Hi, I bought a project. It needs a motor. See below.



I am hoping to get my father-in-law who is an engine builder to put one together. He has a line on a 350 out of a van, maybe 20 years old ( Cheap!). I was looking at the Edelbrock heads and intakes. What would you install that will fit under the stock hood?

The performer heads make about 320 HP with the low rise intake manifold. It sounds like manifold is about 4.05" to the base of the carb.
Power package price @$1590

The E-Tec 170 heads with the performer airgap manifold make about 435 HP and the manifold is about 4.32" to the base of the carb.
Power package price @ $1870

Which would be a better combination for all around driving and economy (as it is with a V-8)?

Will they both fit under a stock 74 hood?

Other suggestions to finish off this motor are welcomed!

 

Anybody have an opinion?

 

First off heads alone don't make the kind of HP you are thinking about. You will need a sound short block, who knows what condition or what compression or what you have in this van motor. The cam selection is also very important. You need to match your heads and cam and the intake. You must start with a solid short block first. If it has a lot of blowby and little or low compression there is no way you are going to make anywhere near those numbers. It takes a healthy cam and good heads to make 430HP from a 350.

A friend of mine has a RPM Air Gap under the stock hood on his 73 so it should fit yours OK.

 

I understand that the block will be important. I plan to have the cylinders inspected and bored if needed and then new rings and pistons installed. The bearing will be replaced etc... I have been looking at the Edelbrock kits because they match the heads, cam and intake in an engineered package. You are correct in that I don't know what the eventual results will be, I was just repeating the advertised HP ratings of these kits on a 350 block made by Edelbrock. Like anybody, I like HP. However, I wanted to know if it was too much in anyone's opinion for a strong street cruiser. Would this be a 10 MPG engine? To me I hope to get 15mpg or better and maybe 18-20 on the road. More would be even better. My goal is not max HP or max mileage, I am hoping to find the best HP per MPG in about a 300-400 HP motor.

Thanks Gordonm for the input. It is good to hear that an RPM Air Gap will fit.

 

The MPG depends a lot on your right foot. I have gotten a high of close to 20 and a low of around 4. I now run an OD Tremec trans which greatly improved the mpg I get when I can keep my foot out of it. A 350 to 400 HP motor is very doable and provides a good street motor. If you are going to replce the crank and rods and pistons Iwould suggest going to a stroker. If the crank and rods are good and you are just replacing the pistons increase the compression so you are in the 10:1 area. If you run aluminum heads this will be no problem with todays gas. Yes the selected kits are nice since all the parts selection is done for you. Obviously the more HP you want the less streetable it will be. I run a 500HP 385 SB and I think it is streetable. Iwould not want it as a daily driver and it idles very rough but it hauls a$$ when I want it to.

 

I guess there is no substitute for cubic inches. Mine was originally a Turbo 400 and for now I am going to leave it with that. It would be easier to install another more modern 4-speed auto than a stick. I like driving a stick, but to find and install the clutch would be the issue.

I like the Edelbrock kit with the E-Tec 170 heads (Vortec style?) and the air gap performer intake. I will have to think about it. If all that is require is a drop air filter, I may go that direction.

 

I would do a 383 as well, extra cost if you already have the 350 would be to clearance the block and $175 or so for a 3.75" crank. Stock rods would need clearanced some, but would work and u need to resize them anyway. All the other parts are the same cost. $350 more? Would be well worth it for the extra hp and tq.

 

Thought I would bring this to the top again to see if there were any other ideas out there. I will be starting with a 2-bolt main 350 block out of a 15-20 year old van. What is a relativly economical set of parts. I like the vortec heads. Should I go GMPP cast iorn or Edelbrock E-Tec? Roller cam or not? expand to 383 or stick with 350? I want a street cam. I don't intend to do a lot of drag racing and want ot run on pump gas. Summit, Jegs, Pace Scoggins Dicky, Others? Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

ummm i belive the Edelbrock kits were tried on there long/short block engines....i belive it was there performer? im not 100% sure. if you go 383 youll get a bunch more power from the car you can try a TrickFlow kit ( its in your summit) and belive( well from what it says) you can get like 450ish.....but they dont say on the type of engine (new or rebuilt). well i hope i help a lil bit....if not sry

 

See my sig for my set up on my 74. Everything fits under the stock hood. I made 250 rwhp without any tuning. I am sure there's some more in the there. I will be taking it back to the dyno for A/F tuning this year...

 

While I see no problem with the THM-400 from a performance standpoint (and the ability to take the HP you will be making), it won't help you on mileage at all. No lock-up clutch and a real power sucker. I like 'em for driving, but for performance you should go with a more modern transmission. For cost and simplicity, I'd stay with the THM.

 

Thanks for the replies,

74 Batmobile,
I will have to check out the Summit Catalog again. It is just that there are so many options that it can make your head spin. If it was just me, I would find a new crate engine. My father-in-law is a good engine mechanic and can probably put something together cheaper though. Edelbrock sells a Performer 350 with about 320 HP for under $5k. They have a Performer E-Tec 350 with about 435 HP that sells for about $7.3k. I am just not sure where the price difference is? The Performer heads sell for about $530 and the E-Tec heads sell for $550. The differences seem to be in the internals. The Performer engine has a cast crank & cast aluminum pistons. The E-Tec motor has a forged crank and hypereutectic pistions. Is this where the over $2k difference is? I guess I am wondering if it would be a mismatch to put the E-Tec heads and manifold on a block that is a 2-bolt main witha cast crank and pistons. The heads an manifold themselves are not that much more expensive.

Desi,
Thanks for the description. I take it you are pleased with the setup you have?

7T1vette,
I have had the same thoughts. I would think a more modern transmission would be better for performance and mileage. The one that I have would need a rebuild. IT has been out of the car for 8 years. The PO said it was rebuilt. I found the receipt. That was 17 years ago. This sounds like it needs a rebuild. COnsidering that, it might not be that much more to just go with a newer 4 speed. Do you have any experience as to what might be the most economical to purchase and use? Would a 700R4 fit better than a 4L60E? (If I am spelling those right.)

 

ZZ435 yea baby!!!!

 

4L60E requires a computer (hence the big E ) ... but neither 700R4 nor 2004R do. Depending on year ... Van motor MIGHT have roller cam or have provision for it. Better planning possible when you know more about the van motor & what rear gear ratio you have. FYI ... many fuel injected blocks since about 86-87 do NOT have a complete flange for mounting a mechanical fuel pump like carbureted C3 block came with. Also, most folks find the cam in edelbrock combopaks are either way too small or way too big for street.