Small block from a pick up
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Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 539
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From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Small block from a pick up
My son has a small block 350, 4 bolt main, from a 81 chevy pick-up. He no longer has the truck body and wanted to know if I would be interested in the motor. I have a 76 L48, that is soooo slow.. He said his motor is bored 30 over, has a better intake than stock and possibly bigger cam than stock. I don't relly know much about the motor but was thinking of pulling my motor this winter to try to do something to make it better. If I did take his I would just park my original motor in the corner but I don't know enough about motors to know if that motor would even work. Like motor mounts in the same place, exhaust basically the same place, questions like that. I need help from you guys. Will it work? what do I need to check out to know if it will fit? I gotta have more power....
Thanks in advance for your help.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,428
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From: Japan
Any small block will interchange with any small block, as far as what you can bolt into your Vette. And believe it or not, if you have the ambition and skill to pull the motor out of your Corvette (and, of course, put it back in) you probably have the skill to build a motor, providing you can find a decent machine shop in your locality. Depending on what you have in the new motor going in, you can build a pretty healthy 350 for under $1500. If you decide to go the DIY route, get yourself a copy of "How to Rebuild Your Small-Block Chevy" by David Vizard, and READ IT from cover to cover. Also get a ring compressor, torque wrench, and engine stand, As long as you're not too patriotic these three items can be gotten for less than $100. Enjoy!
Racer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 272
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From: Palm Beach Gardens Florida
ragtag74
truck motors are great. I;m running a 1973 400 truck block, unknown cam,Edelbrock c26 manifold,modified to fit Brodix heads,roller rockers,2,4's 600cfm primary carb,500cfm secondary carb and it runs verrry strong.Backed up by a 4 speed,and 370 rear. Some people say that mish mash is lame,but they view my tail lights a lot. John
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Gardner Kansas
with birdsmith... take that 4 bolt main motor and buy yourself an edelbrock cam,manifold,heads set ... probably wouldn't hurt to get a decent carb although the Q-jet on your vette isn't a bad carb if rebuilt and tuned correctly... adjust the timing and vac. adv. on your dist. and drive it like you stole it .... DEFINETLY buy yourself the before mentioned book or a Haynes "guide to rebuilding your smallblock chevy" by Robert Maddox & John Haynes... and read it from cover to cover maybe even two or three times.Good Luck and don't forget the beer.
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Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 539
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From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Thanks guys, so far it sounds like a go... I got the torque wrench, can borrow a engine stand, I have a ring compressor from a Harley, not sure if that will fit but I think it is big enough.
So it seems like a small block is a small block as far as mounting, so can I assume my TH350 trans will bolt right up?
I sure do appreciate this forum...
So it seems like a small block is a small block as far as mounting, so can I assume my TH350 trans will bolt right up?
I sure do appreciate this forum...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 3
Yes it will fit but it's not worth the time. "Might have a bigger cam" means that it has the stock cam. If you're going to do an engine swap, make sure it's worth the time, money, effort, and pain. If you want more power go for H&C on your stock engine.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 88,393
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From: eville in
Originally Posted by ragtag74
truck motors are great. I;m running a 1973 400 truck block, unknown cam,Edelbrock c26 manifold,modified to fit Brodix heads,roller rockers,2,4's 600cfm primary carb,500cfm secondary carb and it runs verrry strong.Backed up by a 4 speed,and 370 rear. Some people say that mish mash is lame,but they view my tail lights a lot. John
a 600 and a 500 cfm ???????
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 3
Originally Posted by panchop
Get the engine. Take your time and build it the way you want. Drive what you have till it's done Then when it's done you can do the swap in a weekend.
Especially if it's a daily driver.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,135
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From: Dayton Oh
I'm running a built 350 block out of a 85 Suburban in my 79. I pulled & stored my original engine. Kept nothing of the replacement block except the block itself and had lots of fun making the new engine from scratch. This was my first build and I kept it relatively simple. Next time I'll build a blown engine.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Originally Posted by marshrat99
I'm running a built 350 block out of a 85 Suburban in my 79. I pulled & stored my original engine. Kept nothing of the replacement block except the block itself and had lots of fun making the new engine from scratch. This was my first build and I kept it relatively simple. Next time I'll build a blown engine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
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From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Originally Posted by 76project
Thats kind of where I am. I have never rebuilt and engine before. If I use the truck motor I can take my time, put my own cam in it, decide if I want new heads or not, and so on. The truck being a 4 bolt vs my puny L48 seems worth it right there to me. And it has got to have more horse power....
Here's a link to a handy & rather accurate CR calculator ... thanks to Lars who first introduced it here at CF:
http://www.campbellenterprises.com/R...o%20calculator
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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Originally Posted by 76project
Thats kind of where I am. I have never rebuilt and engine before. If I use the truck motor I can take my time, put my own cam in it, decide if I want new heads or not, and so on. The truck being a 4 bolt vs my puny L48 seems worth it right there to me. And it has got to have more horse power....
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From: Twin Cities Minnesota
Originally Posted by torqvette
Don't be so sure. Also, my L48 was a 4 bolt. Are you sure that yours isn't?
Looking at those spec's the L82 doesn't make sense if it says 16bolts/5 caps, that doesn't seem to add up. Shouldn't it say 20 bolts/5 caps to be 4 bolts on each cap? I really don't know much about engines, But I'm learning.....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Originally Posted by 76project
I sent for the "Genuine Chevrolet 1976 Corvette specifications" and under the Engine Crankshaft it says for an L48 it has 10 Bolts/5 caps and for a L82 16 bolts/5 caps. I have a L48 so I should have 2 bolt mains if I understand that correctly.
Looking at those spec's the L82 doesn't make sense if it says 16bolts/5 caps, that doesn't seem to add up. Shouldn't it say 20 bolts/5 caps to be 4 bolts on each cap? I really don't know much about engines, But I'm learning.....
Looking at those spec's the L82 doesn't make sense if it says 16bolts/5 caps, that doesn't seem to add up. Shouldn't it say 20 bolts/5 caps to be 4 bolts on each cap? I really don't know much about engines, But I'm learning.....
Some aftermarket blocks actually have 4 bolts on each cap.
And yes your L48 should have 2-bolt mains ... it's VERY unusual for L48 to have 4-bolt mains. Nothing wrong with 2-bolt main block ... they'll reliably hold all the power you're likely to build into a street car.
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Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Gardner Kansas
I have always heard that a 4 bolt main block is better... Sure if were talking about an enormous amount of power and most importantly, Very HIGH RPM's... Then it makes since but I have plenty of faith in a 2 bolt block.