Engine upgrade/rebuild
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Cruising
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Engine upgrade/rebuild
1972- 350 4 speed. Matching #motor. Looking at either rebuilding old block with new rotating assy or replacing with short block and keeping matching # on the side if I ever sell the car. I know the issue with matching numbers but cost is about the same to rebuild or go short block. Value other Vet owners perspective- so what you you think of these two options.? Regards
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 19,610
Likes: 778
From: Forked River NJ
Put in a stroker motor. Either rebuild your current motor or get a crate motor. If you want more HP than your heads are not going to be enough. A lot depends on your $$$. How fasr you want it depends on how much $$$ you have to build the motor. I prefer to build the motor rather than crate motors. There are some great deals on crate motors though. You won't go wrong with either one.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 414
Likes: 1
I have done both.
Originally, I rebuilt my numbers matching 300/350. Using AFR heads, good forged pistons with the stock crank and rods, a relatively mild cam I achieved 400hp and 380 lbs torque (on a flywheel dyno). The motor turned 7000 RPM for ten years and was running perfect when I took it out last year. I think it cost me about $5K. Now, it is on the shelf, replaced by.....
A 406 built using a Dart Little M block and Pro I heads. Same guy built it, but this time it cost more than double - most of the cost was in the parts. Torque and horsepower are now in the 550 range and still tweaking.
Originally, I rebuilt my numbers matching 300/350. Using AFR heads, good forged pistons with the stock crank and rods, a relatively mild cam I achieved 400hp and 380 lbs torque (on a flywheel dyno). The motor turned 7000 RPM for ten years and was running perfect when I took it out last year. I think it cost me about $5K. Now, it is on the shelf, replaced by.....
A 406 built using a Dart Little M block and Pro I heads. Same guy built it, but this time it cost more than double - most of the cost was in the parts. Torque and horsepower are now in the 550 range and still tweaking.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,043
Likes: 4
From: Va
If you decide to have #s matching rebuilt, do not leave the block unattended at the machine shop or atleast until they get past the step of decking the block and making sure they don't deck off the serial#s. Don't leave it to trusting them or putting it in writing.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 7,739
Likes: 630
From: Unreconstructed, South Carolina
Originally Posted by 72OrangeCoupe
1972- 350 4 speed. Matching #motor. Looking at either rebuilding old block with new rotating assy or replacing with short block and keeping matching # on the side if I ever sell the car. I know the issue with matching numbers but cost is about the same to rebuild or go short block. Value other Vet owners perspective- so what you you think of these two options.? Regards
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 395
Likes: 0
From: Orange massachusettes
If you can swing the $ for another engine, do it! Bumper cars are rising in value at a decent rate, IF you have a #s matching car. The more items you have that are original the more $ its worth. If your planning on driving it alot, I would even consider swapping trans at the same time. Althou there are ALL kinds of MATCHING # parts, the engine is the most important. Lose that item and you wont believe the DROP in value your car will take! Trust me I know. I've got a 72 LT1 car w/ZZ4in place of the LT1. The Original engine was missing when I bought the car,so I swapped in ZZ4. Allthou I do have matching #s trans and rear, I'm willing to bet the car is only worth about HALF of what a #s matching LT1 is worth. Maybe even less. Its your car, your money, your choice. I DIDNT have the option of saving/preserving my original engine, you CAN save yours. Just my .02
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 12
From: SoCal
I have a 1972 with a ZZ3 block that's been stroked into a 383. But, I kept the original #'s matching engine and it's safely stored. So, if I ever decide to sell the car, I can still sell it with the original engine.
But I doubt that I'll ever sell it...
