/performance against?

rajin cajin

Subscribed. I have a L-82 motor with those crappy heads. Will eventually do a top end build with heads and cam as the motor was recently rebuilt with original parts. I have been reading up a lot on the vortec heads. Super Chevy has a few rebuild articles getting 415-425 hp out of the little mouse. Can't wait to see your finished motor.

twinpack

I have the original L79. The plan is to rebuild it.

AllC34Me

We are working on the top end now. I have a ZZ4 aluminum intake and we are searching for the right carb to match up to the build. Same with heads. Should be fun to see what it can do when done.

David

doorgunner

KIKIRIKI

This is EXACTLY what I'm looking to do down the road with my vette. Give it the power it should have had, but not go overboard. Needless to say I'll be watching this very closely.

CA-Legal-Vette

Good timing. Just starting a build myself!

jnealg

I found an 010 4 bolt casting a couple of months ago. looking to build a 383 out of it. Ive never built one from scratch either so Ill be following along. I am probably going to make it a summer fall project. Too many irons in the fire to do much right now. I have only pulled the covers off and poked around it a bit.