Okay fellow vetters, here's an update.

I called around to a couple of machine shops today to get some ballparks. I've decided at the least I want the engine removed and reinstalled as I can zip it down to my local bodyshop and get the engine bay cleaned and painted. As far as everything else, it's up in the air. But here goes ...

1. First shop was recommended by the company that rebuilt my transmission. He's a guy that's been around for years, and actually has 2 vettes he's working on at the moment. He quoted me $3000 Canadian which would be around $1900 US for a R/R and complete teardown and rebuild. No add on parts, just rebuild what I have.

2. I called another place that I've been familiar with and has been around as well for quite some time. He quoted me about $1500 for an engine rebuild then between $600-$800 to remove and replace the engine. So at the high end, it would cost me $2300 Canadian or $1500 US. Of course this does not include any upgrades as well, just a tear down and rebuild. He also told me that a carb rebuild would run me about $175 Canadian plus parts. Not too shabby, even though my first preference would be to send it to Lars. I think he needs a partner!

I'm planning on going down to talk to the second place to see their operation first, and see what they intend on doing. He also told me to keep my Q-Jet and just have it rebuilt. He said that the Q-Jet's are awesome if they are tuned properly. Replacing the intake would also give me some extra horsepower.

Now can anyone tell me what kind of difference I'm going to get from just a rebuild? Will I have better torque, more HP or what? Seems like alot to spend to not benefit from it. Also, is there anything else I should plan to do while I have the engine out of the car. I'm already looking at getting the body mounts, and a-arm bushings replaced. I've already done the front steering and shocks.

 

Since you have to reconnect all of the vacuum hoses, I would replace those if you haven't done that in a while. Also, if you radiator is showing it's age, it is a lot easier to replace with the engine out!

Rebuilding with what you have wouldn't give you anything (I don't think). Does it include new gaskets and bearings?

Go to Northernautoparts.com, select engine kits from "product category", select Chevy 350 from the list.

- Master rebuild kit = $155.00 plus $82.00 for Crane 260 duration cam = $236.79.
- Edelbrock performer manifold = $115.00

Extra on top of R&R = approx. $350.00 The torque per $ would be better then just a R&R.

- Lars tune of Q-Jet.

If you are going to rebuilt it, rebuild it so you are happy with it. Wait and save some money if you have to.

Master Kit includes: Cam, Lifters, Timing chain, pistons, rings, rod/main/cam bearings, oil pump, plugs & gaskets.



[Modified by 69stingray, 7:29 PM 1/2/2003]

 

You WILL gain something with a rebuild:

1. If the shop does it well, he will not only rebuild it but blueprint it, i.e. they will port the manifold to the heads, do all bearings to exact tolerances and gap the piston rings all individually to proper clearances - these are all things that can never be done to a production or crate engine. Otherwise they'd be too expensive.
2. Better pistonring gaps (and of course the fact that you will have new piston rings) will end up in a higher compression, i.e. you will see the nominal 160psi rather than 145 with the worn rings
3. New timing chain will correct any retarding that the cam had to to the old stretched chain (i.e. your cam now is a bit behind from where it should be relatively to the crank)
4. The porting of manifold and heads will largely improve flow capacity. If you would see how bad production parts fit in that area (I had to remove up to an 1/8 of an inch of protruding metal), than you understand why most production engines are far away from their nominal power rating
5. Add new rockers: These will not flex as much as the tired ones thus giving more lift to the valve (maybe go for Comp-Cams Magnum steel roller tipped rockers - these are even stiffer and reduce valve-stem wear due to the roller tip.)
6. With a three angle valve job, you reduce some sharp edges near the valve where mixture has to flow around in a production engine, thus increasing flow capacity.

So finally, you will end up to "see" the actual horsepower that the engine was rated with which can be quite an substantial step.

If you do a standard rebuild I strongly recommend to insist on using the same (new) camshaft! These cams are about the best you can get for low-end torque. Just because in the mid 70's, engineers were forced to get hp-ratings down. But what to do to retain the car fun to drive? Answer was to give the engine maximum TORQUE instead of horsepower, which they did.
See horspower is a mathematical product of torque x rpm. As rpm is a larger number, its increase will contribute more to a hp-number than torque. I.e. that an 175hp engine might have high torque @ relatively low rpm (thus resulting in the low hp rating) but it is still fun to drive.

Regarding parts: SUMMIT offer a engine rebuild kit at a very good price with all necessary parts from reputable brands: FELPRO gasket-kit, Clevite77 bearings, Melling oil pump, Keith Black hypereutectic pistons (as option) with rods assembled, brass core plugs, double roller timing chain, Sealed Power piston rings. You can also add a new cast crankshaft but I would always to prefer to regrind your old one cause then you can grind every single bearing to its main cap which is always better.

 

Bag the old engine and save it .GMparts direct has the 350 330 hp crate engine with warranty and vortech heads for 2195 . Real close to what you want to spend and youwill be happy with the hp :steering: