Looking to get this crate motor. Its the newer style one piece seal, roller, vortec heads 350/357 base crate. Its on sale for 7300 bucks , down from over 10k. Its in an alberta gm dealer but shipping is only 488 bucks so still a great deal for a roller cam vortec motor. My issue is what intake to buy for it. The dealer said the eldebrock performer 2116 would fit, but on Summit, almost all say they dont fit under a c3 stock hood. I have the 73 L82 with the stock 350 and an eldebrock intake and 650 double pumper with a 2.5 inch air cleaner. It fits fine, but I know the Vortec is taller. Anyone know which intake will fit under a c3 hooD? Also, they all say carberated. I want to use a fitech TBI, so I believe its taller too, and they work best with a 1/2 inch 4 bore spacer. So Im worried I cant use this crate motor???? Any one do this before and know what intake will fit, square bore for the TBI and low as possible so I can use a spacer. Thanks ahead of time

 

Edelbrock site gives you the height. Compare to what you have now. Will give you an idea on clearance.
2116

 

I assume you know you are limited to choices of Vortec Intakes due to the different bolt pattern.
And Vortec heads really limit how much cam lift you are allowed.

Edelbrock pretty much says nothing of theirs fits Corvettes. They want to cover their behinds.
Rumor is, they had so many Intakes returned that they had to write up a disclaimer. Also known as, I Told You So.

I assure you, lots of their Intakes fits Corvettes if you know the tricks and routines.
Even the taller Air Gap 7501 will fit the low hood *asterisk.
* Using a drop-base air filter and a 2.75" H element.

Not to discourage you from your listed engine, but what does BluePrint Engines have that is NOT Vortec?
Plus shpg?

 

anything roller cam has aluminum heads and cost over 12k. vortec is roller with cast heads, much cheaper. 5k mininum cheaper. cam is not an issue as its a standard base crate motor. there is no options. you can buy the same crate with votec roller cam or standard heads non roller. both are on sale for 7k but the vortec has 24 more hp and 407ftlb torque. much better motor, but intake is a problem. the weind 8121 is the lowest ive found at 2.5 inch. rest are 2.7ish. this motor would be a serious upgrade to the stock 350 which is getting tired. and all i need to change is the intake and flywheel. i think the fitech is a bit taller than the 650 double pumper too, so.... Also keep in mind im in Canada. SO a 10k blueprint motor is over 15k canadian by the time I get it here. This is 9600 with tax, shipping, intake (says it dont fit corvettes on Summit), fly wheel and roller pilot bushing and new flywheel bolts. Pretty smoking price here in canada

 

I was looking at this GM350/357 motor a while back, but I could not find any user feedback or any reviews.

I'm curious if the cam that comes in this engine has a smooth idle and good street manners (it has a 108* LSA).

Can anyone comment?

Thanks

 

12k for an aluminum headed small block?!?



Try this one and save your other 6 grand for as high of a rise hood as you want.

 

That's U.S.D.
Add CAN dollars
+ shpg

But still . . . . . . .

 

Call it 7,500 then. Some places selling them have free shipping, not sure if that applies for Canada though.

OP, you’re much better off looking at an aftermarket manufacturer than a GM crate engine, or better yet, build your own!

 

Why so much? that's kinda crazy if US prices. Just bought my never run 406 with a comp roller cam and Edelbrock etec heads and intake for 3k. A local speedshop originally assembled it and the guy I got it from just never got it into his project. All the components to built an aluminum head roller cam 355 or 383 typically do not add up to an additional 7- 8k cost over the typical crate long block costs. I upgraded my 355 to a comp 2up roller withretro roller lifters and cam button for about 500 3 years back and new aluminum enforcer style heads for $750 but I had to assemble myself after watching you tube videos to learn how. My point here is it just doesn't have to cost that much. I all depends on your skill level to follow directions and willingness to try. You can pick up rebuilt short blocks for as little as 2k and add the cam and heads you choose. I ended up tearing that 406 I bought this summer down to install higher compression pistons and to swap my 205 cc heads from my 355 as well as a different cam into itanyway. And all the stuff I'm pulling off will go into the "old" 355 with 8kmiles on it. Which someone will get a deal on for likely a few grand.

I could have sworn bluprint had a 500hp roller 406 with aluminum heads for like 6k-7k?

Edit..should have read the last few responses. I see your in that country 10 minutes north of me where everything double in price.. for that kind of difference it might be cheaper to drive the car to the states and ve the swap done here..

 

When Edelbrock says their manifold won't fit under a stock hood, they mean with the stock air cleaner.
I have Vortec heads with an Edelbrock RPM Air Gap manifold, with a drop base air cleaner and 3 inch element under the stock hood of my 77. I believe the 73 hood is the same.
Also, if you're so inclined, Vortec heads can be modified easily (off the engine and disassembled) for more valve lift. My cam has .535 and .550 lift, intake and exh.

