I have to replace my 350 4 speed on a 10K budget,, I would really appreciate some suggestions on the best bang for my buck.

 

if its the born with block I would keep it and rebuild it. if not go to summits web site or your GM dealer and just buy what you want for your driving style

 

General thoughts that come to mind....

1) why replace the engine? Did it break. Is it worn and smoking, etc.?

2) noticed you mention the 4spd. Is your budget for trans too, or engine only? If including trans, why?

3) how much work would you do yourself, vs how much would you hire out? Labor eats a 10k budget quickly.

4) how original is the car currently? if its matching you could hurt value by switching out the original parts. If anything, you'd want to save the original parts for a future owner, but, then you're going to need to set aside money for core fees when you keep the original parts....

 

Motor is not original, its worn and smoking. Transmission has just been rebuilt, I want a drop in ready new engine at least 350 HP as was the original. I want be doing any of the work myself.

 

ALL brand new, Not reman/rebuilt.
https://www.chevrolet.com/performanc...sp350-357-base

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/nal-19367080

Should outrun-outdrive L46 with its gas-friendlier lower compression.

REQUIRES a new flywheel/flexplate and a different Vortec intake manifold and a melonized distributor gear. I'd install new damper as well.

Perhaps spend the balance of budget on an aftermarket EFI system ... and better brakes.

GM also sells same all-new motor but with filter, carb, intake & distributor

 

10,000 will buy you a lot of horsepower.
I bought an ATK mid-dressed 350 with 360 horsepower ....3,200 delivered. You can buy one fully dressed but I wanted to pick my own carburetor and went with the Edelbrock 1906.
This should be your starting point.
You want to spend more money for more horsepower you can do it in increments.
But I like atk's reputation.
Followed by blueprint
GM is okay but they're a little overpriced.
Remember to that once you start pushing over 400 horsepower you're going to be straining the original equipment .... Tranny ...rear end ...half shafts.
I'm very happy with 360 horsepower

 

Small block Chevy's are dirt cheap, and i have no idea why people spend so much money to build them. And yeah... before the flames come, i know all about engine building. Only Chevy guys think this stuff is expensive.

That said, for 10K you could probably drop an LS in there. You dont BUILD an LS (also silly), you buy a good runner (which cant be that much), and you spend the rest to make it work. LS swaps aren't cheap, but you'll make way more power, and have a more efficient engine. 10K is a lot ov money. All depends on how much YOU can do obviously. If you just want to hand someone your car and cash, well... you'll get less.

Now that said... if you must have old school, or just want it, consider crate engines. Lots ov good shops build mild to wild crates in all kinds ov price ranges. Or consider a used one, if you know someone with a really nice engine, that just needs a refresher (because they're upgrading). I'd stick with a hot 350, or 400 if staying smallblock. Not a fan ov 383's, or other strokers.

If you want to build a 350/400, make a complete plan, and then scour the used parts sources (craigslist/FB/ebay, etc.). Soooooooo much cheap used SBC stuff out there.

It doesn't have to be expensive. Its funny how 10K can buy one guy a rebuilt 350 with some basic fun parts (cam, intake, pistons, etc.) and maybe 350HP... and buy another guy 600HP... Its all who, and what you know.

 

Good thing is your budget will support this new engine. If this were my car I would buy the GM 19421178 350/290hp Gen 1 long block crate engine because I'm not seeing a true Gen 1 350/350hp offered. Other option is to rebuild what you have to get 350hp as the cost will be about the same. The new GM crate engine is $3,144.00 with free shipping.

Downside to all this is who is going to do this? If I understand correctly you are going to have this done by a shop vice doing it yourself. That's where the rub comes in, most automotive shops will not do this type of work because 1) it ties up a bay for an extended period of time and 2) they focus on production work vice someone's hot rod. Not sure what part of the country you live in but in my neck of the woods dropping an engine off at a machine shop and saying here rebuild this is a 90-120 day process. Your general automotive repair shops have to store your car during that time frame.

I'm in the same boat so to speak as I want to rebuild the engine in my 73 but currently don't have a space to do that, first time in many years I find myself in this position. I have called around local and contacted a couple Corvette specialty shops all said no. The general automotive repair shops said we don't do that kind of work and the Corvette specialty shops were not taking on any new work. At this point I can't give my money away.

I'm almost at a point of going nationwide to find a Corvette specialty shop and have my car shipped to them. Almost had a chance to buy a 40X60 shop on 4 AC a couple weeks ago but the owner decided to keep it. Weird times we live in these days, I'm willing to spend $110K to have a place I can spend $3K rebuilding an engine.

Good luck with this project and let us know how this works out.

 

I feel that pain. I honestly dont know whats worse... having no money, or having money and not being able to spend it. Sucks not having a shop and good tools too. I'm gonna be playing this game in my driveway, and between the rain and the thieves... i dont know man.

 

Talk to a reputable engiine builder in your area. A good shop will build it, guarantee it and dyno it for that cash, and you may save some money. And if it has an issue you can drive right up to there door and have them talk to you about it versus try ing to reach someone on the phone that may not know what the hell they are talking about or could not care less about. Where do you live ?

 

Whatever you ultimately decide on for a replacement engine, don’t make that choice without factoring in the potential impact on the drivetrain. If you end up in the 350-400 HP range, your existing drive train will likely be fine if in good condition but once you start pushing north of 400 HP, you open the door to risking failure in the axles, differential, u-joints and driveshafts.

Your existing differential, if original and if equipped with positraction, has a 2nd design posi case and 18 tooth spiders. They are not as strong as the 3rd design units that were introduced in the early 70s, along with 17 tooth spiders but there are many other aspects to this equation that can be addressed in subsequent posts if needed.

 

Do you want to buy a matching numbers motor ???

 

Id go straight to a 400 engine. Everything else bolts in, looks like any other sbc and makes huge torque youll forget all about a 350 after that promise.

 

My recommendation is to look at the GM Performance Parts catalog. They sell turn key engines that include modernized technical upgrades to the engine you have in the 76. Their engines all include warranties.

Smog legal..430 HP..https://www.gmperformancemotor.com/p...hoCnDMQAvD_BwE Includes the cat reactors and all accessories. Scoggin-Dickey sells this engine at the same price.

Here's the ZZ6 turnkey if you do not have to be smog legal, although this engine probably meets smog requirements for 76. 405 HP.
https://www.chevrolet.com/performanc...s/zz6-turn-key

I bought the ZZ4, the ZZ6 predecessor, and it was an easy replacement for my 68 original engine. Bought mine from Scoggin-Dickey. I replaced engines myself. Removed the engine, bellhousing, transmission as one unit. Pretty straightforward for me. If you have an experienced mechanic do the replacement, should be less of a chance of a problem.

 

Lotsa good choices, but keep in mind an LS isn't a drop-in solution. Also, many of the dressed/turn-key sbc choices include an intake manifold that's simply too tall for many OE C3 hoods. Big fan of all-new GM Powertrain / Chevy Performance motors.

 

^^Some complain GM crates are more than ebay specials but everything is brand new. Block, all of it.
Now white box parts, cam is steel not a chinese iron core better quality lifters etc.

no white box parts, etc. Id trust one over a mail order with a real optimistic dyno sheet.
I bet the ZZ6 would pass the sniffer, too.

 

GM has the best warranty, bar None. If you can't resolve a claim, You can sue Anywhere GM has physical footprint aka anywhere there's a GM dealership. READ the GM warranty.

Not So with either ATK or BPE.

ATK warranty specifies any claims Must be heard before an ILLINOIS court, period. READ the ATK warranty if ya don't believe that; or ask your attorney to read it for you.

BPE warranty specifies any claims Must be heard before a NEBRASKA court, period. READ the BPE warranty if ya don't believe that; or ask your attorney to read it for you.

 

Ebbnflow, 68/70vette, cv67, and perhaps others have pointed toward the GM offerings. I could not agree with them more.

I recently replaced much of the drive train in my Yukon Denali. The engine is the L92, which is the truck version of the LS3. For a while I had the 'New Car Fever' and I was going to get rid of my old Denali and purchase a new one.

As I looked at the real dollars I realized that keeping the old Denali and replacing the driveline vs buying a new GM Denali would save me a little over 60K. And I would still have a new driveline that would have the identical GM power train warranty as a new 2021 Denali. No Brainer!!!

Go with GM! It does not matter whether you go old school carbureted, or hop into an LS. Your motor will have a fully backed GM warranty that can be serviced at any GM/Chevrolet dealership in the continental US.