 

I have a GM Performance. Parts catalog turn key ZZ4 engine. It is a 350 cubic inch engine, with a roller cam, aluminum heads and aluminum manifold. I bought this about 12 years ago. I assume it's the same size as your engine as for external dimensions. Yes, the stock aircleaner wouldn't fit. Solution...I bought a drop base air cleaner. It fits under the hood. The drop base air cleaner had an aluminum base and an aluminum lid. I tossed the aluminum lid and put the stock air cleaner lid back on. Voila.. An observer, unless looking really close, wouldn't know it wasn't a 100% stock air cleaner. A 1968 small block car.
...................


Look at the valve cover. I think the four attachment bolts in the middle of the top of the cover means it's a vortec head.

Interestingly, I just happened to have a stock 1969 BB hood laying around. It fit fine on the original car. I put it on my 68. Yes, now the stock air cleaner fit.....but the hood didn't fit the car! An interesting data point that supports the comment some make that the C3 hoods are not perfectly interchangeable. I think the reason is apparently the hoods are custom fit to the body on the assembly lines. The fitment of the hoods is entirely dependent to the alignment (gluing) of the inner finders to the body panels. A difference in the positioning of the inner finders between two C3s, means the hoods aren't going to exactly fit.

 

I figured that may be the case. Wonder if they make the drop base for the fitech efi. id like to use it since i have the whole system. but the drop base one my double pumper wont fit the fitech, to much junk in the way. theyre fat since they have brains and injectors inside. also need that 1/2 spacer under if you want your tbi to work right and not whistle. lol. the stock 357 is good for me. stock was 260 with 350 torque. the vortec has 407 torque, so a nice upgrade. the blueprint equivalent is darn near identical, but roller without vortec heads. same price, but 1500 shipping , duty, and 2 taxes brings it to the 10k ish mark. the best they had was a 383 stroker with aluminum heads, roller etc, same price but again shipping and duty taxes brokerage etc. the vortec is in canada, same price except shipping is 1/3 and only 1 small tax in alberta, no border crap. so for the 10k, i get the entire motor intake flywheel bolts roller pilot tax and delivery. they went with the 500 dollar eldebrock performer saying its the only one that doesnt say wont fit a corvette. but summit has the disclosure on that model, so....im guessing that 383 blueprint would also not fit.

 

More like $9,500+ CAD landed after freight and GST......freight will be much more to Canada. I used to own a dealership in Alberta where the OP is from. That's a pile of money for a low end mass produced cookie cutter SBC. If it was me I'd look for a builder up here. Not many reputable shops remain however, as they've all retired.

Try D&W Custom Engine Specialties......they operate in Calgary........been around 33 years.

 

actually im in BC, thats why the 500 shipping from Alberta. That price by the way is on sale. Regular price is over 10k. Summit has a 390hp 350 blueprint I just found, BP3505CT, Its actually cheaper with the Blueprint Aluminum roller heads. It also takes my stock intake etc. Which I know fits obviously. Its 6400 canadian. So closer to 8k landed. the killer ordering from the US is the duty and both taxes, pst and gst, and shipping is 3x cost. Alberta has 1 small tax, and now border. This looks like a better choice though. more friendly and more power, lighter with aluminum heads. still need new flywheel and pilot but would come in around 9k. bit less than the vortec.

 

actually the blueprint one is a vortec as well, but they have there own lower intake. starting to build something now. anyone hear of a short water pump. gonna get new as well but i was told i currently have a shorty water pump because of the A/C?? i cant find a shorty anywere?

 

All C3 Corvettes had short Corvette water pumps regardless of with or without AC.

 

An LS3 crate engine costs less than that, new from GM!

 

Actually there are long and short, and your right ac is not why. Ill have to check the number on mine so I dont get the wrong one. I did find the short. the shorts are quite a bit cheaper than the longs for some reason too. glad for that

 

ls3 is over 15k then another 5k in computer wiring pumps, body off to run fuel lines, gas tank conversion, motor mounts and transmission conversion. power upgrades, belt systems, new a/c pump and gear. ya I want to spend 35k. Pretty clear Im trying to do this under 10k.

 

There are long and short water pumps, then there’s an additional “corvette” water pump with different dimensions. Here is a thread that talks about the differences.

If you’re looking for more hood clearance with your TBI system I would consider getting a single plane intake. It would remove the need to run a spacer and gives you better fuel distribution. The TBI doesn’t need a vacuum signal like a carburetor and cares more about plenum volume.